The academic community of the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice (UPJŠ), the highest officials of Slovak universities and other invited guests gathered on the occasion of the important ceremony on 24 October 2023 at 11.00 a.m. in the House of Arts in Košice to hear the rector’s oath of Prof. Daniel Pella, who was sworn in as Rector of the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice.
“I promise to perform the duties of the Rector of the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice to the best of my knowledge and belief and to do all in my power for the benefit of our University in the spirit of the universal principles of ethics, humanism and democracy,” recited Rector Pella in his oath during the inauguration act in the presence of the Chairman of the Košice Self-Governing Region, Ing. Rastislav Trnka, Deputy Mayor of Košice, Mgr. Lucia Gurbáľová, former rectors of UPJŠ, prof. Ing. Slavko Chalupka, CSc. (1984 – 1990), prof. h. c. prof. JUDr. Vladimír Babčák, CSc. (2003 – 2007), prof. MUDr. Ladislav Mirossay, DrSc. (2007 – 2015), prof. RNDr. Pavel Sovák, CSc. (2015 – 2023), the Chairman of the UPJŠ Board of Trustees, JUDr. Tomáš Illeš, and other members of the UPJŠ Board of Trustees, directors of Košice medical institutions, members of the scientific council of the University and of the faculties; members of the academic senate of the University and of the faculties; directors of UPJŠ departments, university employees, teachers, students and other distinguished guests. Subsequently, the President of the Academic Senate of UPJŠ in Košice, prof. MUDr. Jana Kat’uchová, PhD., MBA, handed over to the Rector the insignia of the University – the Rector’s chain and sceptre.
Following the deliberation in the UPJŠ Academic Senate on 21 September 2023, Rector Pella appointed the members of the UPJŠ management:
- prof. MVDr. Monika Halánová, PhD., Vice-Rector for Academic Qualifications and Doctoral Studies, who was also appointed to act in the Rector’s absence,
- JUDr. Ľudmila Elbert, PhD., University Associate Professor, Vice-Rector for Undergraduate and Lifelong Learning,
- Dr. h. c. prof. MUDr. Pavol Jarčuška, PhD., Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and Investments,
- prof. RNDr. Renáta Oriňaková, DrSc., Vice-Rector for Science, Research and Project Agenda,
- doc. Ing. Silvia Ručinská, PhD., University Professor, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation,
- Dr. h. c. prof. Mgr. Slávka Tomaščíková, PhD., Vice-Rector for International Relations,
whom he officially decorated during the inauguration act and presented them with the vice-rector’s insignia.
At the beginning of his ceremonial speech, the Rector expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him in the election of the candidates for Rector. “If one does not have health, it is as if one has lost everything. But what if the society is unhealthy? Who should do more for its health if not the universities, which are the bearers of education? Our university represents a unique combination of faculties that are ready to offer the best quality education and thus help bring back health to all spheres of society. Confidence in the results of science and research primarily requires the education of the population; that is where the basis of its health lies,” stressed prof. Pella in his inaugural speech.
Rector of the Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, prof. MUDr. Peter Šimko, CSc., the Chairman of the UPJŠ Board of Trustees, JUDr. Tomáš Illeš, and the Dean of the UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine, prof. MUDr. Peter Jarčuška, PhD., expressed their best wishes to Rector Pella in their speeches. The ceremonial moment of the inauguration of the Rector and Vice-Rectors was enhanced by the impressive performance of the university choir Chorus Universitatis Šafarikiane under the direction of its choirmaster, Jana Havrilová, with musical accompaniment of the Women’s String Quartet from Košice.
We wish the Rector and Vice-Rectors of UPJŠ much success in all their endeavours.
