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RUA Scientific Day 2024 Highlights Innovations and Challenges in Agri-Food Systems

The Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) successfully hosted its annual Scientific Day on December 5, 2024, at the Samdech Techo Hun Sen Conference Hall. Organized by the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (RUA) and the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (CZU), the event centered on the theme "Agri-Food System: Innovations and Challenges." It featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including H.E. Prof. Bunthan NGO, Rector of RUA, who delivered the opening remarks, and Dr. Petra Chaloupková from CZU, highlighting Czech-Cambodian cooperation. Esteemed experts presented on topics such as smart agriculture in the digital age and strategies for reducing food loss and waste in trading systems. The event was also attended by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Mr. Martin Vávra, and his deputy Mr. Jakub Černý.

The international conference welcomed over 350 students and faculty members. The full-day event included keynote addresses, oral and poster presentations, and an engaging panel discussion on the transformation of agri-food systems. The afternoon session highlighted study opportunities in the Czech Republic, presented by Dr. Olga Leuner from CZU, who also introduced the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences.

The day concluded with a dynamic panel discussion, "Perspectives of Agri-Food System Transformation," involving representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, academia, and the non-profit sector from Cambodia and the Czech Republic. This platform not only showcased innovative research but also emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing the pressing challenges in agriculture and food systems globally and locally.

An interview with newly appointed Associate Professor Johana Rondevaldová

Dr. Rondevaldová has been connected to the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences since her undergraduate studies and focuses her research on the utilization of lesser-known plant species that can significantly contribute to addressing malnutrition and chronic diseases. At the same time, she navigates the challenges of translating her findings into practical applications. An interview with newly appointed Associate Professor Johana Rondevaldová offers an intriguing perspective on the potential of tropical fruits and vegetables as sources of biologically active compounds and essential micronutrients. The interview provides insights into the role of interdisciplinary collaboration and the importance of traditional knowledge in her work.

Invitation to Lectures by Colleagues from Somaliland

We are pleased to invite you to a unique lecture session featuring esteemed guests from Somaliland: Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 Time: 2:00 PM Venue: FTZ, Room 401

Celebrating Collaboration and Success in Mostar

On December 4, 2024, our faculty had the privilege of participating in the 30th anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology, University of Mostar. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Ing. Jan Banout, Ph.D., and Ing. Iva Kučerová, Ph.D., who were honored for their exceptional contributions and dedication to international collaborations between the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and the University of Mostar.

These partnerships not only enhance scientific knowledge and expertise but also inspire and support future generations of students and researchers.

We return from Mostar with awards, fresh ideas, and renewed energy to strengthen our cooperation and embark on new projects!

Erasmus+ Coffee: Inspiration for Studying Abroad

Erasmus+ Coffee, held on November 28 at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, attracted students interested in exploring opportunities for studying or interning abroad. The event focused on presenting the possibilities of the Erasmus+ program, including International Credit Mobility (ICM), which facilitates exchanges with countries outside the European Union.

FTZ students on a field trip to CERN! Yes, it may look like that, but it's actually a sugar factory.

Quality, Storage and Processing of Plant Products (QSP) is a university course taught at the Faculty of Tropical AgriScience in the first block of the winter semester. The lectures cover plant commodities that are processed into food and food industry ingredients such as sugar, flour, vegetable oil, and beverages (hot non-alcoholic and alcoholic fermented and distilled), with emphasis on harvesting, processing, storage and quality parameters of plant products. During one of the excursions, students learned about the production of sugar from sugar beet:

Election of the Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Dear members of the Academic Community of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, We would like to inform you that on 15th October 2024, the proposals of candidates for the position of Dean of FTZ CZU Prague for the term 2025–2029 were submitted. Eight candidates were proposed, of which two accepted their candidacies and meet the conditions for the position.

Candidates for the position of Dean of FTZ (in alphabetical order):

  • Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D., dr. h. c.
  • Assoc. Prof. Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D.

The candidates' CVs and their visions for the direction of FTZ are available:

  • on the FTZ website: https://www.ftz.czu.cz/en/r-9418-about-faculty/r-9452-academic-senate,
  • on the FTZ’s official notice board,
  • on the board on the ground floor next to the Study Department.

 

We warmly invite you to the FTZ Academic Community Meeting, including a discussion with the candidates, which will take place on 12th December 2024 at 1 p.m. in room 116.

 

The election of the Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences will take place on 9th January 2025. The Dean is elected by the members of the AS FTZ.

Call for applications for the Erasmus+ study stay in the academic year 2025/26

Call for applications is open from 1st December 2024 till 15th February 2025. Applications are submitted online.

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education using mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education. This call is open for student mobilities for studies during the academic year 2025/26. The general info about the programme is available on the faculty websites: Czech, English

FTZ staff and students participated in ELLS

The ELLS General Assembly and Forum 2024, themed "Innovations in Higher Education," took place on November 21–22, 2024, at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. The event brought together educators, researchers, and students to discuss transformative practices in higher education. It featured strategic meetings, workshops on topics such as AI in education and joint programs, keynote presentations, and panel discussions. The ELLS Scientific Student Conference provided a platform for student-led research presentations and campus tours. More information is available on the official website at wur.eu/ells2024.? 

 

 

Josef Hlávka Award 2024 Winner from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is proud to announce that the prestigious Josef Hlávka Award 2024 has been awarded to our graduate of the doctoral program Tropical Agrobiology and Bioresource Management, Ing. BSc. Abubakar Sadiq Musa, Ph.D.

The Josef Hlávka Award, presented annually by the Foundation of Josef, Marie, and Zdenka Hlávka, recognizes talented students, graduates, and young researchers for their exceptional skills and creative contributions in their fields. This year’s awards ceremony took place on November 17, 2024, at the Hlávka Castle in Lužany.

Dr. Abubakar Sadiq Musa was nominated for his outstanding contribution to scientific research and academic endeavors. His doctoral research focused on improving animal welfare, specifically the husbandry of captive common eland (Tragelaphus oryx), through immunocastration and behavioral strategies. His findings have been published in prestigious international journals and presented at major conferences and workshops.

His achievement serves as an inspiration to the entire FTZ academic community and highlights the excellence of education and research at our faculty.

Congratulations to Dr. Musa, and we wish him great success in his future scientific career!

Invitation for students to a workshop

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences invites students to a workshop on: “Key Research Trends and Potentials in Agrifood and Development Economics with a Focus on Emerging Economies.” 

The workshop is designed for young researchers, particularly PhD candidates, interested in the challenges and opportunities of emerging and developing economies. Editors of scientific journals in the field of agricultural economics will also be invited.   

The aim of the workshop is to introduce participants to the latest research trends, relevant methodologies, future project opportunities (with a focus on Horizon Europe), and publication options. The workshop will be held in English.   

Get Ready for the 2025 Society for Ethnobotany Conference in Prague!

Call for Workshop Proposals: As part of the event, we invite professionals to submit an educational workshop for the 2025 Society for Ethnobotany meeting.

Join the Global Forestry (GloFor) Master’s Programme – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at CZU Prague proudly introduces the Global Forestry (GloFor) Master’s programme, a two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree designed to equip students with the skills to address critical global forestry challenges, such as biodiversity conservation, climate change, and the transition to a circular bio-economy.

Why Global Forestry? Deforestation and forest degradation present significant challenges worldwide. These issues contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and threaten the livelihoods of millions who depend on forest resources. The underlying causes are complex and include factors like climate change, poverty, agricultural expansion, and unequal land rights. GloFor addresses these issues by preparing graduates to work in low- and middle-income countries, tackling environmental and socio-economic challenges in sustainable forestry development.

Study at Europe’s Leading Universities The GloFor Consortium consists of five prestigious European universities:

  • Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (Czech Republic)
  • AgroParisTech, Montpellier and Kourou (France)
  • Technical University of Dresden (Germany)
  • University of Copenhagen (Denmark)
  • University of Padua (Italy)

In the first semester, all students study together in Copenhagen. During the second semester, they undertake a field course in a selected developing country, and then move on to their chosen specialization at one of the partner universities, including Agroforestry Systems at CZU Prague. Graduates receive a double or multiple degree recognized in all participating countries, opening up a wealth of career opportunities in global forestry.

Apply to Global Forestry! If you are passionate about studying in an international setting and gaining hands-on experience across multiple countries, apply to the Global Forestry program.

Applications for non-EU applicants open on November 15, 2024.

Applications for EU applicants open on January 16, 2024.

 

Find more details on the Global Forestry website.

Open Day at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences invites you to Open Day, held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event is an ideal opportunity for prospective students to explore our study programs, campus environment, and the activities our faculty offers.

Program:

Information sessions about study programs will take place at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Room 116. Representatives from student organizations such as Be Fair, Student Ambassadors will also be available throughout the day to introduce their work and inform you about study opportunities.

  • Be Fair promotes fair trade, sustainability, recycling, and mindful food consumption.
  • Student Ambassadors help new students adjust and organize various events with the faculty throughout the year.

Antelope Conservation, which is dedicated to protecting the biodiversity of the West African savannah and the western subspecies of the Derby antelope, will also be present.

Laboratories, research, and botanical garden tours

Meet members of our research teams and explore our laboratories, including the Laboratory of Plant Tissue Cultures and Laboratory of Molecular Genetics . The Animal Physiology and Behaviour Research Team, focusing on physiological and behavioral patterns in domestic species, will also present its work. Additionally, our Botanical Garden will be open with guided tours on the hour, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

We look forward to welcoming you!

Erasmus+ in the Philippines: Research Internship

Kateřina Berková, one of our PhD students, has returned from an exciting internship at Visayas State University. Want to know more about her journey? Check out our latest article.

„When the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ KA171 program in the Philippines arose, I didn’t hesitate and immediately applied. This year, on July 22nd, I set off alone on a journey halfway around the world, and by the next day, I landed on the island of Leyte, where our partner university, Visayas State University, is located.

My internship primarily focused on field training, which is essential for me as a PhD student and will play a significant role in my research on tea-like plants. I travelled across the island for a few weeks, learning everything from expedition preparation and plant material collection in primary rainforests to market exploration and sample processing. In the second half of the internship, I worked in the laboratory at the university. I visited local farms and agricultural enterprises where the university produces its own products from local crops.

During my free days, I explored several islands and nature reserves, I went to several excursions and tasted a variety of interesting foods and drinks. The internship in such an exotic country and in an international team was a challenge for me, which I am very happy about. My stay in the Philippines brought me a lot of experience and I'm already looking forward to being able to apply it.

To anyone considering Erasmus+, I encourage you to get involved, go abroad, and bring back practical experience and knowledge!“

Vice Dean for International Relations Petra Chaloupková Received Prestigious ICA Excellence Award

S potěšením oznamujeme, že proděkanka pro mezinárodní vztahy na FTZ, Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D., dr. h. c., získala prestižní cenu ICA Excellence Award v kategorii „Networking“. Toto ocenění uděluje Asociace zemědělských univerzit v Evropě (ICA) za mimořádné přínosy v oblasti navazování a rozvoje mezinárodních vztahů. 

Asociace zemědělských univerzit v Evropě (ICA) sdružuje více než 70 univerzit zaměřených na vědy o živé přírodě, včetně zemědělství, biotechnologie, potravinářství a dalších příbuzných oborů. Její cílem je podpora mezinárodní spolupráce mezi univerzitami, vědci a odborníky v těchto oblastech. Více informací naleznete na: ICA - Europe - 14th ICA Rectors and Deans Forum 2024. 

Výběrová komise ICA ocenila odborné znalosti a inovativní přístup Petry Chaloupkové a zejména její významný přínos k rozvoji sítě ICA a podporu ostatním. Její práce nastavila nové standardy v oblasti mezinárodního networkingu a inspirovala mnohé další odborníky v oboru.  

Petra Chaloupková převzala ocenění na slavnostním předávání cen ICA, které se konalo ve dnech 25.–26. října 2024 během ICA Rectors and Deans Forum na Zemědělské fakultě Univerzity v?Záhřebu v Chorvatsku. 

Srdečně gratulujeme Petře Chaloupkové k tomuto ocenění a přejeme další úspěchy a přínosy v oblasti mezinárodních vztahů a spolupráce. 

Ceremonial meeting of the Scientific Board of CZU awarded students and teachers of FTZ

On Monday, 21 October 2024, a meeting of the Scientific Council of the Czech University of Life Sciences was held in the auditorium of the Czech University of Life Sciences. Traditionally, it was an important event, during which new associate professors and doctors were appointed, and prestigious awards for scientific and publication achievements were given. Among the awardees were students and teachers of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, who contribute to strengthening the scientific reputation of the University. 

One of the major awards is the Professor Stoklasa Prize, which was awarded to Rohit Bharati, a PhD student of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, for his thesis on Exploring the Potential of In-vitro Polyploidization for Genetic Improvement of Medicinal Plants, under the supervision of Professor Fernandez Cusimamani.  

Another awardee was Jignesh Italiya, who received the Ministry of Agriculture Award for his research on SARS-CoV-2 in zoo-kept and wild-living animals. Italiya, who works under the supervision of Associate Professor Cerny, has contributed his research to a deeper understanding of virus transmission among animals, a key topic not only for zoos but also for wildlife conservation. 

The Rector's Award for the best publication output of PhD students was awarded to Hidayatul Fitri for her publication in the journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy. This work under the supervision of Associate Professor Hynek Roubik in the field of sustainable energy has attracted the attention of the international scientific community and once again confirmed the growing importance of the research of FTZ. 

The award for the best FTZ teacher of the academic year 2023/2024 was given to Assoc. Ing. Vladimír Krepl, CSc.  

