In this issue, we feature an essay by Professor Jaroslav Pánek from the Institute of History of the ASCR originally presented as an address a the University of Pardubice on the occasion of his receiving an honorary doctorate. In this essay, Professor Pánek presents his views on the increasing influence of Islam in Europe and highlights the role of Jan Amos Comenius, "the teacher of nations", whose consummate lifetime work is being recalled through an exhibition at the Pedagogical Museum of J. A. Comenius. and Jaroslav Pánek.
The Academy Assembly, the Academy of Science´s highest body responsible for the highest priority decisions related to the ASCR, held its XXXIX meeting on December 16, 2011. Among invited guests were Petr Fiala, the Prime Minister´s Chief Science Advisor; Karel Pospíšil, Head of Board of Public Applied Research Institutions; Václav Pačes, President of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic; Rudolf Zahradník, Honorary President of the ASCR; Helena Illnerová, former President of the ASCR; Václav Hampl, Rector of Charles University of Prague; Přemysl Sobotka, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and Vladimír Haasz, Vice-Chairperson of the R&D Council of the Czech Republic, and others. The main agenda item of this meeting was discussion the results of the Evaluation of Academy Instituties. and Petr Fiala.
This issue presents complete preliminaries on voting for a new president of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The new president will assume his office on March 25, 2013 and serve for four years. As head of the ASCR, he is its chief representative and also administrator of the Academy's budget. After his selection, he will be nominated to the post by the president of the Czech Republic. The candidate will be selected at the XLI Meeting of Academic Assembly. The list of proposed nominees for the members of Academic Board and Scientific Board of ASCR will be published in the second issue of Academic bulletin 2013.