JAMU’s ambition is to be a leading center of education, independent knowledge, and creative activity in the field of dramatic and musical arts, and to play a fundamental role in the artistic, scientific, cultural, and social development of our society. In addition to educating students, it strives to achieve this goal through the intensive development of creative activities, particularly artistic and research activities.
We are convinced that art and science play an equal and equally fundamental role in understanding the world. We thus subscribe to Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk’s view that “a work of art is an expression of a special understanding of the world, and I would add that it is just as independent and legitimate as scientific understanding.” Like Dutch professor Arjo Klamer, we have no doubt that “civilized society needs culture and art just as much as science—as a source of knowledge and creativity.”
Leoš Janáček is our inspiration. Not only in its name, but in its entire orientation, JAMU pays tribute to the personality and work of composer Leoš Janáček, a unique artist who had a fundamental influence on the development of world music and who throughout his life combined artistic creation with research and teaching.
To support the creative – artistic and scientific – activities of students and teachers, JAMU has established three project competitions through which financial support can be obtained for the implementation of student research (JAMU Student Grant Competition) and pedagogical research (JAMU Research Development Fund) and educational and artistic (JAMU Educational and Artistic Development Fund) projects. Every year, dozens of projects are supported in these competitions, with more than CZK 3 million distributed among them.
The JAMU research development fund provides financial support for projects by JAMU academic staff that contribute to the development of JAMU through scientific, research, development, or innovation activities.
The JAMU student grant competition provides financial support for the implementation of research and artistic research projects by students enrolled in doctoral or master’s degree programs offered by JAMU.
Artistic creation at JAMU is primarily the domain of its teachers, who are often exceptionally distinctive creative personalities who play a significant role in shaping contemporary Czech and world music and drama in their respective fields and who then pass on their experience to students in their teaching.
Artistic creation is also an integral part of studying at JAMU. In addition to learning about the history and theory of their fields and culture and society in general, students devote themselves intensively to their own artistic creation throughout their studies, thus preparing themselves for their future work in the arts and for the fact that, after graduating from JAMU, they will be responsible for the further development of art, culture, and society as a whole.
The students’ artistic work is presented to the public primarily at the Divadlo na Orlí theater and Studio Marta, as well as during graduation concerts at the Faculty of Music. JAMU faculties organize a number of international competitions and showcases where our students can compare their skills with young artists from around the world and gain unique experiences and personal contacts, such as the SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER International Theater Schools Festival, the Leoš Janáček International Competition in Brno, and the Setkávání nové hudby Plus International Music Festival.
Science and research are an integral part of JAMU’s activities. The results of research and theoretical thinking by our students and teachers are usually published by JAMU Publishing House, which has already published hundreds of not only professional monographs, but also essay and memoir books and lecture notes.
JAMU faculties organize international scientific conferences and symposia, some of which are unique in their focus in a global context and are widely attended by leading foreign experts, such as the JAMU Faculty of Music’s international conference “JAMUsica” and the International Symposium of Doctoral Studies in Theater Schools.
Research projects by academic staff are successful in grant competitions run by the prestigious Czech Science Foundation and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, and are also supported by JAMU through its own project competitions.
In recent years, JAMU has been focusing on the development of artistic research, a methodologically progressive field of research in which artistic creation is examined and reflected upon by the artists themselves, who thus arrive at insights that are difficult to obtain using traditional methodologies.
Doctoral study programs focus on independent theoretical and creative work in the field of art and enable students to further expand their education in their field and develop their artistic talent and skills under the guidance of experienced supervisors. Doctoral study programs can also be seen as preparation for future teaching positions at art colleges. The Theater Faculty offers doctoral studies in the Dramatic Arts program, and the Music Faculty offers doctoral studies in the Interpretation and Theory of Interpretation, Composition and Theory of Composition, and Music Production programs.
JAMU is accredited to conduct habilitation and appointment procedures, on the basis of which the scientific-pedagogical or artistic-pedagogical titles of associate professor and professor are awarded. The accredited fields of these procedures are Dramatic Arts and Musical Arts.
The JAMU Artistic Council is a self-governing academic body composed of the most prominent artistic figures from among JAMU teachers and creators outside the JAMU academic community. Its main tasks include discussing JAMU’s long-term plans and approving proposals for the appointment of professors before they are submitted to the Minister of Education, Youth, and Sports.
The Vice-Rector for creative activities is Doc. MgA. Marek Hlavica, Ph.D.
