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On 9 November, the Scientific Council of the University of West Bohemia at its ceremonial meeting awarded the title doctor honoris causa to Hamid R. Ekbia, director of the Center for Research on Mediated Interaction Computing Culture at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana (USA) and Kurt Gebauer, leading Czech sculptor, painter and photographer who teaches at the Faculty of Education.

The ceremonial meeting of the Scientific Council of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň takes place every year on the occasion of the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy and among other things awards the honorary title of doctor honoris causa. This year, the title was awarded to two prominent scholars:

Professor Hamid R. Ekbia – for his contribution to the interdisciplinary research of artificial intelligence and its impact on socio-economic, geopolitical and cultural relationships in contemporary globalised society, as proposed by the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, David Šanc. He was also recognised for his significant active collaboration with the UWB and his contribution to the development of the Department of Philosophy.

Prof. ak. soch. Kurt Gebauer, dr. h. c. – for his extraordinary achievements in cultural education and care for public space, significant active collaboration with the UWB and his contribution to the development of the Department of Art Education and Culture at the Faculty of Education, as proposed by Dean Pavel Mentlík. 

In the afternoon session, Rector Miroslav Holeček recalled the development of the UWB and the interconnection between its individual parts and highlighted several people who made an exceptional contribution to its positive image as well as key milestones in the development of the university and tertiary education as a whole. The meeting was also an opportunity to introduce all the academics from the UWB who had received the title of Professor or Associate Professor last year and to present commemorative medals to prominent individuals.