The Rector's Award for the publication outputs of the employees listed in the Nature Index was awarded to: 

  • prof. Mgr. Jan Šobotník, Ph.D. and Dr. Bourguignon Thomas: Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale 
  • Onyedika Emmanuel Okpala, M.Sc., Ing. Iva Bernáthová and Mgr. Barbora Černá Bolfíková, Ph.D. a Ing. Markéta Swiacká: Genomic analyses reveal poaching hotspots and illegal trade in pangolins from Africa to Asia 
  • Mgr. Aleš Buček, Ph.D., Ing. Tereza Beránková and Johanna Romero Arias: Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale 
  • doc. Ing. Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. and prof. RNDr. Pavla Hejcmanová, Ph.D.: Ranging behaviours across ecological and anthropogenic disturbance gradients: a pan-African perspective of giraffe (Giraffa spp.) space use 

The Rector's Award for the publication activities of employees in journals ranked in the 1st decile was awarded to: 

  • Mustapha Yakubu Madaki a doc. Ing. Miroslava Bavorová, Ph.D.: Agricultural insurance as a climate risk adaptation strategy in developing countries: a case of Nigeria 
  • Sillam-Dusses, David a prof. Mgr. Jan Šobotník, Ph.D.: Neoisoptera repeatedly colonised Madagascar after the Middle Miocene climatic optimum a Alarm communication predates eusociality in termites 
  • Dr. Thomas Bourguignon: Neoisoptera repeatedly colonised Madagascar after the Middle Miocene climatic optimum a Alarm communication predates eusociality in termites 
  • Ing. Nikola Teutscherova, Ph.D., Ing. Michel Kolaříková, Ph.D. a prof. Ing. Jan Banout, Ph.D.: Disentangling the effects of rice husk ash on increased plant growth and nitrogen recovery 
  • Ing. Hidayatul Fitri a doc. Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D.: Biomass potential from agricultural residues for energy utilization in West Nusa Tenggara (WNT), Indonesia  
  • doc. Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D.: Fungal solid-state fermentation of crops and their by-products to obtain protein resources: The next frontier of food industry a COVID-19 crisis interlinkage with past pandemics and their effects on food security 
  • Seyma Celina a RNDr. Jiří Černý, Ph.D.: Re-Emergence of BTV-4 in Sheep Farms in Kosovo, 2020: A Retrospective Study 
  • Chama Theodore Ketuama a Charles Amarachi Ogbu: COVID-19 crisis interlinkage with past pandemics and their effects on food security 

 

The Rector of ČZU, Professor Petr Sklenička, in his speech emphasized the importance of excellence in scientific research and thanked all the awardees for their contribution to the growth of the University's prestige at the international level. 

Guest lectures for FTA students concentrated on sustainable and inclusive value chains

Over the past two weeks, the Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences hosted a series of engaging guest lectures featuring esteemed scholars from Kenya and Uganda, alongside faculty members from our institution. These presentations provided students from various fields with valuable insights into the diverse approaches to agricultural value chains across Africa. Topics ranged from Martin Mutambuka’s exploration of indigenous vegetable value chains in Uganda to Elisha Otieno’s focus on value addition in agricultural sectors. The lectures not only broadened students’ understanding but also fostered important discussions on sustainability and ethical practices in agriculture.
 
  • Indigenous vegetable value chains in Uganda, Martin Mutambuka, Ph.D., , Uganda Christian University, Uganda
  • Value addition in agricultural value chains, Elisha Otieno, Ph.D., Pwani University Kilifi,  Kenya
  • Postharvest Issues and Food Safety Concerns with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, Cecilia Onyango, Prof., University of Nairobi, Kenya
  • Potato value chain in Uganda, Jackline Bonabana Wabbi, Assoc. prof., Makerere University Kampala, Uganda
  • Horizontal integration and ethical certifications as tools for inclusive and sustainable value chains, Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D., FTA, CZU
  • Gender dimension in agricultural value chain, Jana Mazancová, Ph.D., FTA, CZU
  • Ethical consumption and value chain of tropical fruits, Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D., FTA, CZU
 
  • This activity was conducted as part of the EU project ADVALUE, which aims to advance sustainable agricultural value chains by strengthening transdisciplinary skills and fostering cooperation in East African doctoral education. Additionally, this meeting served as a study trip and focusing on international knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Hosted Delegates from the University of Bangui, Central African Republic

From October 2nd to 15th, 2024, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) had the honor of welcoming esteemed guests from the University of Bangui, Central African Republic. Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and her colleague, Dr. Solange Makatia-Wango, visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague as part of a short-term Erasmus+ stay. The main objective of their visit was to deepen cooperation between the two universities and explore collaborative research initiatives that contribute to the development of science, education, and higher education management in CAR.  

The visit’s program was organized by Assoc. Prof. Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. During their stay, the scientists from the Central African Republic participated in key activities such as the presentation of the Advalue project, which focuses on sustainable development in Africa, and a roundtable discussion in celebration of the International Day of Rural Women. They also presented their research during a seminar hosted by the Wild Ecology Lab, which focuses on the conservation and research of large mammals. 

 Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo Visits 

A part of the visit was a tour of the FTZ Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo, where the delegates were joined by colleagues from Université de Thies, Senegal, who are also long-term partners of FTZ and were in Prague through Erasmus+. The visit to the zoo provided a rare opportunity to observe animal species not commonly seen in the wild and highlighted the importance of zoological gardens in species conservation. 

“As a result of zoological gardens, we have the opportunity not only to admire and study wildlife but also to actively protect it,” said Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou. Many African species were seen up close for the first time by the professors from CAR and Senegal. 

  

Collaboration with the Institute of Vertebrate Biology and Field Research in Central African Republic 

The visitors also met with the team from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who have long been engaged in research on lowland gorilla symbionts in the Central African Republic. Dean Aba-Toumnou and her colleague participated in discussions about recent expedition of the Institute to the Chinko Nature Reserve, where over 40 species of small mammals were confirmed. Chinko is also home to the eastern subspecies of the giant eland, the largest antelope in the world, whose conservation is supported by Antelope Conservation at FTZ. 

This visit represents another step forward in the ongoing scientific and educational collaboration between the Czech Republic and Central African Republic. A key focus of this partnership is the improvement of higher education quality in CAR, which supports the country’s sustainable development and contributes to its security and stability. Joint projects in biodiversity research and higher education advancement hold the potential to significantly enhance expertise and scientific progress in CAR. Through these international partnerships, FTZ continues to expand its efforts to promote sustainable development both in Africa and globally. 

Dr. Naji Sulaiman, the external TRIBE Lab member, received the International Doctoral Award of the Italian Botanical Society for 2024!

Our colleague Dr. Naji Sulaiman, a former key member of TRIBE lab, won the International Doctoral Award of the Italian Botanical Society for 2024. The ceremony took place during the 119th Congress of the Italian Botanical Society, held at the University of Teramo, Italy, from 11 to 13 September. The prestigious award recognizes outstanding PhD theses defended between 2022 and 2024 on topics related to General Botany, Systematic Botany, Environmental and Applied Botany, and Pharmaceutical Botany. Naji’s thesis, elaborated during his doctoral research in TRIBE Lab, focused on multiple aspects (botanical, food-related, socioeconomic, sociocultural, and sustainable) of wild plant use during the conflict in Syria, and it was successfully defended in March 2023. Naji is currently working as an assistant professor of Environmental and Applied Botany at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy.

Congratulations!

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Hosts a Visit from Peruvian University

On October 8th and 9th, 2024, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) welcomed a delegation from the National University of Ucayali (UNU), based in Pucallpa, Peru. Our faculty has been collaborating with this university from the Peruvian Amazon since 2003 on several research and development projects. Currently, UNU and CZU have a signed Memorandum of Understanding, which was revisited during the visit with the aim of strengthening and expanding the mutual cooperation.

The Peruvian delegation was led by UNU Rector Dr. Edgardo Leoncio Braul Gomero and Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Dr. Julio Cesar Pastor Segura. After a warm welcome from CZU Rector Prof. Petr Sklenička, discussions were held at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) with faculty representatives. Petra Chaloupková, PhD., dr. h.c., Vice-Dean for International Relations, and Prof. Jan Banout, Vice-Rector for Strategy, explored the potential to deepen and expand the current partnership, particularly in terms of academic and research exchanges. The meeting was attended by Prof. Bohdan Lojka, the cooperation coordinator, Vice-Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies Assoc. Prof. Hynek Roubík, and colleagues Prof. Eloy Fernández Cusimamani and Assoc. Prof. Zbyněk Polesný. Throughout their visit, the delegation was accompanied by Ph.D. candidate Ing. Bc. Goldis Perry Davila and Mgr. Simona Marková.

The Peruvian guests toured the CZU campus, visited the university brewery, and explored selected research teams and laboratories at FTZ. The discussions focused on enhancing existing cooperation and opening new opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, as well as scientific collaboration. Both institutions are looking forward to further strengthening their international partnership.

Roundtable on the International Day of Rural Women - October 15

We would like to invite you to a Roundtable Discussion which will be held at CZU, organized by AGRIGEP and ADVALUE, in recognition of the International Day of Rural Women (celebrated on October 15). You are warmly invited to join either in person or online.

 

Successful Advalue Project Meeting at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

On October 7th and 8th, 2024, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) hosted a meeting of the Advalue project partners from Europe and Africa. The meeting aimed to continue the development of advanced PhD modules and support international knowledge sharing and capacity building in sustainable agricultural value chains.

The first day (October 7) opened with remarks by Dr. Petra Chaloupková from FTZ, CZU and Prof. Dr. Michal Lošťák, Vice-Rector for International Relations at CZU. Project Manager Dr. Angelika Thomas from HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen University provided updates on the progress of the PhD module development. The discussions focused on module development, including topics such as scientific research in agriculture, transdisciplinary research, and rangeland management. Key contributions were made by Dr. Anna Maňourová (SLU), Prof. Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann (DITSL), and Prof. Dr. Oliver Wasonga (University of Nairobi), focusing on modules related to scientific working in agriculture, transdisciplinary research, and rangeland management.

The second day (October 8) was dedicated to strategic issues concerning stakeholder dialogue, quality assurance in doctoral education, and the dissemination of project results. Representatives from Uganda and Kenya presented their plans for stakeholder engagement, while Elisha Otieno outlined the project's PR strategy. The meeting concluded with a summary of workshop outcomes and plans for upcoming project activities.

The program also included an Advalue project presentation for students and staff of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, with presentations by Dr. Angelika Thomas, Prof. John R. S. Tabuti, Dr. Anna Maňourová, Dr. Rosemary Bulyaba, and Dr. Martin Mutambuka.

 

The Advalue project connects universities from Kenya, Uganda, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Sweden and is funded by the Erasmus+ program. This meeting served as a joint meeting of representatives of all financed partners and it targets on the WP3 International knowledge sharing and capacity building especially in connection with WP4 development of advanced PhD modules.

Representatives from the department of Economics and Development attended EAAE conference

The 188th EAAE Seminar, organized by the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) in collaboration with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh), focused on "Reorienting agri-food chains to hinder climate change and food security threats." The conference, held in Chania, Greece, on September 12-13, 2024, addressed key issues in agriculture, climate change, and food security.

The event kicks off with a welcome reception on the evening of September 11, followed by the official proceedings starting on September 12 with registration and an introductory session chaired by Mattas Konstadinos. Opening remarks were made by prominent figures, including Baourakis George, Director of CIHEAM-MAICh, José María Gil, EAAE President, and Frida Krifca, President of CIHEAM's Governing Board. The keynote speech was delivered by Christian Schöb from the University Rey Juan Carlos, Spain, on the theme of "More biodiversity for a more sustainable and resilient agriculture."

The seminar featured multiple parallel sessions to delve deeper into various aspects of reorienting agri-food chains to address climate change and food security challenges. Assoc. prof. Miroslava Bavorova chaired the session „Sustainable and biodiverse food systems“ and presented the research „Food Security Dynamics Across Diverse Regions in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq“ (co-authors:  Abdalla Niga, Ullah Ayat). Petra Chaloupkova, Ph.D. gave a lecture on  „Promoting Sustainable Supply Chains through the Consumption of Certified Tropical Fruits in the Central European Region“ (co-authors:  Rondevaldova Johana, Hejkrlik Jiri). In addition, Tereza Pilarova, Ph.D. presented the poster focused on „Does drought pose a main challenge of farming in Tajikistan? The perception of smallscale farmers“ (co-authors: Mirkholiqov Azamjon, Khobilova Nigina).

Cambodia Summer School 2024 – "Agro-food systems towards green technologies and self-sufficiency"

As part of the project Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Cambodia Through Strengthening Research Capacity, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Czech Aid, a 10-day Summer School on Agro-food Systems Towards Green Technologies and Self-Sufficiency from 19th till 30th August 2024 was held. This dynamic program took place at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with the collaboration of the Faculties of Agroeconomics, Rural Development, and Agroindustry. The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, led the coordination efforts.

The program brought together 8 Czech and 10 Khmer students, engaging them in a hands-on, project-based learning environment. Combination of workshops, soft skills, practical tasks and excursion aimed to provide complex background for the topic of self-sufficiency and agrifood systems. Our experts Associate Prof. Jaroslav Havlík, Dr. Markéta Houdková and Dr. Tereza Brůna Slámová jointly with the expert from the RUA Dr. Kimchhin Sok thought the students in the field of food safety and security, technology of tofu, jams and kimchi making from the local crops as well as presentation skills and marketing and management of food products in developing countries.

The intensive theoretical and workshop activities were combined with the excursions to the local market and supermarkets. And excursion to the province where the students had an opportunity to visit traditional Kampot Pepper Farm, Mangrove nursery and conservation program and traditional fish sauce manufacture.

Throughout the program, students developed in-depth knowledge of specific food products and were tasked with building projects around them. As a result, student presented their outcomes about the food product they were assigned to in front of panel of experts from CZU and RUA.

As a part of the program, they were invited guests such as representative from the Czech Embassy, Barbora Žáčková, presenting about the opportunities to apply for Government scholarship. As well as student Dana Samoeun participating in the ERASMUS KA171 International Credit Mobility program sharing her experience from the studies in Czechia.

The program concluded with a closing ceremony, where students were awarded diplomas for their participation. The celebration ended with a joint BBQ, offering a chance to taste the students’ newly created food products and strengthen the bonds formed during this enriching educational experience.

See the pictures and video from the summer school and stay tuned for next activity!

Nishanth Gurav Selected as a Society for Ethnobotany (SEB) Student Ambassador

We are proud to announce that Nishanth Gurav, a 3rd-year Ph.D. candidate at the Tropical Botany and Ethnobiology Lab (TRIBE), Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, has been selected as a Student Ambassador and a member of the student committee of the prestigious Society for Ethnobotany (SEB).

Nishanth hails from India, and his current research focuses on sustainable practices and the folk taxonomy of wild edible plants used by the Gond tribal communities in the Bastar region of India. He has extensive experience working with local communities, having developed People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) for over 70 villages in the states of Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

As a member of the SEB student committee (serving from June 2024 to June 2026), Nishanth will be involved in managing the committee’s social media pages and student blog, as well as supporting the organization of student events and initiatives related to ethnobotanical research.

