The Olomouc Region Hackathon 2026
The Olomouc Region Hackathon 2026 is here!
Get ready for 3 days packed with data, AI, technology, teamwork, and new ideas. Together, we’ll look for solutions that can make a real difference and help improve life in the Olomouc Region.
This year’s hackathon will focus on AI, real-world data from mobile operators, transport and mobility, sustainability, and the environment. 
You don’t have to be a programmer. You don’t need to come with a fully developed idea. All you need is the motivation to create, experiment, and explore new possibilities.
Come on your own or with a team.
Bring your own idea or choose from one of the prepared challenges.
Work with experienced mentors and real-world data.
And finally, present your project to an expert jury and compete for exciting prizes.
20–22 November 2026
Envelopa Hub, Olomouc
Registration opens TODAY!
More information and registration: hackathon.upol.cz
We have two new Ph.D. graduates!
A big congratulations to our colleagues Tomáš Vaníček and Jakub Žejdlík, who have successfully defended their doctoral dissertations and passed their final state doctoral examinations. 👏
After several years of hard work, research, and dedication, they have both earned their Ph.D. degrees, and our department is proud to welcome two more new doctors of geoinformatics. 🎓
Tomáš and Jakub, congratulations on this important milestone! We wish you many more successes in your research, professional careers, and beyond. 🥳
Congratulations! 👏
Open data portal presenting the results of participatory mapping campaigns conducted in Olomouc
How can participatory mapping support better urban planning? A new open data portal provides the answer.
As part of his Bachelor’s thesis, our student Tomáš Polák, in collaboration with the City of Olomouc, developed an open data portal presenting the results of participatory mapping campaigns conducted in Olomouc.
The portal has now become part of the city’s official open data platform, making the data freely accessible to the public, researchers, students, and anyone interested in evidence-based urban planning.
Tomáš Polák and his thesis supervisor, Dr. Jakub Koníček, presented the project in a Czech Television report broadcast on 30 June 2026.
Explore the portal here: https://pocitove-mapovani-olomouce-smol.hub.arcgis.com/
Czech report broadcast: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/10122978233-udalosti-v-regionech-ostrava/426231100030630/cast/1196564/
Geoinformatics Student Wins Gold at the Czech Academic Games!
Temperature differences across Olomouc during the current heatwave
🌡️ How does the temperature vary across different parts of Olomouc during the current heatwave?
This weekend’s extreme temperatures are affecting much of the country. But how large are the temperature differences across different locations within Olomouc?
Explore real-time data from our urban sensor network and compare temperatures across the city using our interactive application (see the bottom of the page):
👉 https://iot.citiq.cloud/dashboard/environmental/heat-islands/
The sensor network is operated by the Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, in collaboration with CityOne and CITIQ. The collected data help us better understand the urban heat island effect and provide valuable evidence for planning climate change adaptation measures.
☀️ How are you coping with this weekend’s heat? Have you noticed how temperatures change between the city centre, parks, and residential areas?
The sensor network is part of the EnCLOD Project
assoc. prof. Burian receives the City of Olomouc Award
Dean’s Awards 2026
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Dean’s Awards! Thanks to our students, the department has once again achieved excellent results.
In the Bachelor’s section Earth Sciences, Michaela Krpcová won with her thesis “Design of a symbol key for the creation of tactile maps printed on microcapsule paper.”
Second place was awarded to Kristián Šarluška for his project “Interactive web application for teaching statistical methods in geoinformatics.”
The Master’s section was won by Tomáš Kröner with his thesis “Assessment of healthcare accessibility in cross-border regions of Europe.”
In the Doctoral section, Ondřej Biemann achieved second place with his work “Climatic anomalies predict overwintering losses of honeybee.”
The Poster section was won by Oke Bamidele Clement.
We thank all participants for their excellent representation of the department and wish them continued success! 👏
Map of the Year 2025
Map of the Year 2025 Winners Announced!
The results of the prestigious competition, organized by the Czech Cartographic Society, were announced at the Army Museum Žižkov.
We received awards in several categories:
Atlases, Map Series and Editions
Atlas of Czech Dialects – Locative Plural of Nouns (Institute of the Czech Language CAS, Palacký University Olomouc) (https://lnkd.in/drsHeMi5)
Student Cartographic Works
Flood Vulnerability in Punjab, Pakistan: A Geospatial Analysis and Cartographic Approach (Gernot Nikolaus) (https://lnkd.in/dKzJfve6)
Cartographic Achievement
Cartographers on the Move (Gabriela Godišková, Dajana Snopková, Markéta Beitlová, Michaela Vojtěchovská; Masaryk University, Charles University, Palacký University Olomouc) (https://lnkd.in/d5T2n7xY)
Additional achievements and nominations
Including the International Spring School on Visualization, a set of three interactive maps (Differential Sounds in Czech Dialects), evaluation of visualization tools, and the Map of Olomouc’s transformation over time. Many thanks to everyone involved! 🙌