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Memories of Brno - Thursday 20th
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 The Continental Hotel had 13 floors, with 3 wings at 120°, so all rooms had a good view. Those at the rear had a French window and balcony, good for photography, but with a risk of hypothermia when wearing pyjamas! Breakfast was served in a large room on the ground floor with the usual choice of cereals, fruit, meats, cheeses, bread and hot dishes. At 9.00 we assembled in the university building (below), only 100 metres from the hotel. The opening ceremony in its baroque great hall was impressive. We stood as the organist in the gallery played "Gaudeamus Igitur". Lenka welcomed us, and then a professor told us about the university's history, dating back to 1899. There are now 6 universities in Brno with more than 22 000 students, of whom 16 000 are in Brno University of Technology (BUT). There are important exchanges of students and staff, with international co-operation for the University of the Third Age (U3A).
After a break for refreshments and cake in the airy hallway, we had a tour of the building - a beautifully restored monastery with well-lit rooms on 3 floors, surrounding a spacious leafy central courtyard with a marble-like floor. A curved modern steel staircase was the perfevt place for group photographs. This building contains the Rector's Office, the Central Library, classrooms and computer rooms. We visited the Rector's Office where Prof. RNDr. Ing Jan Vrbka explained their pride in the history of the university after turbulent political events in the country.
We returned to the baroque great hall for speeches about education in the Czech Republic. There was a strong recommendation that there should be support for the U3A from the Ministry of Education. Lunch was in the Stucco Hall. The main course was a local speciality - steak with a delicious sauce - so good, in fact, that the chef was summoned and warmly applauded.
Back to work with Gaby Körting, the Ulm Project Leader, who announced that Alicante University intended to join Euconet and organise a December meeting. Also Finland was applying to join. Then the presentations of partners' model projects began. See Euconet official website.
Later we assembled in the Stucco hall for a gala dinner beginning with a champagne toast. A folk band played and we danced. Two young students displayed their digital photos during the evening on the wall above the band to great effect.
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GemeinsamLernen
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