<p>The Faculty of Education in Olomouc will begin construction of a new center this year.</p>

Olomouc - The Faculty of Education of Palacký University in Olomouc is likely to begin construction of a new research and educational center in the courtyard of the existing building during the summer holidays. The total costs will reach 299.8 million crowns, with the faculty receiving a grant of 254.8 million crowns from European sources. The construction of an additional building has been planned for several years, as the current building no longer has sufficient capacity and does not meet the needs of modern teaching and research, said the faculty's deputy dean Čestmír Serafín today to ČTK.
    "Currently, a selection process for a construction company is underway. Work should begin during the summer, and students could utilize the new spaces by the end of 2013," said the deputy dean.
    A new center with a total area of 5,304 square meters will be created in the courtyard of the main building on Žižkov Square. Students and teachers will benefit from new classrooms and educational and research laboratories. "The existing building has been bursting at the seams for a long time. Moreover, the building was constructed for the army, so we are limited by corridors, small rooms, and similar issues. New facilities are essential for modern research and teaching," stated Serafín.
    Thanks to the new spaces, the faculty could in the future accept more students. The number of applicants increases every year, with 10,718 applying this year, which is approximately 3,000 more than the previous year. The Faculty of Education has thus become the most sought-after of the eight faculties at the Olomouc university.
    In Olomouc, the long-planned completion of the Theoretical Institutes of the Faculty of Medicine of Palacký University also began this year. The university has obtained around 679 million crowns from European sources for this. The state will contribute approximately 120 million crowns, and the university will also participate in the financing. In the new building, students and academic staff will have better conditions not only for teaching but also for science and research.