Ten pieces of advice for a successful start at university

1. STUDY HARD AND DO YOUR BEST

Having good academic results pays off:

starting from the second semester you can be granted a merit scholarship
based on your study average, from the second semester onwards you can modify your timetable
study results are also essential for your chance of travelling abroad and receiving a financial allowance for your travels

If you study according to the standard study plan, you will avoid numerous complications and potential fees for longer studies.

2. BECOME FAMILIAR WITH STUDY REGULATIONS

“Ignorance of internal legislation is no excuse“.

As part of your studies, there are all sorts of obligations imposed on you that you must fulfil. Non-fulfilment can lead up to the termination of your studies. It is the student's responsibility to fulfil their study obligations. You should, above all, become familiar with The Study and Examination Rules for Students at CTU, The Directive for the Implementation of Bachelor’s and Master’s Study Programmes at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and up-to-date Dean’s Measures, which regulate studies. The Student Administration’s officers will be happy to answer any questions concerning study regulations.

3. BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION

During the academic year, a lot of new important and interesting things happen, so it is necessary to "be in the loop“.

All up-to-date and important information can be found on the Faculty’s website, for students in the Student section. Please check this site regularly, you can also set up automatic sending of new web updates to your email. The information related to the teaching of individual courses can always be found on the website administered by the respective Department.

You can contact the Student Administration in person (recommended) or by phone or electronic communication via the CTU HelpDesk – for contacts and instructions on the HelpDesk click here.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering also has its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

4. SOLVE PROBLEMS AS THEY COME UP IN A TIMELY MANNER

“Accidents will happen“.

You may develop health or personal problems that will affect how you can engage in your studies. If we learn about the existence of your problem early on, we can help you find a way to make your situation at school as easy as possible. The earlier we know about your problem, the more resources we have to help you.

Do not be afraid to contact your Student Administration’s officers, the Head of Student Administration, the Deputy Vice-Dean for Education or the Vice-Dean for Education. You can also use the services of the ELSA support centre for students with special needs. We are here for you!

5. LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS PEOPLE CORRECTLY

In academia, it is part of the decorum to know how to address people based on their degrees or positions. It shows that you have respect for the education or the position the person has achieved. Addressing academic members correctly will definitely pay off.

The academic degrees used before the name:

Ing. – Engineer
Ing. arch. – Architect
Mgr. – Master
RNDr. – Doctor

The academic degree used after the name:

Ph.D. – Doctor

This title takes precedence over the above ones used before the name in addressing the academic staff because it represents a higher academic degree.

Scientific and academic degrees:

doc. – Associate Professor
prof. – Professor

They are given preference over the academic degrees in addressing the members of academia.

Addressing by position:

Rector (manages the University) – Rector
Vice-Rector (authorized by the Rector to manage some area) – Vice-Rector
Dean (manages the Faculty) – Dean
Vice-Dean (authorized by the Dean to manage some area) – Vice-Dean

Addressing by position is preferred to addressing by obtained academic degrees.
Note: In English both degree and position are followed just by the surname of the given person, on the contrary, in Czech one should use the degree or position followed by Mr/Ms.

6. DO NOT TARNISH THE UNIVERSITY’S GOOD NAME

In our digital age, be careful what you say in public media, particularly on social media. Some posts may be made in a strained emotional state that fades quickly, but the content of the message will last much longer.

7. DO NOT FIND FAULT ONLY WITH OTHERS

Entering university involves moving to a new system in a new environment. You are no longer children - you are our colleagues and we can only show you the way, but you have to walk down the path yourself.

When things go wrong, it is often not the teacher's fault, but the wrong way of learning or doing assignments. Every failure is, therefore, first and foremost a challenge to consider whether you might need to choose a different method to achieve success.

8. LEARN HOW TO RELAX

It will certainly happen that you will “be bogged down” - you will not be able to solve a task, you will not be able to understand something, learn something. In such cases, it is better to "clear your head", do something else, rest, and then return to what you could not do before.

Finding the right balance between study and relaxation is important to maintain your well-being and efficiency.

All CTU students can contact The Centre for Information and Counselling Services, which aims to provide support, safety, inspiration. For more, see https://www.cips.cvut.cz/o-nas/co-delame/

9. LEARN HOW TO MANAGE STRESS AND SET PRIORITIES

The study load can be heavy, as every teacher perceives their course as the most important one, and they are all right, because the knowledge they want to pass on to you is important and necessary for your personal and professional growth - but to manage it all, you need to choose the right strategy and mechanisms, know how to prioritise what it is you need to focus on right now. Knowing how to handle a heavy workload and how to plan your work well is also very important for your professional as well as your personal life.

You may find support in The Undergraduate’s Mental Health Handbook.

10. LEARN TO ACCEPT YOUR LIMITS

Everyone enters university with some dreams and ideals. But during your studies, you may find out that you may have a greater aptitude for a different field than you, or your loved ones, originally thought. The Faculty of Civil Engineering offers a constant opportunity to choose a different path, don't be afraid to take it. The important thing is to be happy in life and do what you enjoy and what you find fulfilling.

I wish you successful studies!
Zuzana Pešková, Vice-Dean for Education