We congratulate Nishanth on this significant achievement and wish him continued success in his future endeavors!

For more information on SEB, visit SEB's website.

Beauty of the West African Savannah: Photo Exhibition and Seminar at FTZ

We would like to invite you to a unique exhibition, Beauty of the West African Savannah, which will showcase the diversity of West African nature through 7x7 family photography. This exhibition will also highlight the importance of protecting endangered species such as the Western Giant eland  , the largest antelope in the world.

The exhibition will be complemented by a seminar that will take place at 2:00 p.m. in the FTZ-116 classroom, led by Assoc. Ing. Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. (Wildlife Ecology Lab), who is also the leader of the Antelope Conservation Association. At the seminar, she will present the 7x7 family project, sharing experiences  from her travels in West Africa, and explain the importance of biodiversity conservation.

The opening of the exhibition will take place on 3 October 2024 at 15:00 in the lobby of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture. The opening will be attended by Mgr. Lenka Pokorná, former Czech Ambassador to Senegal, and Mgr. Václav Prášil from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

October 3, 2024 The Entrance Hall of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, ČZU Prague Seminar: 2:00 PM (room FTZ-116) Exhibition opening: 3:00 PM

Come to be inspired and discover the beauty of West African nature!

SEB Student Cafe: Natural product research for human and environmental health

The SEB Student Cafes are a chance for students to learn and discuss specific areas of ethnobotany with experts whose careers focus on that area. These discussions are organized by the SEB Student Committee, and their goal is to broaden students’ perspectives and understanding of ethnobotanical work, to better inform their own research and career trajectory, and to build a professional network within their areas of interest.

Welcome Course for New International Students Offers Practical Tips and Support

On September 10, 2024, the online welcome course "Multicultural Environment and Study in the Czech Republic" was held, organized by the International Relations Office and Student Ambassadors team at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA). The course provided new international students with practical advice on living and studying in the Czech Republic, introduced them to cultural differences, and offered opportunities to connect with fellow students and faculty members.

The course was opened by Vice-Dean Petra Chaloupková, who warmly welcomed all new students and emphasized the importance of supporting a multicultural environment at FTA. The Student Ambassadors shared helpful tips on how to manage the first steps in the Czech Republic, from housing and studying to everyday life.

Students seeking further guidance or support can reach out to the Student Ambassadors through link - https://www.ftz.czu.cz/en/r-9423-projects-and-partnerships/r-20403-associations-at-fta/r-20408-student-ambassadors/the-international-student-centre-fta.html.

Who are the Student Ambassadors? The Student Ambassadors are a group of current FTA students dedicated to assisting newcomers and fostering a friendly, welcoming atmosphere within the faculty. They organize various events and activities aimed at helping new students integrate and enhancing the faculty's community spirit.

Are you interested in joining the team or need advice?

Contact us at student_ambassadors@ftz.czu.cz.

Czech Government Scholarships for Developing Countries: Apply Now for the 2025/2026 Academic Year

Application Deadline: 30 September 2024! The Government of the Czech Republic is proud to announce the opening of applications for its prestigious Government Scholarships program, dedicated to students from developing countries. These scholarships are part of the Czech Republic’s long-standing commitment to fostering educational opportunities and development in select nations. With a rich history dating back to the late 1950s, over 20,000 foreign nationals have benefited from this program, gaining high-quality education at Czech public institutions of higher learning.

 

Application Deadline: 30 September 2024

 

Prospective students who wish to begin their studies in the academic year 2025/2026 must submit their electronic applications no later than 30 September 2024. This deadline is critical, so applicants are encouraged to prepare and submit their applications well in advance.

 

Eligible Countries and Programmes

 

The Government Scholarships are offered to students from the following countries:

 

- Bosnia and Herzegovina

- Cambodia

- Ethiopia

- Georgia

- Moldova

- Ukraine

- Zambia

- Belarus (democratic forces)

 

These scholarships are available for two types of study programs:

 

  1. Czech-medium Follow-up Master’s Programs: These include a one-year preparatory course in the Czech language and field-specific training. This option is for Bachelor’s degree graduates who wish to continue their studies in the Czech language. Admission typically requires passing entrance examinations at the selected university.

 

  1. English-medium Master’s or Doctoral Programs: These scholarships are for students who have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and wish to study in English.

What the Scholarship Covers

 

The Government Scholarships are comprehensive and designed to cover the standard duration of study. They provide:

 

- Full tuition fees at Czech public universities

- A preparatory Czech language course (for those enrolled in Czech-medium programs)

- Monthly stipends to cover living expenses

- Accommodation in student dormitories

- Health insurance

 

How to Apply

 

To apply, interested candidates must:

 

  1. Complete the online application form by 30 September 2024.
  2. Review the guidelines provided in both Czech and English to ensure all eligibility criteria are met.
  3. Prepare for entrance exams if required by the selected study program.

 

For detailed instructions, applicants should refer to the official "Guidelines for Granting Scholarships of the Government of the Czech Republic," available in both Czech and English.

 

For further information, applicants can contact the support team at registr@dzs.cz if they have additional queries.

 

Prospective applicants should also familiarize themselves with the Czech Ministry of Education's data protection policies, in compliance with EU GDPR regulations.

 

Conclusion

This is an exceptional opportunity for students from developing countries to pursue higher education in the Czech Republic. The Government Scholarships not only provide financial support but also open doors to world-class academic programs, cultural exchange, and personal growth.

 

For more details, visit the official website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic: https://msmt.gov.cz/eu-and-international-affairs/government-scholarships-developing-countries?lang=2.

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences will host a prestigious international conference: The Society for Ethnobotany Annual Meeting 2025

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences of the Czech University of Agriculture will host the prestigious international conference The Society for Ethnobotany (SEB) Annual Meeting in June 2025. This meeting, which each year attracts experts from around the world, provides a unique opportunity to share scientific knowledge and discuss key issues such as sustainable use of plants for food, medicine,... , plant biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change.

 

What is ethnobotany?

 

Ethnobotany is the study of the relationships between people and the plants they use for disease treatment, food self-sufficiency or as part of their cultural and religious practices. This multidisciplinary field encompasses botany, ecology, anthropology and history amongst others, and is fundamental to understanding how different cultures around the world use plants for their needs.

 

Ethnobotany plays a key role in sustainability because it allows us to understand traditional ways of managing natural resources, which often prove to be effective and environmentally friendly. Research in this field can provide crucial insights in and for addressing current global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and food security and livelihood improvement.

 

Society for Ethnobotany (SEB)

 

The Society for Ethnobotany is the leading international organisation dedicated to research and promotion of ethnobotany. The Society was founded in 1959 and has since become an important forum for scientists working on the relationships between plants, cultures and the environment. In June 2023, it changed its name from the original "Society for Economic Botany" to its current name to better reflect the scope of its work.

 

SEB conferences are held annually and serve as a platform for sharing the latest research and discussions on sustainable use of natural resources, conservation of ecosystems and adaptation to global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The 2025 meeting in Prague will attract experts from around the world and provide a platform for international collaboration in these key areas.

 

Prague as a centre for scientific dialogue on ethnobotany

 

"We are very proud to host such a prestigious conference that brings together scientific capacities and ethnobotany experts from all over the world," said Patrick Van Damme, Dean of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture. "This event is not only an opportunity to strengthen international collaboration, but also a chance for our students and scientists to engage in current global research on sustainable development and natural resource conservation."

 

Prof. dr. ir. Patrick Van Damme, who has led the faculty since 2021, is one of the leading experts in tropical agriculture and ethnobotany. His scientific career began at Ghent University, where he began to work intensively on the sustainable use of plants in tropical and subtropical areas during his studies.

 

Among his most important projects is his work on the Great Green Wall initiative, which aims to create a forested barrier in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 to prevent the expansion of the Sahara desert. Van Damme has worked for many years in ethnobotanical research in countries such as Namibia, Senegal, Togo and Ecuador, just to name a few.

 

 

A rich supporting programme and cultural excursions

 

The conference will include excursions that will introduce participants not only to the beauty of Prague and its rich history, but also to Czech culture, products and traditions. The planned excursions will  aim at linking the scientific discussion with the cultural context of the Czech Republic, providing a comprehensive experience for the foreign participants.

 

The SEB conference is an important step in the development of international cooperation and scientific research at the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture. "Our faculty has a long tradition in sustainable development, biodiversity conservation and plant research in tropical areas. We are thrilled to play such an important role in hosting this important event," concludes Van Damme.

International Multidisciplinary Conference for Young Researchers (MCYR) 2024

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences invites you to participate in the upcoming 5th International Multidisciplinary Conference for Young Researchers (MCYR), taking place on 3–4 October 2024 in Prague, Czech Republic.

This year’s conference theme “Resilience in the Face of Global Challenges” is more relevant than ever, as it addresses the pressing issues that young researchers across the globe are striving to tackle.

The MCYR 2024 is a unique opportunity for early career researchers from various disciplines to come together, share their innovative work, and contribute to a collective understanding of how to navigate the complexities of our modern world.

 

Why Participate?

- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Engage with fellow researchers from a variety of fields, fostering cross-disciplinary insights and collaborations.

- Professional Networking: Expand your professional network, meet peers and established experts, and discuss your research in a dynamic, supportive environment.

- Constructive Feedback: Receive in-depth feedback on your research, helping you refine your work and take it to the next level.

- Publication Opportunity: All accepted abstracts will be published in the MCYR Book of Abstracts, available online with an ISBN, giving your work visibility in the academic community.

 

Key Dates

- Conference Dates: 3 – 4 October 2024

- Submission Deadline: 1 September 2024

 

To learn more about the conference, including details on workshops and the abstract submission process, please visit the website: https://mcyr.ftz.czu.cz/en.

Czech Government Scholarships for Students from Moldova: A Unique Opportunity for the 2025/2026 Academic Year

The Czech government is now offering scholarships for students from developing countries, including Moldova, for studies beginning in the 2025/2026 academic year. This opportunity is part of the Czech Republic's commitment to supporting the development of education in Moldova through the Czech Development Project "Modernization and Raising the Prestige of Higher Agricultural Education in Moldova" (N. 24-PKVV-004).

 

Why Apply?

This scholarship program offers Moldovan students the chance to pursue higher education at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU). The program is designed to help talented individuals from Moldova gain world-class education and contribute to the development of their home country upon their return.

 

About the Czech Development Project

The project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, aims to modernize and elevate the standards of agricultural education in Moldova. Under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Tatiana Alexiou Ivanova, Ph.D., the project seeks to create lasting impacts in the region by empowering students with advanced knowledge and skills in agriculture.

 

Online Registration Now Open

Interested candidates from Moldova can now register online for the scholarship. The scholarships cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other associated costs, allowing students to focus entirely on their studies.

 

List of Priority Countries

Moldova is among the priority countries eligible for this prestigious scholarship program. To learn more about the other countries included, visit the official website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic: https://msmt.gov.cz/eu-and-international-affairs/government-scholarships-developing-countries.

 

How to Apply

  1. Visit the official registration portal for the Czech government scholarships - http://registr.dzs.cz/.
  2. Complete the online application by providing all necessary documentation.
  3. Prepare for the selection process, which may include an interview and assessment of academic qualifications.

 

The deadline for application submission is September 30.

 

For more information, please contact: paramonova@ftz.czu.cz.

New Genetic Monitoring Initiative to Track Grey Wolf Populations in Central Europe

The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TAČR) has launched an innovative project titled "Environment for Life - Genetic Monitoring of the Wolf (2024-2026)" aimed at developing advanced genetic monitoring techniques for the grey wolf, a key species in Central European ecosystems.

 

As a top predator, the grey wolf is a key species in many ecosystems around the world. Human perceptions of it can then be controversial, ranging from a flagship and umbrella types of conservation to negative perceptions in pastoral communities. The urgent need to address and mitigate this polarization perceived by many stakeholders makes this species in many ways a model species.

 

The MEGERA (Molecular Ecology, Genetics and Evolutionary Research of Animals) research team working at the FTZ is involved in this prestigious project with the aim to develop genetic monitoring of the wolf, which provides indispensable information in describing the recolonization of Central Europe and in mitigating conflict with humans.

 

As the wolf phenotype can be confused with the dog and does not allow easy individual identification, it is an essential tool for verifying species affiliation, possibly verifying hybridisation with the dog and determining abundance. The data are also used in the study of the genealogy and viability of the population and the study of the spatial ecology of the species. Genetics is also an indispensable tool in the analysis of livestock attacks and forensic cases. Harmonisation of the genetic markers used allows cross-border comparisons. The needs of nature conservation institutions and the social topicality of the topic, including its politicization and tabloidization, require routinization, automation and acceleration of these procedures, which requires deeper cooperation between primary research institutions and the applied sphere.

 

Principal investigator is the Faculty of Science of Charles University, the co-investigator is the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, and the application guarantor is Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA).

 

The project aims to streamline and automate genetic procedures through close cooperation between research institutions and the applied sphere and this work is expected to set new standards for genetic monitoring in wildlife conservation, with the potential to influence policy and public perception of the grey wolf across Europe.

 

Call for applications for the Erasmus+ study stay in the academic year 2024/25 (summer semester)

Call for applications is open from 15th August till 15th September 2024. Applications are submitted online.

 

New edition of "Tropical News"

Dear students, colleagues, alumni and friends of FTA we bring you a new issue of "Tropical News", in which you can find an overview of the activities and projects of international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences for the first half of this year. We also introduce our alumni and bring you news from student life. Our aim is to keep all our current and future partners informed and to encourage new opportunities for collaboration.

The newsletter is available for download at the link below, or you can find it in this section:

https://www.ftz.czu.cz/en/r-9422-international-relations/r-11631-international-relations-office/r-17265-fta-newsletter

Prof. Ing. Ladislav Kokoška, Ph.D. from FTZ received a prestigious award from the ScholarGPS platform for outstanding contribution in his field

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) is pleased to announce that Prof. Ing. Ladislav Kokoška, Ph.D., has been awarded the title of Top Scholar by the prestigious ScholarGPS platform. This award, which he received for his outstanding publication record and significant scientific impact, places him among the top 0.5% of the world's most eminent scientists in the field of medicinal plants.

