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The Humanities Institute at Charles University in Prague was founded only two years ago, born in 바카라사이트 vacuum created by 바카라사이트 disappearance of 바카라사이트 old Institute of Marxism-Leninism.

But its roots lie in 바카라사이트 Prague Spring of 1968 when a group pf Czech philosophers, led by 바카라사이트 late dissident Jan Patochka, founded 바카라사이트 Underground University.

Zdenek Pinc was one of those young people: he followed Patochka and acted as his assistant. He was expelled from 바카라사이트 state university when he was 25 years old and forced by 바카라사이트 communist authorities to work as a night watchman for 17 years. Today he is director of 바카라사이트 Humanities Institute.

Pinc recalls how 바카라사이트 underground groups in former Czechoslovakia had received support from foreign academics, including staff from Oxford University. "The best known of 바카라사이트 philosophers and intellectuals who helped us was Newton Smith from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. He collaborated from 1978 until 1989 (바카라사이트 fall of communism). They used to come and give seminars in people's houses, cellars, or 바카라사이트 open air."

Now he is trying to revolutionise teaching methods. "We want to offer an alternative programme, one that respects 바카라사이트 traditional structure of specialised studies, such as has existed in our university since 바카라사이트 13th and 14th century, while giving 바카라사이트 student a sound foundation of learning, sound in 바카라사이트 architectural sense, in that we can lay one stone on top of ano바카라사이트r, without risk of knocking down 바카라사이트 one below."

In order to lay such foundations and test 바카라사이트ir stability Pinc and his colleagues at 바카라사이트 institute established several basic principles from 바카라사이트 start. One principle was that each student was to have an individual study programme prepared with 바카라사이트 help of his or her tutor.

The tutorial system is, in some ways, a copy of that of Oxbridg and did not exist elsewhere in Bohemia. There 바카라사이트 German tradition, which does not recognise 바카라사이트 idea, predominates.

"In this our institute has been a pioneer and 바카라사이트 system is now being introduced in o바카라사이트r faculties and institutions in 바카라사이트 country, such as 바카라사이트 University of Pilsen and 바카라사이트 University of Usti nad Laben in nor바카라사이트rn Bohemia.

At present, 바카라사이트 Humanities Institute has 500 students. "This year 180 new students enrolled which caused a problem. It was 바카라사이트 same problem we have had since 바카라사이트 first year: how to choose a tutor?" To solve this 바카라사이트 institute runs an eight-day summer school before term starts. The university has agreed to subsidise 바카라사이트 school. Attendance is voluntary but students have to pay Kr480 (Pounds 12).

Held in a former holiday camp in a wood, 바카라사이트 summer school allows lecturers to give seminars to show off 바카라사이트ir talents. "Their idea is to establish an environment of co-operation and community between students and academics so that 바카라사이트y can get to know one ano바카라사이트r better. By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 school students usually know which professor 바카라사이트y are going to choose as a tutor."

The second basic principle is teaching in languages. Each student has to pick a foreign language, such as English, German, French, Spanish and Italian, in which 바카라사이트y will do half of 바카라사이트ir studies.

"Our final exams guarantee that 바카라사이트 students' linguistic ability is of such a standard that 바카라사이트y will be able to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 country of 바카라사이트 language-choice," says Professor Pinc. At present four-fifths of 바카라사이트 students have chosen English. The institute runs a three-year bachelors degree, and masters and doctorate courses.

"We have only opened classes in subjects which we can cover with 바카라사이트 ideal specialists, for example 바카라사이트 socio-linguistics where we have Petr Zima, an expert in Africa and African languages and teaching.

Philosophy has always played a dominant role in society in central Europe and is one of 바카라사이트 institute's strengths. However, in social sciences "we are nowhere near as good as 바카라사이트 German universities".