Education allows young people to mature

In his interview with TVDK, the rector, Associate Professor Jaroslav Demko, disagrees with the notion that "almost everyone" in Slovakia has a university degree. He points out that while the number has increased significantly since the late 1990s (from less than 6% to around 18-19% of the population), it's still only about a fifth. He believes this level is appropriate and beneficial, as longer education allows young people to mature and adapt to advancements in science and technology.

Compared to Western countries where 30-40% of the population holds degrees, Slovakia is still lagging. When considering the number of students per 100,000 inhabitants, Slovakia is also below average compared to countries like Austria and the Czech Republic.

Concerning the common criticism that Slovak universities are of low quality and don't rank highly, the rector offers a different perspective. He views international university rankings as sometimes misleading and incomparable, noting that comparing Slovak universities to famous foreign institutions (having a budget larger than Slovakia's) is unreasonable, given the difference in state economic power and population size.

J. Demko challenges the idea that Slovak universities are of low quality, describing it as a "mantra" that serves to blame universities for young people leaving to study abroad while neglecting other factors like quality of life, economic opportunities, and the enforceability of law in Slovakia.

Slovak universities meet European standards

Rector asserts that it is demonstrable that Slovak universities meet at least the European standards, questioning whether graduates like doctors, engineers, and teachers produced by these universities are incompetent. While acknowledging room for improvement, he highlights that funding is a major issue, with Slovak education receiving less funding, both absolutely and relative to GDP, compared to the Czech Republic.

The reasons why young Slovaks leave to study abroad, particularly in the Czech Republic, are seen as a combination of factors. While some Czech universities might have better equipment and infrastructure, the quality of teachers and research is comparable. Better funding allows Czech universities to engage in more intensive marketing. Student word-of-mouth ("it will be good there") plays a role. A significant factor is that Czech employers actively recruit Slovak students early in their studies, offering scholarships, often leading them to stay and work in the Czech Republic after graduation, creating families there. This is viewed as a considerable loss for Slovakia.

KU is a multi-national and multi-regional university

Catholic university in Ružomberok (KU) is a medium-sized university, with around 4500 students across all levels and forms of study. Student numbers have been stable recently, with an anticipated increase of about 250 students in the upcoming academic year, considered a breakthrough.

KU attracts students from all over Slovakia, not just the local regions of Orava, Liptov or the East; it has a nationwide reach. Many excellent teachers and professors, including notable individuals, are associated with the university.

KU is building a civilization of understanding (and a new faculty)

KU's unique difference lies in its mission to "shape minds and hearts" and build a "civilization of love," emphasizing relationships, understanding, and compassion, as given by its founders. Students often highlight the personal approach where teachers know them, which they value highly.

A significant future plan for KU is to establish a Faculty of Medicine. This idea is being pursued actively, leveraging the strong foundation of their highly-rated Faculty of Healthcare. The plan is driven by the substantial shortage of doctors in Slovakia (estimated 2,000-4,000 missing).

A key aspect is the planned use of the excellent Military Central Hospital in Ružomberok, which is ranked first in evaluations, for clinical practice. They also aim to include military medicine training, which is currently only available in the Czech Republic, seeing a synergy with the Armed Forces Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš and its potential use in crises.

Establishing the faculty is a complex, financially and personally demanding undertaking that requires state involvement. Other plans include improving student life and infrastructure, such as increasing dormitory capacity.

Catholic University is a success. Celebrations to come

The rector views the university's 25-year history as a successful story, with 45,000+ graduates overall. KU's president considers his greatest personal achievement during his tenure as stabilizing and rooting the university, successfully navigating significant challenges like the pandemic, difficult financial periods, constant legislative changes (especially implementing the internal quality system), and achieving strong results in the national evaluation of research activity (VER), where many outputs were judged to be of world-class standard by international experts. The university has also received a Slovakian quality award.

The university plans several events to mark the 25th anniversary throughout the year, with the main academic celebrations, including a festive session with international guests, government officials, and the academic community, scheduled for September 25th.

For the future, the rector, Jaroslav Demko, wishes for stability, for the state to value education more with predictable funding, for students to trust Slovak universities and return if they study abroad, and for the university itself, peaceful development, good students, good teachers, and a positive societal environment.