ScholarGPS recognizes scientists who have made outstanding achievements in their fields, disciplines and specialties. As an ethnobotanist and ethnopharmacologist, Prof. Kokoška specializes in the study of the biological effects and chemical composition of tropical plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases. The results of his research can help in the development of new types of pharmaceuticals and veterinary medicines.

According to ScholarGPS, Prof. Kokoška has 160 publications that have been cited more than 4,483 times, and his h-index is 38. These indicators confirm the significant impact of his scientific activity and the quality of his research.

"I appreciate this award, which is the result of many years of work and collaboration with my colleagues and students, and I believe that our results will contribute to the further development of science and strengthen the awareness of the importance of tropical medicinal plants," said Prof. Kokoška.

ScholarGPS, the world's most comprehensive scholar analytics platform, provides detailed profiles of scholars and institutions. Its algorithms use advanced data mining, artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to identify and analyse scientific impact. ScholarGPS covers more than 30 million scientists and 55,000 institutions worldwide, and analyzes over 200 million publications and their citations.

FTZ and the entire academic community congratulates Prof. Kokoška on this important award and wishes him much continued success in his scientific work.

5. Development September, Tech4Dev Mini Summer School

We would like to invite you to the unique event Development September, organised by the Czech Technical University in Prague from September 11th to 14th, 2024. This four-day event focuses on a holistic approach to engineering and architecture for development aid. Over 15 renowned speakers from more than 10 countries will share their expertise at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU Prague.

 

We aim to improve development aid by understanding its root causes and impacts. We will explore anthropological, postcolonial, and environmental contexts and best practices in innovation and technology transfer.

 

Additionally, you will be able to view a student work exhibition, attend the Inspireli awards ceremony, and meet representatives from Kashitu School and Architects Without Borders International. The event will conclude with practical emergency training and a World Café to discuss current challenges.

Register here: https://forms.gle/hgPQwXmdmmPE5fiX9 .

More information here: http://icwd.cvut.cz/summer-school/

Registrations close 4th September 2024 If you are interested in Development Aid at CTU we have a unique subject open for any students: Civil Engineering in Developing Countries 124EDC - https://bilakniha.cvut.cz/en/predmet5483206.html#gsc.tab=0 .

In memory of doc. Dr. RNDr. Tomáš Ratinger, MSc., Ph.D.

Some very sad news reached our faculty in the first half of July. As a consequence we regretfully have to inform you that our good colleague, doc. Dr. RNDr. Tomáš Ratinger, MSc., Ph.D., who worked at our Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) since its foundation in 2013, passed away at the age of 67. 

He played an important role in promoting agricultural economics as one of the core teaching and research disciplines in our faculty. His career at FTZ was primarily associated with teaching and research in the fields of the impact of agrarian policies on agricultural efficiency and sustainability of natural resource use. He has also had the opportunity to participate in FTZ missions to Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Afghanistan, and was involved in numerous topics related to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Amazon and Southeast Asia.

Thanks to his knowledge and attitudes, Tomas was known not only to the circle of agricultural economists in the Czech Republic, but also abroad. He worked for many years in Spain, the USA, the UK and Germany, and was an active consultant and expert for the European Commission and FAO.

Tomas also mentored numerous students during his career and significantly guided and influenced them in their future professional and personal careers. We have not only lost a highly respected expert, but also a true  'renaissance man' of deep cultural richness who influenced a whole generation of followers with his vision and attitudes.

Honour to his memory.

International Conference on Inclusive Education in Multicultural Classrooms

The International Conference on Inclusive Education in Multicultural Classrooms was held at Izmir Katip Çelebi University in Turkey. Its theme was Challenges and Opportunities in Multicultural Learning Environments. Dr. Petra Chaloupková, Vice Dean for International Relations, participated on behalf of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences.

The conference brought together leading academics and educators to discuss inclusive pedagogy, curriculum development and strategies for navigating diverse classroom environments. Keynote speakers, including Prof. Dr. Simona Lache, Prof. Dr. Maria Luisa Sierra, Dr. Petra Chaloupkova and Prof. Dr. Aydin Balyer, addressed topics such as internationalization in higher education, access to diverse cultures and increasing institutional capacity. During the meeting, participants shared best practices and approaches as well as research results with each other.  The theme of the conference was intercultural communication, innovative teaching methods and promoting inclusiveness.

The programme included parallel sessions dealing with specific aspects of multicultural education. Individual sessions included discussions on inclusive leadership and curriculum integration, as well as exploring gender diversity and cultural competence in higher education. Participants engaged in dialogues about managing diverse student populations, implementing universal design for learning, and addressing bias in educational settings. The event not only highlighted the importance of inclusive education in a globalised world, but also provided a platform for educators to exchange ideas and develop practical solutions for their learners.

Dr. Petra Chaloupková presented the results of a qualitative survey conducted in April 2023 through structured interviews with academic staff and international students at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. These highlighted the importance of teamwork. Subsequently, students were approached in March 2024 to express their attitudes towards multicultural teamwork through an online questionnaire.

As a practical example of promoting collaborative learning in a multicultural environment, a collaborative project between three European universities from Austria, the Czech Republic and Sweden aimed to improve students' softskills, scientific communication, critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills through innovative teaching methods and real-time case studies from different world regions.

Green Plate Forum 2024 in Vienna

On Tuesday 25 June, the Green Plate Forum 2024 event took place at the BOKU University in Vienna, attended by representatives of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. The event focused on sustainable eating and environmental protection through unique culinary practices and recipes from different cultures.

Join the 5th International Multidisciplinary Conference for Young Researchers

The 5th International Multidisciplinary Conference for Young Researchers (MCYR) is organized by the BioResources and Technology Division (Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague) in collaboration with the AgriSciences Platform, the OSIRIS and COMUNIDAD projects.

EU-funded Research and Innovation Action kicks-off: Utilising private capital and space technology to protect biodiversity

The recently launched BIO-CAPITAL project contributes to the development of financial tools that protect biodiversity by linking private capital investments and Earth observation data from space.

Intern - Community Development, Kolda, Senegal

With the aim to support the creation of socio-economic incentives for returning migrants and their communities, to boost the employability of young people, a new project has been launched in the Kolda region. The project is financed by the Czech Republic through its Ministry of the Interior for a period of 18 months (November 2023- April 2025). IOM believes that tackling the adverse factors behind these irregular movements, notably through the creation of economic opportunities and productive, sustainable employment, contributes to the long-term solution.

Graduation ceremony of bachelor's and master's programmes at FTZ

On Thursday, 27 June 2024, the graduation ceremony of the Bachelor and Master students of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences took place in the Aula of the Czech University of Agriculture, which was the culmination of several years of efforts of our students and a reminder of the importance of education and scientific research in the field of tropical agriculture.

 

A total of 69 students from the undergraduate programmes (Tropical Agriculture and ICARD) took the national final examination this year, of which 66 successfully completed their studies.

 

The Dean's Prize for the best bachelor thesis was awarded to Bc. Nicole Dřímalová for her thesis "Antiproliferative effect of common Nepenthes species on adenocarcinoma cells".

 

A total of 12 bachelors received awards for outstanding academic achievements.

 

A total of 58 students passed the State Final Examination of the Master's degree programmes and 44 students were awarded diplomas, while 10 students postponed their thesis defence to September 2024.

 

The prize of the Minister of Agriculture for the best diploma thesis was awarded to Ing. Dumitru-Claudiu Săndu?ă for his thesis "Why people buy food directly from farmers.

 

Two students received awards for outstanding academic achievements.

 

The representatives of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences would like to congratulate all the graduates and wish them success in their future careers, while looking forward to many more successful years full of promising students and inspiring graduates.

Workshop on Grafting Techniques in Vegetable Crops

FTA invites you to an interesting workshop on grafting techniques in vegetable crops. The workshop will be led by M. Sc. Melisa Huizar Mondragón, a PhD student in Protected Agriculture Sciences from the Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Mexico. She will be collaborating with the Tropical Biotechnology Research Group, headed by prof. Eloy Fernández Cusimamani and Dr. Iva Viehmannová, and our botanic garden. It will be led in English.

 

Date: June 27, 2024 

Time: 10:00 AM 

Location: Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences and Botanic Garden

 

This workshop will cover:

- Advantages and disadvantages of using grafts

- Execution of grafts

- Pre- and post-graft management

 

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from experts in the field!

For more details please contact:

  • melisahuizar@gmail.com or
  • prochazkovazdislava@ftz.czu.cz

Additional stage of the admission procedure for the IDAE Master's programme

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences announces the additional stage of the admission procedure for the Master's programme International Development and Agricultural Economics (IDAE). Online application must be submitted by 15 July 2024.

Dean of FTZ Explores Collaboration Opportunities in Uzbekistan: A Step Towards Joint Initiatives in Water Harvesting and Climate Change Mitigation

Patrick Van Damme, Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ), recently concluded a productive visit to Uzbekistan, specifically engaging with the University of Digital Economics and Agrotechnology in Tashkent. This visit was financed under the ERASMUS+ KA171 call 2022 and came in response to an invitation from Dr. Muhtor Nasirov, the head of internationalisation at Samarkand State University.

New Podcast with Anežka Daníčková, who leads the Botanical Garden of the FTA

Anežka Daníčková has been the head of the Botanical Garden FTA since May 2021. She graduated from the Garden Architecture programme at Mendel University in Brno and before joining the Botanical Garden FTA she worked in construction and design in garden architecture. She continues her parents' work and continues a long family tradition – her dad is a landscape architect, her mom is a landscape designer and two aunts are gardeners, her great-uncle was a cactus collector and grower. She has known the environment of the botanical garden since her childhood - the area, the greenhouses, the plants and also colleagues and employees. 

In the Podcast, you can find out why the Botanic Garden is so important to the University, what makes it special, how many species of plants and animals you can find here, how extensive the collections are, or whether there's anything you can buy and take home.  

Linking aquaculture and small-scale biogas technology in Zambia

The Project 'Through Biogas Technology to Increase the Resilience of Communities in the Western Province of Zambia' unlocks unlimited potential. In Zambia, the population is faced with the unavailability and scarcity of energy resources, and most people depend on unsustainable energy practices. The responsibility for collecting traditional resources (charcoal, firewood) is, in most cases, borne by women and girls who often cannot devote themselves to education and/or other self-realisation activities. 

Grafted plants have bloomed in the garden of the Belgian Embassy in Morocco, symbolising the intimate connection between North and South

Patrick Van Damme is not only one of the leading experts on tropical agriculture and ethnobotany, but he is also one of the few foreign scientists to head a Czech academic institution, as Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences where his mandate started in April 2021. During his time at Ghent University, he and his then-assistant Emiel were asked by the well-known Belgian artist Eric van Hove to collaborate on the decoration of the garden of the new Belgian embassy in Morocco.  

Invitation for the KIZOMBA DANCE WORKSHOP at FTA

We would like to invite your for 4 hours workshop led by José Pina Paulino, a former graduate of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) and a true ambassador of Angolan dance culture. José's journey from FTA student to Kizomba maestro is one filled with passion and dedication. Having honed his skills both on and off the dance floor, he now leads our Afro-Caribbean and Latino Dance Club, spreading joy and rhythm wherever he goes. 

 

Whether you're a seasoned dancer or taking your first steps into the world of Kizomba, this workshop promises to be an unforgettable experience.  

Come join us as we celebrate culture, community, and the universal language of dance!  

Secure your spot today and let's make memories together on the dance floor. 

Get ready to immerse yourself in the beats and moves of Kizomba. 

 

Expedition to the mountain areas of the Western Balkans

Enhancement of the long-term sustainability of the collection and commercialisation of local medicinal and aromatic plants. In March 2024, representatives of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, in collaboration with colleagues from Rhine-Waal University (Germany) and the University of Gastronomic Sciences

Summer School 2024 in Cambodia

Join us for an Unforgettable Learning Journey in?southeast Asia. The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences announces Summer School 2024 in Cambodia, centered around the captivating theme: "Agro-food Systems Towards Green Technologies and Self-Sufficiency." 

Invitation to the seminar - Research on insectivorous predators

Department of Animal Science and Food Processing invites you to a seminar to be held on Thursday 2 May at 2pm at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. Our guest speaker will be Mgr. Katerina Sam, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Ecology, Institute of Entomology, Biological Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, who will present her research on insectivorous predators, focusing mainly on birds in different tropical regions.

The meeting will take place in room 116 at the FTA and it will also be possible to join via MS Teams. A link to the online meeting can be found in the attachment.

 

When: May 2nd, 2024 14:00-15:30

Where: FTA (CZU), room 116 or MS Teams, using attached QR code.

National Development Day with the participation of representatives of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

On Thursday 25 April 2024, the first National Development Day was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was also attended by the representatives of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture.  

Tropentag 2024 Conference Announcement

The Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences is delighted to announce the upcoming Tropentag 2024 conference, a premier international event focusing on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management, and rural development.  

 

Tropentag 2024 will be hosted by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Austria, from September 11th to 13th, 2024. Embracing the possibilities of the hybrid format, the conference will take place both in Vienna and online, fostering global participation and collaboration. 

Learn & Discuss vol. 5 - Illegal animal trade

Discover with us the alarming reality of turtle egg poaching and the trade with turtle shell products. Learn how social media monitoring can be a powerful tool in catching poachers, and uncover several case studies dealing with the protection of animals.

 

Featuring insightful talks by:

  • Mgr. Hana Svobodová (Chráníme mořské želvy a.s.)
  • Ing. Tereza Švejcarová (fžp)
  • Mgr. Ing. Jan Chmelař (čižip)

 

Hana Svobodová will introduce the project - Protecting sea turtles (Chráníme mořské želvy a.s). All sea turtle species are threatened with extinction. The situation is worst in the Indian Ocean, where sea turtles have already disappeared in many places. This project works with local organisations to protect beaches from poachers in two areas in Indonesia (Lembata Island in the SE of the country and Denawan Island in the south of Borneo) and one area in the south of Sri Lanka (beaches near Dikwella).

 

In addition to direct protection of the hatchery beaches, the project also focuses on education and development of the local people and works with government organizations and other conservation organizations, preparing educational materials for children that are used in many countries around the world, including the Czech Republic. Since 2014, more than 4,000,000 turtle eggs have been saved through these activities, and this number is increasing every day.

 

Ing. Tereza Švejcarová (Faculty of Environmental Sciences) will focus on birds in South East Asia and illegal trade of them through social networks

 

Mgr. Ing. Jan Chmelař (eská Inspekce Životního prostředí) will present the Department of International Biodiversity Protection and CITES at the Czech Environmental Inspectorate (ČIŽP), along with few examples from several case studies.

