As a part of his three-day trip trough the Southern Moravia region, the Czech president and the Czech armed forces supreme commander Mr. Vaclav Klaus paid a visit to the University of Defence in Brno on Monday, 8 June 2009. The trip was arranged on region governor Mr. Michal Hasek's invitation who was president's escort during the visit. Upon president's arrival, he was welcomed by the University of Defence rector brigadier general (retired) Rudolf Urban together with the deputy minister of defence Mr. Frantisek Padelek. An immediate coup of a schoolboy who asked president for an autograph right before he entered the building livened up the official ceremony.
President Klaus first had a short meeting with the University of Defence leading officers. He showed deep interest in military education system restructuring and the numbers of staff and students at the University of Defence. He got an assuring answer to the question concerning the applicants for studies and learned that the University can make a good selection in admission procedures. Another topic was the reduced budget for the University of Defence and its adverse affects.
The following event in president's visit agenda was a meeting with students in school assembly hall. In the beginning, Mr. Klaus remembered his honourable doctoral degree he acquired in Brno five years ago (from then Military Academy). Smiling he remarked that for that degree he had not have to study at all. The Military Academy was the third Czech higher education institution that conferred professor Klaus the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa.
"I wish you utilised the time you spend at this university profitably to learn as much as possible. I cannot help but there is just one option: learning, learning or learning", said Mr. Vaclav Klaus to student audience. Then, the later mentioned were interested in president's attitude to Czech troops' performance in the overseas missions, what is his estimation regarding Korea affairs or his viewpoint of armed forces priorities, particularly in terms of budget, or in his judgement concerning EU security and defence policy.
President Vaclav Klaus' visit culminated in presenting a gift – a copy of University of Defence rector's chain followed by the signature in University guest book. After saying good by to the rector who saw him out on departure the Czech president left the University of Defence to continue in his Brno visit at Romany Culture Museum.
Author: Mgr. Zdenka Dubova