University of South Bohemia hosted a meeting of the Czech Rectors Conference
The rectors of all public, state, and some private universities gathered at the USB Auditorium. The University of South Bohemia hosted the Czech Rectors Conference for the eighth time since its establishment 35 years ago. For the first time in the newly reconstructed auditorium, we welcomed representatives of universities from throughout the Czech Republic as well as delegates from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the National Accreditation Bureau for Tertiary Education. They discussed the financing of higher education, science, and accreditation of new study programs. For the chairman of the Czech Rectors Conference, Prof. Ing. Milan Pospíšil, CSc., this was the first meeting in his position after he took over the CRC's leadership from the former rector of Charles University, Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Ph.D.
At this meeting in České Budějovice, the rectors set priorities for 2026 and 2027. In their resolution, they emphasized that the basic condition for fulfilling the educational and creative mission of universities is establishing pro-growth financing of public universities and increasing institutional funding as an important prerequisite for effective university management. Public universities responded to the request of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and increased the number of students with a promise of budget increases over the medium term. However, new legislative and social demands placed on universities cannot be met with a stagnant budget. According to the CRC, this threatens their financial stability and competitiveness in the labor market in both national and international contexts. According to the rectors, increasing the number of students must be accompanied by maintaining the quality of education. Universities are being asked to ensure higher levels of education, which cannot be achieved while maintaining teaching quality without necessary funding.
"At the University of South Bohemia, we have increased the number of students in non-medical healthcare fields and also in teacher education programs. We are in the process of accrediting additional, technically oriented study programs focused on energy in connection with the development of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant in the South Bohemian region," said Rector Prof. Ing. Pavel Kozák, Ph.D., specifying the development of the university.
The Rectors Conference also expressed support for independent and predictable financing of public service media to ensure the quality of this public service. According to the rectors, the educational and popularization role of public service media is irreplaceable for universities.
"Public service media are key to popularizing science, they have wide reach, and help present achievements in science and education. They are important for information and media literacy," explained CRC Chairman and Rector of the University of Chemistry and Technology Prof. Milan Pospíšil.
Rector of the University of South Bohemia, Prof. Pavel Kozák, also emphasized the significant cooperation between public service media and universities in utilizing experts from the fields of science and education to explain topics of social importance.
You can watch the television report from the CRC meeting HERE.