 

You will learn more during our meeting and after the lecture you can enjoy a chance to discuss, network, and share ideas with us.

 

Learn & Discuss vol. 5 - Illegal animal trade

Date: 29. 4. 2024

Time: 17:30

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, room 116

CINeZ seminar - Extracellular Vesicles in Cross-Kingdom Communication

Let us invite you to the next CINeZ seminar, which will be held tomorrow from 16:00 (CEST). The talk about exosomes and their role in inflammation will be given by dr. Irma Schabussova from the Medical University Vienna. Unfortunately, dr. Schabussova is not able to come in person, so the seminar will be fully online. You can join the seminar using this link. You can also find more information about the seminar in the attached flyer.

 

Invitation for the online Webinar

ACCTING (AdvanCing behavioural Change Through an INclusive Green deal) produces knowledge and innovations to advance behavioural change for an inclusive and equal European Green Deal and this week is hosting an online webinar on: “Rooted in equality: Strengthening food security through gender+ inclusive and sustainable small-scale farming“.

 

 

 

Travel scholarship for Short-term mobilities and Internships

The International Relations Office and the Office of Science, Research and Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences are launching a call for financial support of research stays abroad (internships).

Invitation to the Sea Turtles exhibition in the lobby of the FTZ

Come and see the Sea Turtles exhibition in the lobby of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. Learn more about the project that focuses on their conservation.All sea turtle species are threatened with extinction, and the situation is most urgent in the Indian Ocean, where many populations have already disappeared. The "Protecting Sea Turtles" project is trying to change this crisis situation and is working with local organisations to protect beaches in two areas of Indonesia (Lembata Island and Denawan Island) and in the south of Sri Lanka (beaches near Dikwella).

 

They are working with the Indonesian organisation Sehabat penyu Loang and Pamali Indonesia to protect hatchery beaches on Lembata and Denawan islands. These sites are key hatching grounds for endangered sea turtle species such as giant, green and right whales.

 

They also spent five years providing protection for turtles on Bilang-bilangan and Mataha islands in Indonesia, which are important hatcheries for giant sea karets in Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, they also work with the government there to improve sea turtle conservation and provide recommendations to tourists on how to promote effective conservation.

 

In addition to visiting the exhibition, you can support sea turtle conservation by learning more about this project and helping us spread awareness of this important issue.

 

For more information about the project, please visit: https://www.morskezelvy.cz/.

 

The exhibition will be in the lobby until mid-April.

Invitation to Scientific Seminar: "Poaching and Conservation of Elephants and Great Apes in Central Africa"

The Department of Animal Science and Food Processing at FTZ is delighted to invite you to a scientific seminar titled "Poaching and Conservation of Elephants and Great Apes in Central Africa - Insights from a Field Conservationist." This session will feature Arthur F. Sniegon, a distinguished conservationist with extensive experience in the heart of Central Africa.

Date: March 28, 2024

Time: 14:00 - 15:30

Location: FTZ Room 116

 

Central Africa is the frontline where the clash between expanding

human civilization and native nature represented by the largest

remaining populations of forest elephants, African great apes, and

many other taxa is occurring. The talk will discuss specific cases from

14 years of travel, volunteering and working in Congo, Cameroon and

Chad in conservation - from monitoring and documenting wildlife, to

repression in the fight against wildlife crime, to development projects

with local communities.

Join the FTZ team and run the unique Run Labe Run race with us!

We are looking for 12 brave people who want to join this unique event and conquer the challenge of running along the Elbe. Last year was the first time we participated in this unforgettable sporting event and we want to do it again this year.

When: the race will take place on the weekend of 8-9 June 2024.

Where: The race route runs from Špindlerův Mlýn to Děčín Castle, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

What to expect: Get ready for the endorphins of running and the beautiful scenery that will accompany you along the entire route!

How to join: Contact hejkrlik@ftz.czu.cz for more information and to register.

Team registration must be confirmed by March 31, 2024, so don't hesitate to sign up as soon as possible.

More information about the race can be found at runlaberun.cz.

Regular training sessions for the first team members are already underway and we are happy to welcome all new applicants.

ČZU announces Ideathon 2024

Several hundreds to thousands of students, employees and visitors pass through the ČZU campus every day.  Its further development, which will be in line with a sustainable approach and with an emphasis on biodiversity support, represents a great challenge. Now students can also get involved in the development of the campus and propose a workable solution during the two-day Ideathon.

 

They can choose from three themes:

  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Sustainable cultural events
  • A sustainable campus trail - blue-green infrastructure

 

How can you get involved? Students propose a team of 2 to 5 members and register it for the competition.

Registrations will be open until 6 April 2024 and places are limited, so we recommend applying as soon as possible.

 

What are the possible prizes to be won?

A total of 60,000 CZK will be distributed among the teams.

The prize will also be an interesting excursion and a Certificate of Competition Placement.

 

More information and registration is available on the website: https://csr.czu.cz/en/r-15344-activities/r-17591-czu-campus-sustainability-challenge/r-20140-2024-ideathon

Long-term cooperation with universities from Indonesia

The FTA representatives were honored to welcome the delegation from two Indonesian universities to our faculty on 5th March, namely the Rector of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Prof. Arif Satria, and  Vice-Rector for Planning and Partnership of Tadulako University (UNTAD), Prof. Aiyen Tjoa, accompanied by esteemed members from their respective institutions.

 

Building upon previous collaborations between FTA, IPB, and UNTAD (projects: EURASIA, ALFABET, SIMPLE), led by the FTA Vice-dean for International Relations, Dr. Petra Chaloupková, a longstanding cooperation has been established. Meeting our esteemed colleagues was a great pleasure.

 

The discussions were marked by fruitful exchanges focusing on future collaborations, further strengthening the existing Memorandums of Understanding. Following the productive discussions, both parties expressed interest in exploring new ways for cooperation and enhancing existing partnerships. Plans for joint research projects and academic exchanges were also discussed to solidify the bonds between CZU, IPB, and UNTAD.

Experience FTZ during our Open Day

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences welcomes prospective students and invites them to upcoming Open Day. Join us on Friday, March 22, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to explore the opportunities at our faculty. Our Open Day offers a insight into our diverse study programs and the environment of the  faculty. Engage with our dedicated students and representatives from student organizations such as BeFair and Student Ambassadors, who will provide insights into life at our campus.

 

Southern right whale in the changing world

Invitation to a Scientific Seminar of the Department of Animal Science and Food Processing. The event will take place on Thursday – March 14 from 2 p.m., room FTZ 116.

The southern right whale faces conservation challenges from historical hunting to climate change. With the molecular ecology approach, we have tracked its population structure and dynamics across time. The research confirmed the connectivity of the South Atlantic populations. Further studies of stable isotopes illustrated that South African right whales underwent a dramatic northward shift and diversification in foraging strategy. Considering further predictions of the significant impacts of global warming, the future of the southern right whales and other marine megafauna remains uncertain.

If you want to find more please join us and meet speakers we invited - Petra Nevečeřalová together with her supervisor Pavle Hulva from the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Charles University, who are part of an international team of scientists investigating the situation of the southern right whale. In a series of scientific studies, they managed to illustrate what problems the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is currently facing.

Seminar tomorrow (Thursday, March 7th): Cultivated meat: Current global trends with Czech footprint

We would like to invite you for the next department seminar of KCHZPT, which will take place tomorrow (Thursday, March 7th) from 2pm (14:00) in the room 116 at FTZ.
The talk will be given by Marek Širl, from the biotechnological strat up Bene Meat Technologies and it will be about in vitro cultivated meat.
More info are in the attached flyer.
If you have time and want to learn something about this sci-fi technology, I will be glad to see you there!

Discover our world-class Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Global Forestry

Global Forestry (GLOFOR) is a two-year English language world-class Erasmus Mundus MSc programme preparing graduates to deal with forestry’s tremendous contemporary challenges and potentials with the problems of biodiversity protection, climate change, and the development of a circular bio-economy.

The Czechoslovak Virology Conference 2024 will take place on the grounds of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

The aim is to raise awareness of the research and promote scientific exchange and collaboration. The Virology conference, which will present the results of Czech, Slovak and foreign virologists, will take place on February 15-16, 2024 in the Ceremonial Hall of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. This event is organized by RNDr. Jiří Černý, Ph.D. and his team from the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture with the support of the National Institute of Virology and Bacteriology and the Czech Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The conference is being held after five years, due to pandemic situation caused by COVID-19.

CzechoSlovak Virology Conference

February 15-16, 2024 CZU Ceremonial Hall Prague, Czech Republic

„Our mission is to bring together scientists working on all fields of virology research from basic to applied and clinical science. We hope that this conference increase the overall awareness of the cutting edge virology research and will serve to stimulate scientific exchange and create opportunities for new collaborations among the participants,“ said RNDr. Jiří Černý, Ph.D., the organizator of the Conference.

The conference will cover a diverse range of topics, including virus ecology, evolution, epidemiology, plant virology, clinical virology, anviral compounds, virus-host interactions, antiviral immunity, molecular and structural virology, biochemistry of viral proteins and many more. The conference will be held in English and will introduce also following speakers:

  • Manfred Weidmann (Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg, Germany)
  • Joep van Mierlo (Veterinarians without borders, Belgium)
  • Johannes Peham (Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria)

For more details please check the event website: https://www.virology.cz/

PhD Thesis Defence of José Alejandro Ruiz Chután

We are delighted to extend an invitation for your presence at the dissertation thesis defence of José Alejandro Ruiz Chután on “Assessment of morphological and genetic diversity of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) in Guatemala” (Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Tropical Agrobiology and Bioresource Management). Thesis defence will take place on 2.2.2024 at 11:00 AM, Meeting Room 313 FTA.

Call for applications for the Erasmus+ study stay in the academic year 2024/25

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport using mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education. This call is open for student mobilities for studies during the academic year 2024/25.

FTZ starts new Erasmus+ project with agricultural universities in Kenya and Uganda

The goals of the 'green deal' for a climate-neutral and globally fair society are part of the EU priorities for university cooperation with African partners. The project 'ADVALUE' focuses on the training and research topis of sustainable agricultural value chains and is funded by the EU 'Erasmus+' program for capacity building in higher education. The international consortium is led by Nürtingen-Geislingen University.

FTA got new project funded by ELLS

The new project “Networking through student cooperation on case study challenges (NET-COOP)” is supported by ELLS network and the project team consists of academic staff from BOKU, CZU and SLU. The main goal of the project is to connect students of master's study programs of three ELLS universities (horizontally) and at the same time of different study programs (vertically) within one university so that they jointly develop a case study in the form of a proposal for an international project focused on the eating habits of refugees who had to leave their country. Each working group will prepare a part of the project in terms of its focus (food safety and security, plant health, social aspects of consumers, sustainability of agricultural production, international cooperation, SDG's) and will share it with other groups from partner universities. The topic of food security for refugees and their eating habits in the host country was chosen as a cross-cutting theme for the case studies in this project. According to information from the UNHRC (the UN Refugee Agency), there are currently 35.3 million worldwide refugees as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order. More than half of all refugees come from just three countries, the Syrian Arab Republic (6.8 million), Ukraine (5.7 million), and Afghanistan (5.7 million). Most refugees are accepted by countries such as Turkey (3.6 million people), followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran (3.4 million people), Colombia (2.5 million people) and Germany (2.1 million people).

New issue of Tropical News

First issue of Tropical News in 2024 is here. You can find there overview of  latest activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. We introduce our Alumni and bring news from students life.

We would like to inform all our current and future partners and support new opportunities for cooperation.

You can find the Newsletter in the attached file below and previous Newsletters here.

GLOFOR - World Wide Webinar

Are you ready to find out more about the Global Forestry Master degree programme? Don’t miss this opportunity, meet professors and ask questions about the enrolment procedure! Save the date: 1st February at 5.00pm (CET)

Register here :? https://unipd.link/EeRPzD or use the QR code

Lecture on Gender & Teaching – Inclusion of the Gender Equality Sustainable Development Goal in Teaching

What is the gender dimension and how relevant is it in the teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate programs?

Interview with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík - Founder of the BRT Agri Policy Lab

The BRT is pleased to announce the development of its new initiative, the Agri Policy Lab. To get more insight into the development of this exciting new initiative, we interviewed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík who is an expert in organic waste management and sustainable technologies, the leader of the Biogas Research Team (BRT) at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), an agriculture enthusiast with a passion for his work and the second-youngest member of the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Bioeconomy platform of the Czech Republic. He does research, especially in Waste Management, Environmental and Ecological Engineering and is an editorial board member of several journals. He is also the author of over 100 peer-reviewed (indexed) research papers and was appointed one of Czechia's youngest associate professors. 

The European Microfinance Programme

The European Microfinance Programme (EMP) is pleased to inform you that its recruitment campaign for academic year 2024-2025 has started. 

Online Café: Cultivating a Sustainable Future

Join us for another insightful Online Café on January 17th at 1:00 PM EAT, where we will explore "Nematodes, Biofertilizers, and Plants: Cultivating a Sustainable Future."

Invitation to PhD Thesis Defence of Julien Antih

We are pleased to invite you to attend the dissertation thesis defence of Julien Antih on “Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils vapours from plants recommended by the European Medicines Agency against respiratory diseases”

Invitation to the defence of Yamen Shmeit

We are pleased to invite you to attend the dissertation thesis defence of Ing. Yamen Homaidan Shmeit on “Induced polyploidy in species from the Lamiaceae family: Thymus vulgaris L. and Satureja montana L.”

QSP students gain experience by visiting manufacturing companies

Quality, Storage and Processing of Plant Products (QSP) je univerzitní kurz vyučovaný na Fakultě tropického zemědělství v prvním bloku zimního semestru. 

Science Day with the support of FTZ at the universities of Mostar

On 7 December 2023, a one-day Science Day programme was held to inform the general public with an interest in science about the research activities carried out at the University of Mostar and Džemal Bijedić University of Mostar.

FTZ co-organized an international conference in Cambodia

The project "Development of study programs and research in the field of sustainable agriculture and aquaculture in Cambodia" culminated in the third international conference organized in cooperation between the Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh (RUA) and the Czech University of Life Scinces Prague with the support of the Czech Development Cooperation.

