Academia Rerum Civilium – Vysoká škola politických a společenských věd Organisation

Welcome. You are standing in a place that once throated with ideas, intellectual debates, and a constant search for answers to questions concerning the very organisation of our society. Even though you may now think you're looking at a common building, try to imagine the atmosphere that existed here in the past. Imagine the students who met here, the teachers who shared their knowledge and the scientists who shaped the views of the political reality of our world. You're standing in front of a building that was home to Academia Rerum Civilium, an institution that tried to be a guide in a complex world of political and social sciences.

To understand the importance of this place, we must return to the beginning of a new millennium. This whole story, this way of education, began to write in two thousand and three. At that time, after the official approval of the Ministry responsible, the school was established with a clear aim - to create a space for the study of political science and social sciences, which would be accessible and, at the same time, very deep. It was a private institution of the non-universality type, which at that time meant a specific approach to teaching, focused on both practical and theoretical level, which was intended to prepare people for the challenges of modern times. This school was not just a classroom; It became a real scientific workplace where something was happening all the time.

Now stop for a moment and pay attention to the building itself before you. Even though we don't know the names of the architects who designed this building, its presence in this city is undeniable. Look at her face, her walls, and the windows that have seen many people coming and going in the past. Feel how this architecture has been integrated into the urban environment. Even if you don't find decorative columns or monumental statues here, in its structure you can feel the weight of an institution that tried to be a pillar of knowledge. Take a look at the facade details and see in them the reflection of the era when education became an increasingly important tool in the hands of individuals. This building served as a framework for symposium, for large discussions and for daily study, which shaped future leaders and analysts.

The history of the Academy of Rerum Civilium is also a history of several prominent personalities who have left their mark. Every era the school went through had its guide, its leader, who determined the direction of its development. The first chapter was written in two thousand three to two thousand five years under the leadership of Rector Vladimir the Prophet, who laid the foundations of this institution. The long and stable era of Jan Liděk followed, who was head of the school from two thousand five to two thousand nineteen. In his time, the school consolidated its position and built a name. The last period closing this story fell into the hands of Tomas Koziak, who held the office of Rector in the years two thousand nineteen to two thousand twenty-two. In these years, the school tried to face changing conditions until its journey ended. The names associated with this institution include Vlastimil Vicen, which reminds us that every major institution is behind people with specific visions and energy.

If you look around now, you might find one interesting thing that gives this place another dimension. This school has never been connected to this city alone. It is an institution that has undergone transformation not only in the content of its teaching but also in its own position. Originally based here, in Kolín, but later its centre moved to the nearby Kutná Hora. This change in place shows the dynamics that private educational institutions had to experience in these years. Moreover, the school did not focus only on young students seeking their future occupation. It offered education for a wide range of people - from seniors who wanted to continue to know the world to professionals looking for advanced courses on management and public administration. It was a real community of knowledge for all ages.

But now we must touch on the sadder part of this story. As every living organism, even this institution has its beginning, its bloom and its end. In the year two thousand and two, the school found itself in a difficult situation, entered insolvency and its activity was subsequently terminated. What was once the centre of political debates and scientific symposia became a place of silence and memories. It is a reminder of how fragile education can be and how much it matters to the stability of institutions that provide us with knowledge of the world.

Even though there are no lectures here today and there are no students' steps in the corridors, this place still bears the legacy of the twenty years when it existed. You are standing in the memory of a period where new ways of bringing political and social science to the general public were actively sought in this region. It is a place that reminds that ideas have their weight and that even when an institution dies, the questions that have been asked therein remain current.

Let's move on now. Although this chapter has been closed, the surroundings offer many other stories and views of the history of this city. Continue to walk, feel the atmosphere of this place and be carried by another guide. Thank you for stopping by this monument to intellectual life. We wish you a pleasant continuation in exploring the surroundings.