The notable Czech expert on Indonesia, Ing. Mgr. Zorica Dubovská, was presented with the Bintang Jasa Pratama medal on August 17, 2010 during the Republic of Indonesia independence day celebration at the Indonesian Embassy in Prague. This prominent award is bestowed on those individuals who have contributed significantly to the Indonesian nation. This medal was originally granted by the decree of Indonesian president Dr. H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on August 9, 2009 in recognition of Ing. Mgr. Dubovská‘s pedagogical activities (Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague and Czech Technical University in Prague) and her efforts to familiarize the Czech public with Indonesian culture for many years. Her numerous activities in this area include teaching Indonesian, publishing Indonesian and Javanese textbooks and readers, translating important works, and spreading knowledge about Indonesia. Ing. Mgr. Dubovská has contributed greatly to the development and maintenance of good relations between Indonesia and the Czech Republic.
Ing. Mgr. Zorica Dubovská graduated from the University of Economic Sciences (1945-1950) and later (1950-1955) also from the Philological Faculty of Charles University with a degree in general linguistics with a special focus on the languages of Indonesia. She established the Indonesian Studies programme which she led by herself for many years (1964-1974 and 1990-2004) at the Indological Institute at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University. During the era of Normalization, the Indonesian Studies programme was discontinued as it fell out of favour as an area of study with university students due to the social constraints of that period. Ing. Mgr. Zorica Dubovská still closely cooperates with the Institute of South and Central Asia by providing consultations for Ph.D. students among other activities. In the years 1962-1984 Ing. Mgr. Zorica Dubovská taught Indonesian at the Language School in Prague and from 1964 to 1984 she headed its Oriental Department. Since 2004 she has also taught Indonesian at the Czech Technical University in Prague. In 1997, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs awarded her with the Gratias Agit prize for the development of fellowship and cultural relations with Indonesia because she has dedicated her whole life to its popularization. Thanks to her great erudition, enthusiasm and love of this beautiful country and its people, Ing. Mgr. Zorica Dubovská has educated and mentored several generations of passionate experts on Indonesia. Three of her students – PhDr. Michaela Budiman, Ph.D., PhDr. Tomáš Petrů, Ph.D. and PhDr. Mariana Pflegerová, Ph.D. will take part in the resumption of the Indonesian Studies programme at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague from the academic year 2011-2012.