Students of FTA won applause at the ELLS conference

The 15th Scientific Student Conference of the Euroleague for Life Sciences with the theme “The Power of Science - Many Perspectives on our World” was held on 17 -18 November 2023 at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.

Invitation to participate in the International Conference on Inclusive Education in Multicultural Classrooms

As MULTICLASS Project Team, we are delighted to invite scholars, researchers, educators, and practitioners worldwide to participate in the International Conference on Inclusive Education in Multicultural Classrooms.

Excursion to FTA

At the end of October, students from high school SOŠ Čelákovice s.r.o., studying in the study programme social studies, had the opportunity to spend a day at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences.

Invitation to PhD Thesis Defence of Eduardo Duque Dussán

We invite you to the dissertation thesis defence of Ing. et Ing. Eduardo Duque Dussán, MBA.

Reducing Food Loss and Waste – Youth Hackathon winners at FTA!

Jan Staš, a member of the Biogas Research Team (BRT), has just returned from Sanya, China, where he represented his team NOSATOR-FLOW in receiving their award for their outstanding success in the food waste solution competition.

We are hiring! BRT - Junior communications specialist

Here is the job for you! The Biogas Research Team (BRT) is seeking a Junior Communications Specialist.

Invitation to the seminar Veterinary Matters for Sustainable Development Goals.

We would like to invite you to the seminar Veterinary Matters for Sustainable Development Goals on 12th of October.

Join us for the Faculty Day on 13th of October!

We would like to invite you to the Faculty Day at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, which will take place on 13th of October. 

Additional call for applications for the Erasmus+ study stay in summer semester 2023/24

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport using mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education. This call is open for student mobilities for study during summer semester of the academic year 2023/24.

Scientists from FTA described a new termite subfamily, the discovery is published in a prestigious journal

A significant achievement was accomplished by the international research team led by prof. Jan Šobotník. Based on newly-collected material from Cameroon, scientists have described a new termite subfamily. 

Nurture your passion for sustainable agriculture with our online programme, apply now!

Are you interested in growing your knowledge and advancing your professional career in sustainable food and agriculture systems? Are you looking for flexibility in your education that allows you to pursue a professional career from the comfort of your home? Then our online Master’s Degree Programme on Tropical Agroecology is for you.

Job offer: YPARD Communications and Membership Coordinator

Are you a vivid storyteller? Are you interested in sharing the stories of inspiring people working for good in agriculture and climate topics? If you thrive by thinking critically, initiating and following-through on your vision for communications and community engagement, this is the position for you.

Interview with One Plant Fellowship Laureate - Esther Muindi

Dr. Esther Muindi is soil and water management expert from the school of agricultural Sciences and agribusiness, Pwani University. She is passionate about climate change mitigation and would like to study green house gases (GHGs) associated with biogas technology during her 6 months postdoc period with the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague - Biogas Research Team.

Tropical News 7 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Dear students, colleagues, alumni, and FTA friends, Welcome to the seventh issue of Tropical News.

Our newsletter will give you a brief insight into the latest activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. 

This newsletter is distributed twice a year, and we would like to inform all our current and future partners of the news from our faculty to create new opportunities for cooperation.
We will be happy to get you involved in FTA activities, so feel free to contact us!

Thank you for your continued support!


You can find the Newsletter in the attached file below and previous Newsletters here.

Conference invitation: 4th MCYR - Call for abstracts

Dear colleagues,  let me invite you and your colleagues to the 4th MCYR! All the information can be found here. MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE FOR YOUNG RESEARCHERS (MCYR)

Green plate forum

The Green plate forum was a sustainable international cooking event organized on 20th June, which is World Refugee Day, in the Tüwi student Restaurant, BOKU, Vienna. It was a student-led initiative that was a part of the activities of the project Circular Case Studies: Food Systems Transformation through Transdisciplinarity and Cooperation (2CS). Students of the course Applied Development Research II (BOKU Vienna, course led by Prof. Andreas Melcher) presented posters and presentations on five country case studies (Bosnia and Hercegovina, Cambodia, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Peru) accompanied by a topic of refugees that came to Austria from various countries of the world: Flavours from afar: refugee cuisine in Austria. 

 

Participants of the ČES 2023 Conference discussed the future of evaluations and their better effectiveness

Role and engagement of local governments, international development or evaluation in relation to minorities or refugees. These were some of the topics of the Czech Evaluation Society and the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Conference with the subtitle Evaluation Dynamics from the Perspective of Different Players, which was held from June 14 to June 15 at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.  

Lecture Invitation: Prof. Julius Kewir Tangka, Dr. Viyoi Catherine Tidze and Dr. Esther Etengeneng Agbor

Are you interested in advances in renewable energy research or sustainable energy sources in sub-Saharan Africa? We would like to invite you to special lectures given by Professor Julius Kewir Tangka and Doctor Viyoi Catherine Tidze. The lectures will take place on Tuesday, June 20 at 13:00 in room 401, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences.

1st phase of ethnobotanical research in tribal communities of Bastar region, India completed

In frame of his dissertation entitled ‘Ethnobotany of Gond and Baiga communities in the vicinity of selected sacred groves in Chhattisgarh, India’, Nishanth Gurav, under the supervision of Zbyněk Polesný, from the TRIBE team completed his first data collection field expedition to Bastar region in central India to investigate wild edible plants from the ethnobotanical perspective.

European tick survey

This is a survey about the awareness of European citizens on ticks and tick borne-diseases. It is conducted by a group of researchers on the topic from several institutions in Europe. Before the disclaimer you will be able to select your language of choice. Then after, you will read the ethical disclaimer, to which you can agree (you will continue with the questionnaire) or disagree (leave the questionnaire).

FTA celebrates the Day of Africa

Today we commemorate Africa Day, an annual commemoration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity on 25 May 1963. Currently, more than 150 African students are studying at our faculty in bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs, they are mainly from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Zambia, Rwanda, Senegal and other countries.

ELLS - Scientific Student Conference 2023 - DL EXTENDED!

The deadline is extended till 30.6.! The Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) organizes an annual student scientific conference for students from ELLS universities.The main theme of this year is The Power of Science - Many Perspectives on our World.

 

Behind the Beans: Exploring the Secrets of Colombian Coffee

One year ago, I was offered an internship at the National Coffee Research Centre of Colombia (Cenicafé). Cenicafé has bred new coffee varieties resistant to diseases, so it seemed relevant to calculate these thermal and physical properties because the country is rapidly changing and renewing the coffee crops towards disease-resistant types.

FTA organized Student Competition in Evaluation

On April 28, 2023, FTA together with the Czech Evaluation Society organized a competition for students of bachelor's and master's programs in relevant fields related to the project cycle and evaluation. 

FTA hosted the international conference: Global Research Collaboration: Harnessing Innovation for Food Systems Transition

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences hosted the Agrinatura General Assembly 2023 and scientific conference held from 10th May to 12th May. The General Assembly and international conference have proved to be a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration in agriculture for development. The Agrinatura General Assembly and conference brought together experts and professionals from different parts of the world to share ideas, experiences, and insights on various aspects of agriculture.

Almost 90 participants from 30 international institutions took part in these events and were actively engaged in the presentations, discussions, and networking sessions. Their presence made a significant impact on the quality of the event and helped create a platform for exchange and collaboration among attendees.

 

 

We would like to express gratitude to the esteemed speakers and presenters who shared their invaluable expertise and experiences during the conference.

 

The key topics discussed during the conference were:

  • Challenges and opportunities for youth involvement in Food Systems Evolution
  • Social innovations for Food Systems Transition
  • Implementation of technical innovations in Agroecological practices

 

The programme of the conference is available here: Agrinatura 2nd Conference 2023 | Agrinatura (agrinatura-eu.eu)

 

CINeZ seminar - Nicole Nova (Princeton University) - Distemper in Arctic Wildlife

Let us invite you to the last CINeZ seminar in this academic year. The talk entitled "Long-term, enzootic persistence and cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus in Arctic wildlife in North America" will be given by Dr. Nicole Nova from the High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. The seminar will take place exceptionally on Tuesday, June 13th, from 15:00 CEST in room 401 at FTZ.

You can also join the seminar at MS Teams via this link

All important information, including a flyer propagating the seminar, the abstract, and Nicole´s CV, are attached.

Please feel free to spread the information about the seminar to all your colleagues who could be interested in it. 

2nd Agrinatura conference, Prague, Czech Republic, 11 May 2023

Dear colleagues, We would like to invite you to participate in the conference we are organizing in cooperation with the international association Agrinatura.

 

Global Research Collaboration: Harnessing Innovation for Food Systems Transition

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic, 11 May 2023

Guided walks around the campus for biodiversity

As part of CZU's involvement in the centralized development program University Leaders in SDG (CRP UNILEAD) and the International Biodiversity Day (May 22), we decided to organize guided walks for the biodiversity in the CZU campus. Our experts will guide you through the walks.

Invited lectures by Ana Mandic and Adriajana Filipovic

We would like to warmly invite you to the Invited lectures by Ana Mandic and Adriajana Filipovic, which will take place today, 27.4.2023 in room 127 from 10:30.

Invited lecture by Prof. Lesia Karpuk: “Crop production: opportunities and challenges in UKRAINE” which took place on Monday 19th

Prof. Lesia Karpuk is a Professor at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University (Ukraine). Nataliia Dyman is a Master of Ecology, a junior lecturer at the Department of language training for foreign students at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University

Agrinatura 2nd Conference: Global Research Collaboration: Harnessing Innovation for Food Systems Transition

THURSDAY, 11 MAY 2023 CZECH UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC. We would like to invite you to participate at the 2nd Agrinatura Conference dur ing this year General Assembly at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic.

 

Study Tropical Agroecology online with us! Applications are now open.

Our newly launched online MSc degree programme offers students from all over the world the opportunity to specialise in Tropical Agroecology!

 

Horizon Europe: AGRIGEP: Assessment and implementation of Agriculture and Life Science Universities’ first Gender Equality Plans in widening countries

The newly launched Horizon EU project AGRIGEP contributes to creating equal opportunities for all through responsive Gender Equality Plans &  Inclusive Action at Agriculture and Life Science Universities.

 

Tropentag 2023 - Call for papers

Tropentag 2023, hybrid conference (Berlin and online); September 20-22, 2023; 'Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation: trade-offs and synergies.'

 

Our group leader as member of the new Advisory board to the Czech Minister of Science

On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, the new informal advisory body of the Minister of Science, Helena Langšádlová, consisting of young talented scientists, innovators, met for the first time. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík was invited to join this Advisory board as well.

The new Evolutionary Entomology team is recruiting now PhD and Postdoc!

Aleš Buček is a new project leader at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. He is starting his Evolutionary Entomology research team in the Department of Sustainable Technologies with a 5-year funding from the highly competitive JUNIOR STAR GAČR fund. He is now recruiting two highly motivated PhD students and one Postdoc to work on research of evolutionary trends and trajectories in insects that convergently adapt to same environment selection pressures. Visit Aleš's web for more info on the position and his research.

Dean´s award 2022 is going to the Biogas Research Team!

Group leader of BRT Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík has been selected and rewarded by the Dean Prof. Patrick Van Damme and the members of Dean´s College for his contribution, both scientific and in terms of popularization of science.

Invited lecture by Dr Tetiana Grabovska: “Waste of War” Thursday 16th, 10-12:00 in room 313

The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war is the most powerful and largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Since the beginning of the war, significant damage has been caused to the infrastructure of settlements, the agro-industrial complex, the state of the natural environment of Ukraine, etc. Natural objects suffer from explosions, fires, atypical emissions, loads, changing landscapes. The situation with waste in Ukraine was difficult even before the war, as a large volume of waste was not only in landfills but also in unauthorized areas. The problem remains in sorting and processing. This presentation shows the state of environment in Ukraine and problems of waste during the war time.

Join the “Green HExagon” and turn your sustainable ideas into reality!

The international pre-incubation programme "Green HExagon" is open for applications. Apply till February 15th by following this link: https://greenhexagon.eu/apply/

Get two master’s degrees from two universities in only two years!

Study the first year at the home university and the second year at the host university abroad. Live an experience abroad and study in a cosmopolitan and multicultural environment. Do you like it? You can find more information at www.agritropics.eu

Tropical News 6 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Dear students, colleagues, alumni, and FTA friends, Welcome to the sixth issue of Tropical News.

Our newsletter will give you a brief insight into the latest activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. 

This newsletter is distributed twice a year and we would like to inform all our current and future partners of the news from our faculty to create new opportunities for cooperation.
We will be happy to get you involved in FTA activities, so feel free to get in touch with us!

Thank you for your continued support!


You can find the Newsletter in the attached file below and previous Newsletters here.

GLOFOR - World Wide Webinar

DECEMBER 15TH at 11 am (CET). Discover our world-class Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Global Forestry in a dedicated worldwide event!

FTA deans’ award for the best publication or the best piece of work in popularization

Any employee of FTA is eligible to be nominated for the award. Journal articles (popular articles, articles series), proceedings articles, books, book chapters, and monographs, pieces of art, patents, methodologies, organization of the seminar, conference or public events et cetera … copyrighted (organized) in last three years are eligible for the award. Nominations for the award may be made by anyone, including the author(s), but they may not be made anonymously and must include the signature of the nominee (author).  

Meetings with colleagues from Vietnam - Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry

on Tuesday, December 6th, 2022, at 11:00 AM, in room NFTZ 401. Topics: „Smallholder farmer's adoption of digital extension services“ and “The dual purposes of using of the Black Soldier Fly larvae as organic waste treatment and animal feeds: A Case Study in VietNam

 

TODAY: Conference in Mostar: Organic Farming in the Western Balkans

What's going on elsewhere while the FTA is having an open day? For example, there is a conference in Mostar, which is organised by FTA together with colleagues from the universities in Mostar: Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar and University of Mostar.

Invitation for ONLINE SEMINAR on Nov 10 - Building institutional capacities for gender equality plan at CZU

Dear colleagues, Let us invite you to the ONLINE seminar in English entitled Building institutional capacities for gender equality plan at CZU.

The seminar is recommended for Scientific and HR managers (high/medium level), study and degree supervisors, communication officers, labour unions and students’ representatives.

The details are provided below and EDUportal.

Here is the link for ONLINE participation - https://sciencespo.zoom.us/j/5507644258

Feel free to share the invitation with your colleagues. 

Welcome events for the new students

The first event was an Online “Multicultural Environment and Study in the Czech Republic”, in which Student Ambassadors shared their experiences with studying at the FTA and living in a multicultural environment. The program also included an opening speech by the vice-dean Dr. Jana Mazancová, a presentation of the Study Administration Office and the Counseling Center for Integration.

Invitation for SEMINARS Oct 20 and Oct 21 – Gender Dimension in Horizon Europe

Dear colleagues, Let us invite you to in-person seminars in English jointly entitled Gender Dimension in Horizon EuropeThere are two parts of the seminar which can be taken separately, however, for a synergy effect, both are recommended. The lecturer is dr. Maxime Forest from Yellow Window with long-term experience. The details are provided below.

Please, register for each via EduPortal.

Feel free to share the invitation with your colleagues. 

Strengthening ties between CZU and HUAF

The 15-year cooperation between the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences CZU in Prague and the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Hue, Vietnam was newly expanded by taking on board the staff members of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences on a recent visit to Vietnam.

TROPENTAG 2022 conference wrap-up

The Czech University of Life Sciences (CZU) hosted on Sep 14-16 an interdisciplinary conference, Tropentag 2022, which focused on tropical agriculture and rural development. Renowned experts debated if agroecological farming can feed the world. 

The FTA Dean Prof. Patrick Van Damme summarizes this year´s conference:

“Tropentag Conference is a yearly high mass celebrating and presenting innovative developments in the broad field of tropical agriculture R&D - the interaction between vested and young researchers creates a living laboratory where ideas are exchanged, and new collaborations originate. As dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, I am proud we hosted this year's - very successful - edition to the satisfaction of most if not all participants.”

 

Schedule for winter semester 22/23

The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (1st – weeks 1-6; 2nd – weeks 7-12) - BE CARERUL WHEN PREPARING YOUR SCHEDULE!! – pay attention to the footnotes under the each timetable!!!

Meet the FTA Project centre and FTA experts

Please, let us invite you to the workshop „Meet the FTA Project centre and FTA experts” which will take place on 20th September 2022 from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences room no. 401, the event will be held in English.

  

Students, employees and others interested in projects are welcome.

 

The programme is attached.

 

We look forward to seeing you,

On behalf of the FTA Project centre

 

Tereza Žáková and Jan Staš

Czechia and Vietnam: strong bilateral relations between CZU and HUAF universities have potential for much greater expansion

Interview with Prof. Dr. Phung Le Dinh, the Vice-Rector of HUAF. By Klára Jiřičná

Evaluation of the Great Green Wall project

A team of experts led by prof. Van Damme of FTA CZU published the final evaluation of FAO’s Action Against Desertification that mainly operated under the Great Green Wall initiative and was implemented in 2014-2020 aiming at tackling environmental impacts linked to drought and desertification in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Fiji, the Gambia, Haiti, the Niger, Nigeria and Senegal (partly during the COVID-19 pandemic).

The evaluation involved online and face-to-face interviews, field visits in 8 countries allowing for direct observation of land restoration and livelihood activities and came to the following conclusions.

GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS – DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The Government of the Czech Republic offers scholarships within the framework of its Foreign Development Assistance in support of the study of foreign nationals from developing countries listed below at public institutions of higher education in the Czech Republic. The deadline for submitting applications for the academic year 2023/2024 is on 30 September 2022.

GRADUATION CEREMONIES AT FTA

It´s all about new beginnings for all the fresh graduates at the FTA. 75 BSc and MScs students of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences marched into the CZU AULA on June 23 to receive their diplomas. This year´s graduation provided a dignified opportunity to get together and celebrate the success after a difficult period of pandemic that would not allow students from different parts of the world to meet in person or even arrive in the Czech Republic to the faculty to enter the newly opened faculty building and experience friendly multicultural environment first hand.

Tropical News 5 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Dear students, colleagues, alumni, and FTA friends, Welcome to the fifth issue of Tropical News. Our newsletter will give you a brief insight into the latest activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.

 

Be a Student Reporter at the Tropentag - A hybrid conference

...which will take place during 14 – 16 September 2022, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic Can agroecological farming feed the world? Farmers' and academia's views

The future of evaluation

This year's Conference of the Czech Evaluation Society 2022, which was co-organized by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague on 15-16 June, was held in the spirit of discussions on benefits of evaluation and policy-making based on evidence and date for a better future for our planet. In a discussion with the authors of the publication Transformational Change for people and the Planet: Evaluating Environment and Development, co-authored with Juha Uitto, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office, the questions of how to achieve a sustainable future, how to achieve transformational change and how to apply these questions by using evaluations were addressed. According to Uitto, evaluation and feedback assessment must be an active tool in making the necessary changes. A holistic perspective must be taken into account - the environment is the main focus, but all sectors are equal because everything we create affects it.

The conference also included the announcement of the Evaluation Competition for university students, which was won by a team from Palacký University in Olomouc led by Zuzana Fišerová. The students were tasked to develop an evaluation proposal/proposal based on a given development intervention in Kenya.  The proposals were evaluated by a panel of three professional evaluators who provided feedback. The winners received a certificate from CES as well as the opportunity to advance to the international round and compete against world-class teams. The team from FTZ/ČZU, led by Petra Chaloupková came 2dn in this year´s competition.

iPBL-EU project evaluation of the project has started

At the end of summer semester, evaluation of the projects, within the subject area of Plant Health and Plant Breeding started. The evaluation took place in different courses at our partners universities. Project final presentations were held face to face on 15th March at Swedish Agriculture University (SLU) and on 11th April at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU)

Trainings on diversifying the eating habits of Ethiopians

In recent weeks, FTA representatives Ing. Iva Kučerová, PhD and Sára Šebrlová visited the Arba Minch region in Ethiopia within the development project titled “Arba Minch Fruit Value Chain, Gamo zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia” implemented by Mendel University in Brno in cooperation with FTA, funded by the Czech Development Agency.

Erasmus+ Coffee at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

On Tuesday 31st May, the International Relations Office of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (IRO FTA) organized an event called “Erasmus+ ICM Coffee” to join and meet all students, who are currently studying/doing an internship at the FTA under the Erasmus+ programme, within the project of the International Credit Mobility (ICM).  

 

Students – representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Syria and Ukraine – were sharing information about their countries, their home universities as well us about their studies and experiences gained during the mobility. There was also one presentation from FTA student, who is currently doing his internship in Vietnam, in Hue. 

 

The purpose of the event was not only to meet students from abroad, but to offer FTA students unique opportunity to make new contacts in these countries, and to apply for the ICM for the winter semester 22/23. The event was also organized to increase the visibility of the programme and to disseminate the Erasmus+ programme opportunities. 

Garden Fest 2022 at the FTZ ČZU

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences has again prepared a program within the framework of the Garden Fest of ČZU Alumni and Friends. You can enjoy tours of the laboratories (Herbarium and Molecular Genetics) and the FTA Botanical Garden, we will show you the collection of termites and tropical botany.

APPLY NOW for the Erasmus+ „International Credit Mobility“ (deadline for applications: 3rd June, 2022)

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport using mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education. „International Credit Mobility“ = project supporting mobilities between programme and partner countries.

ForumforAg Regional Event Czech Republic

Forum for Agriculture is coming up on May 18, 2022 organized by Forum for the Future of Agriculture with our expert, Assoc. Prof. Miroslava Bavorova as a speaker on session 2 ( starting at 12: 10) tackling the theme of „Integrating climate mitigation and biodiversity regeneration in food system transformation.“

New Master Double Degree Programme with the University of Hohenheim (Germany) has been open!

The new double degree study programme Agricultural Sciences and Farming Systems in the Tropics and Subtropics jointly coordinated by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA, CZU) and the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) was officially opened. This new study programme enables students to profit from the

Tropentag 2022

This year Tropentag 2022 is organised by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. All MSc and PhD students, scientists, extension workers, farmers

How to dry a mango in Cambodia? Even in dryers from FTA!

Fruit processing methods were presented by Jan Staš (FTA employee, food processing expert) during a 10-day training for local farmers and future trainers within the project "iAGRO - Improving the agricultural value chain in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia" implemented by CCE Diaconia and supported by the Czech Development Agency.

Travel scholarship for student mobilities 2022

The International Relations Office and the Office of Science, Research and Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences are launching a call for financial support of research stays abroad (internships).

The 1st Café Scientifique at FTA for PhD students

On 31st of March (2022) the 1st Café Scientifique at FTA for PhD students was organized by Associate professor Hynek Roubík (Group leader of Biogas Research Team).

Annual Report 2021

Dear colleagues, students and friends of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture, this is reportedly the first FTA annual report with a foreword in English. Rejoice and: boom drumbeat! (as Flemish poet, writer and Dada artist Paul van Ostaijen wrote in 1920).

Thai delegates from the Prince of Songkla University at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Five representatives of the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) visited CZU between 21st – 25th March 2022. The visit was based on long-term cooperation and previous projects with FTA within Erasmus+ projects such as: EURASIA 2, ALFABET, AskAsia, SIMPLE and PISAI.

New Double degree study programme at FTA

The Double degree Master study programme “Agricultural Sciences and Farming Systems in the Tropics and Subtropics” is the first Double degree (DD) programme offered by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. It is the unique opportunity for students to simultaneously receive two Master degrees in the area of „Agricultural Sciences and Farming Systems in the Tropics and Subtropics“ in only 2 years and thus enhance their position in the European and Czech labour market. The main objective of the DD programme is to enable students to profit from the different background of teaching and research of the partner universities in the area of tropical agriculture. In addition to the existing single degree programme “Tropical Farming Systems”, the double degree shall offer an additional benefit for the students by an increased selection of modules offered on tropical agriculture, the acquirement of soft skills in different teaching environments as well as cultural backgrounds and performing scientific work under the supervision of two academics from two different universities. Students will benefit from the elective modules at the host university that are more focused on environment, resource efficiency, aspects of developing countries and interdisciplinary work.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague is opening a CZU public fundraiser for Ukraine

Dear Colleagues, Dear Students, In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague is opening a public fundraiser CZU for Ukraine to help Ukrainian citizens. The fundraiser account maintained with Česká spořitelna has the number 500 201 212/0800, variable symbol 997301.

CZU statement on the situation after the Russian army invaded the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine

The Czech University of Life Sciences is observing with concern the Russian Federation's attack on Ukraine. Therefore, recent events have led the leaders of CZU and its components to make this joint statement.

Love and plants are in the air!

The FTA plant swap kicked off yesterday just in time for Valentine's Day, with a lovely selection of cuttings and small plants shared by members of our faculty. It was a great first day with many visitors coming by to browse, donate, and/or adopt their very own new plant baby.

Schedule of classes in summer semester 2021/22 taught in English at the FTA

Important days of summer semester 2021/22. Summer semester - start – 7th Feb 2022. Find out more here.

Successful Data Collection Amidst General Elections and Heightened Covid 19 Pandemic in Zambia

The mood of impoverished farmers in an election period can tremendously affect or spoil data collection activities. The situation becomes more complex in view of the covid-19 pandemic which greatly limits interactions among the farmers and the researchers.

Registration for Studies within the Programme ERASMUS+ in Europe in ac. year 2022/202

You can register for the study exchange programme Erasmus+ by uploading of the documents mentioned below by 11.2.2022, 23:59 to https://1url.cz/@Erasmus_Apps

New FTA project "implementation of Project-Based Learning (iPBL-EU)"

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague was granted for the first time by the ELLS (Euroleague for Life Sciences) Fund for Incentives. This project is called the implementation of Project-Based Learning among Master’s degree students in selected ELLS Universities (iPBL-EU) and is coordinated by the FTA (CZU) together with partners from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences - BOKU (Austria) and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - SLU (Sweden).  

 

Interview with Dean Van Damme on personal responsibility to climate change

...and Christmas Greetings. “If you want to improve the world, you have to start with your own behaviour. Let´s try to be as renewable and energy-neutral as possible and cut the waste by analyzing our behaviour”, says the FTA Dean Patrick Van Damme in an interview following on his return from the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, COP26.

Tropical News 4 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Dear Reader, Welcome to the fourth issue of Tropical News. Our Newsletter provides a brief insight into the latest updates about activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.

FTZ Dean's Award

The following author has been selected and rewarded by the Dean Prof. Patrick Van Damme and the members of Dean´s College as the best publication of 2021. Dr. Černá Bolfíková for her article in the scientific journal Nature.

 

Visit of 4 universities in Ukraine and much more!

Our PhD students Marek Jelínek, Jan Staš and Eduardo Duque Dussán, along with Assoc. Prof. Hynek Roubík, travelled to Ukraine as delegates of the FTA under the scientific cooperation project "Strengthening scientific capacities and cooperation of Ukrainian universities in AgriSciences" supported by the Czech Development Cooperation via Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

FTA´s student of Canadian origin awarded Professors´s Vlček scholarship

Ginny was elected because of her active involvement in research, education, and activities benefiting the foreign students contributing to the motivation of those interested in studying in Prague.

Learn & Discuss - Edible Insects

On the 30th of November, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences hosted the first of the Learn & Discuss series. The aim of this series is to focus on interesting topics and provide listeners knowledge in the form of a lecture, but also to promote discussion on the topic and hands-on involvement in a more open, fun, and collegial environment among fellow students. The topic of this first L&D series was Edible Insects. 

E-Competition: SHARE YOUR STORY!

Are you pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in a field related to agriculture? Do you want to tell us about your agricultural experience so far? Do you wish to share your agricultural perspectives and perceptions with others? YPARD, in collaboration with the AgriSciences platform and AGRINATURA, welcomes you to participate in our research essay e-competition!

CZU mission to Azerbaijan under FAO project on climate change

This mission within the FAO funded project on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan allowed us to have first direct contact with the actors in the field.

Fund-raising campaign to aid biodiversity in South Cameroon

Scientists from the FTA, CZU Prague call for help for Ebogo village in Cameroon. Donors can help to protect the endangered tropical forest, sustainable development of the local rural community and children's education in Ebogo and surrounding villages.

A look back at the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences:

As part of the FTA OPEN DAY, organized to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding and held in the brand-new building of the Pavilion of Tropical AgriSciences, the new Belgian-born Dean Prof. Patrick Van Damme – was solemnly crowned with the Bone and Pineapple, having sworn the following:

FTA staff contributing to enhancing the educational and research activities at the Hawassa University in Ethiopia

Our employees Marie Kalousová, Barbora Černá Bolfíková, Iva Bernáthová, Stacy Hammond and Anna Chládová recently returned from Ethiopia where they conducted activities within the project “Publication and Research Activities Development for Education in Life Sciences at Hawassa University”.

Pavilion of Tropical AgriSciences wins BEST WORKPLACE SOLUTION adapted to climate change

The Pavilion of Tropical AgriSciences wins the best workplace solution category in the Adapterra Awards contest among projects adapted to climate change. "We are very pleased with this award. Adaptation to climate change is not only part of the education and research taking place at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, but is also reflected in the sustainability of the "green" pavilion, which was designed with respect for the environment from the very beginning, "said Lucie Ackermann Blažková.

The final phase of project Integrated Farming II in Zambia - ponds harvest

FTA experts (Jan Staš, Radim Kotrba and Petr Pudil) just started the final phase of the projectIntegrated Farming II in Zambia by conducting the monitoring harvests of the fishponds.

News from Cameroon

PhD students Dennis Kyereh and Marie Kalousová; from the Tropical Biodiversity Research Group (TBG) were in Cameroon for the implementation of the project entitled: “Morphological and genetic characterization of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Baill.) Heckel in natural and domesticated populations in Cameroon”.

Bridging the gap between academic and professional sector – FTA welcomes cooperation with graduates

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences proudly welcomed alumnus, Dr. Vojtěch Havránek, founder of the successful company Titbit, who focuses on importing exotic fruits and vegetables to the Czech Republic. The Alumnus lectured on his long-term experience in business at our FTA pavilion.

FTA has extended its presence and partnership in Kenya

In July 2021, the vice-deans of FTA – dr. Jiří Hejkrlík and dr. Jana Mazancová, extended and formalized the cooperation between FTA and The Cooperative University of Kenya in Nairobi (CUK). The start of the collaboration is dated back to 2020 when the head of the Cooperative Research Team

FTA OPEN DAY OCT 15, 2021

We would like to invite you to the Faculty Open Day at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences in Prague

TROPENTAG 2021

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences cordially invites you to a public streaming of the virtual conference Tropentag 2021, 15.- 17. September 2021, Pavilion of Tropical AgriSciences, CZU

We fought for Sustainable Development Goals again!

Not even the pandemic could stop members of the volleyball team of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture of the CZU in Prague from participating in a beach volleyball tournament in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We made it to the finals of THE ADAPTERRA AWARDS 2021!

Please give us your vote and support the Pavilion of Tropical AgriSciences in the contest for the best adaptation solution to climate change. Vote HERE.

How does the tropical reality concern the Czech Republic?

“What we have seen is that over time now, a number of crops that we equate with southern areas are also being at least tested in the Czech Republic.“ Read or listen to the full interview HERE.

FTA calls for support for the Hodonín Zoo, devastated by tornado

A tornado such as Czechs know only from Hollywood movies swept through southern Moravia on the night of June 24 and, among other things, razed half of the HODONÍN ZOO...

Why should we increase the number of chromosomes in thyme?

The Laboratory of Plant Tissue Cultures at the Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry deals, among others, with in vitro mitotic polyploidization of medicinal plants.

Would you like to run your own mentoring program? YPARD will show you how!

YPARD developed a mentoring toolkit, available online and free of charge which takes you from the very first stages of your first mentoring program to the final ones.

A quick stop in Cameroon – science, development, termites

Cameroon is a country of extremes and the fieldworks there, for sure, belong to the most challenging ones. The things work either extremely well, easy and smooth, or not at all. Working at such a sinusoid of ups and downs is indeed demanding and often exhausting.

Tropical News 3 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Dear Reader, Welcome to the third issue of Tropical News. Our Newsletter provides a brief insight into the latest updates about activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.

Mobile laboratories CZU mobiLAB in Zambia

Experts from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences launched 3 units of the CZU mobiLAB - a mobile laboratory for the detection of infectious diseases

Registration is now open for our international evaluation conference!

This year, for the first time, we will have several English-language sessions - come join us from wherever you happen to be!

FNSSA Stakeholder Engagement Week Virtual Event

Let us kindly invite you to the On-Line Thematic Session: Activities of central and eastern EU countries in research and Innovation partnership with Africa as a part of Stakeholder engagement week that is organized within LEAP4FNSSA project

PHOTO REPORT: Inauguration of the Dean Prof. Patrick Van Damme

On May 5, Prof. ir. Dr. Patrick Van Damme was inaugurated as the new Dean of the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture CZU. He was appointed to the office by the CZU rector Prof. Petr Sklenička and replaced Prof. Jan Banout.

FTA Would Like to Welcome Our New Students!

The FTA has focused on providing a great deal of support for their international students. This has been made possible through the continuous help from the active students – “Student Ambassadors”. The Student Ambassadors consist of fellow students who are studying at FTA and are eager to support new students with a smooth transition and start with their studies at the FTA. 

How is the development of integrated agriculture in Zambia doing?

The team from the CZU, namely Vladimír Verner, Radim Kotrba, Zbyněk Polesný, Jan Staš from FTZ and Miloslav Petrtýl from FAPPZ, is currently conducting fieldwork in the Western Province of Zambia. The activities are realized in the frame of implementation of two development projects, namely "Integrated Farming II" led by Mendel University in Brno and "Agribussines4LIFE “ led by Charita Czech Republic.

Molecules Webinar: Biological and Pharmacological Activity of Plant Natural Compounds

Do not miss out our Prof. Kokoška on the upcoming panel on the Biological and Pharmacological Activity of Plant Natural Compounds

Census 2021 - obligatory also for foreigners

Dear colleagues, dear students, let usinform you that this year the Census 2021 will run in the Czech Republic. It is obligatory for all citizens even for foreigners living in the Czech Republic for a period longer than 90 days. The census is done once per 10 years and it is a duty regulated by law (with a penalty to those, who will not participate). You can enumerate yourself from 27 March to 9 April.

Patrick Van Damme, un Belge a la tete de la faculté des sciences agricoles tropicales de Prague

In a French interview for Radio Prague International, Professor Patrick Van Damme, the new dean at the FTA, talks about his plans to improve the faculty´s world-wide ranking #FrenchOnly

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) CZU has elected a foreign national as a new dean in an effort to expand its international positioning/ranking

In March 2021, Prof. Patrick Van Damme became the second dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) but the first dean ever as a foreign national in the history of the Czech University of Life Sciences.

News from Ethiopia: how are the projects in Awassa and Arba Minch doing?

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences has a wide representation of development projects in Ethiopia under the auspices of the Czech Development Agency. However, in cooperation with Mendel University in Brno, we primarily solve two projects implemented in the vicinity of the cities of Arba Minch and Awassa. These are "Implementation of a Fruit Value Chain for Improved Nutrition and Efficient Production in Arba Minch Zuria" and "Protection of Awassa Lake through Sustainable Management of Surrounding Area".

The Student Ambassador’s Hosted their First Event: A Successful Online Night In

FTA’s Student Ambassadors organized their first online event named “Online Meet and Greet,” targeted towards a first-year bachelor and master’s students, providing the opportunity for students to communicate with each other in mall group settings. This unique event was attended by a total of 68 students! The “Online Meet and Greet,” included “ice breaker” questions, music, and of course dancing!

What role does immunity play in the lifestyle of termites?

Assoc. prof. Jan Šobotník of FTZ ČZU explores the role of immune gene expression in the lifestyle of termites in his recent publication for the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Promising healing effects of local Samoan nutmegs revealed: antimicrobial + anticancer

A team of international scientists from CZU, led by Prof. Ladislav Kokoška working with Samoan Ph.D. student Julian Wong Soon from Osaka University found healing effects of two local species of Samoan nutmeg (Myristica hypargyraea and Myristica inutilis) against staphylococcus aureus and colon cancer cells.

Schedule of courses at the FTA valid for Summer semester 20/21

Important days of summer semester 2020/21 can be found here

The 1st International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Aquaculture for Well Being and Food Security

The 1st International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Aquaculture (ICSAA) for Well Being and Food Security was organized by the Faculty of Natural Resources, Prince of Songkla University in Thailand on 11 and 12 January 2021. The conference was organized with the support of PISAI project and FTA is the active partner of this project financed by the Erasmus+ programme.

Postdoctoral position at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences - Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture

The postdoc position is offered for 10 months for applicants from all over the world, out of the Czech Republic. The position starts from 1st September 2021 and finishes on 30th June 2022.

Study Programme ERASMUS+ in Europe Registration for new ac. year 2021/2022

You can register for the study exchange programme Erasmus+ by sending the documents mentioned below by February 12th, 2021, 11:59 AM to e-mail hummelova@ftz.czu.cz

How to grow mushrooms using the traditional Japanese method?

Read the interview with our alumni Ing. Dalibor Sýkorovský (not only) about his project True Shiitake

Tropical News 2 - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Welcome to the second issue of Tropical News. Our Newsletter will give you a brief insight into the latest updates about activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.

FTA Dean's Award 2020 - Call for nominations

The Department for Science and Research announces the FTA Dean's Award for the best publication or popularization output of FTA employees

CZU mobiLAB offers a complex solution for detection of infectious diseases (including COVID-19) in inaccessible areas of developing countries

The Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague introduces a concept of mobile laboratories, CZU mobiLAB. CZU mobiLAB is ready for use in humans and veterinary medicine for the identification of any infectious agents based on nucleic acid detection in sampled individuals. The concept of CZU mobiLAB can be used in inaccessible areas of the developing world and at the same time offers solutions for developed countries in case of reaction to an unexpected threat.

How to get a job or traineeship in EU institutions? Well, it is easier than you think!

Are you interested in learning more about CZU involvement in this program? Follow the Facebook profile of EU Careers ČZU or contact Lucie Dostalíková directly.

Travel scholarship for student mobilities

The International Relations Office and the Office of Science, Research and Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences are launching a call for financial support of research stays abroad (internships).

The Czech Republic has gone from a model COVID-19 country to the brink of a second lockdown

What has gone wrong? Dr. Jiří Černý, a leading virologist at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at Czech University of Life Sciences gave an interview to Deutsche Welle, a global English-language news and information channel, explaining the recent surge of coronavirus in the Czech Republic.

FTA from Ethiopia: How to improve production and processing of fruits?

As part of the project “Arba Minch Fruit Value Chain”, three FTA representatives (Anna Maňourová, William Nkomoki and Jan Staš) together with experts from Mendel University in Brno went to Ethiopia to kick-off a new four-year development project. Its aim is improvement of the knowledge and skills of local farmers, diversifying the local fruit production, opening new business opportunities for farmers and last but not least on the reduction of post-harvest losses. 

YPARD Global – Network Engagement Coordinator (Full-time position)

Through the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), the joint secretariat of the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) and the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) in Switzerland is seeking a dynamic, independent and innovative young professional for the position of the YPARD Global Network Engagement Coordinator (full-time position).

The Network Engagement Coordinator is responsible for ensuring and monitoring the active engagement of the YPARD community. The incumbent‘s work is partly framed by the communications strategies developed with the communications team and it entails the design and implementation of online and onsite innovative, collaborative and vibrant activities. The incumbent reports to the YPARD Director and works closely with the Communications Coordinator and the Digital Communication Officer. The incumbent will be based in FTA/CZU, Prague, Czech Republic, which hosts the YPARD Europe office.

Ever heard of Fuafua or Mamala?

Nope? You might in the future because some of these plants used in Samoan traditional medicine for treatment of wounds, burns and sores produce healing effects on the skin tissue and inhibit growth of bacteria infecting wounds. 

Important information about the upcoming academic year 2020/2021

All courses at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) from September 29, 2020, will be organized as distance teaching (online lecturing).

Schedule of courses at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences valid for Winter semester 20/21

Important days of winter semester 2020/21 - More information can be found in attached file.

Chili peppers exhibition at FTA Botanical Garden

We would like to invite all those interested to the traditional exhibition of chili peppers in our Botanical Garden,  which will take place from 21th to 23rd October 2020, Wed-Thu from 8:00 to 15:00, Fri from 8:00 to 12:00

We fought for Sustainable Development Goals

The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences could not miss the first year of a unique beach volleyball tournament which supports the UN's Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Public streaming of the virtual conference Tropentag 2020

FTA would like to invite you to public streaming of the virtual conference Tropentag 2020, at Aula CZU

Start: Wednesday 9 September, 12:30

The new external Dormitory West is opening its doors!

Check-in will be available from 15th of September for mid-term and long-term stays. 4 types of rooms, 35 minutes from the CZU campus, private bathroom, silent study rooms and other benefits for you. Online application and other information with photos on the website 

The best Master’s thesis of FTA for academic year 2019/2020

The inter-departmental commission appointed by the Dean's Board of the FTA selected the following best Master’s thesis of students from the AFS, WLM, SRD, IDAE, TCME and TFA programs.

Syrian Project Documented 80 Wild Plants as a Food Source

During the period March - June 2020, while COVID-19 was strongly hitting many regions around the world, making travel and field research more complicated, our Ph.D. student Naji Sulaiman was collecting data for his dissertation in a double challenging spot of our planet.

Would you get vaccinated if there was a jab available?

The Telegraph interviewed leading health experts in the US, Germany and the Czech Republic including our virologist Dr. Jiri Cerny on the new polls that showed a great deal of scepticism towards a coronavirus vaccine.

Tropical News - “Newsletter for FTA Friends”

Welcome to the first issue of Tropical News. Our Newsletter will give you a brief insight into the latest updates about activities and international cooperation at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.

Africa, my second home...

How does Africa become your second home? Is it an advantage to be a female scientist in Africa? These questions will be answered by our Associate Professor, Karolína Brandlová, co-founder of the Wildlife management and Conservation Programme that focuses more on research and species conservation management. Although she originally considered studying the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences eventually won. And why is Africa so special to her? Scroll down for moree…

Would you like to watch antelopes or other fauna from an airplane?

Take a look through photographs and video in Benin, where our doctoral student Zuzana Holubová is on an internship for almost half a year, and where she is also collecting data for her dissertation thesis.

FTA Fights against COVID-19

Do you know what is happening at FTA laboratories? Check it out here

CZU Prague is recording success in the international THE Impact Ranking 2020

The CZU Prague placed first in the Czech Republic in the THE Impact Ranking 2020. In the overall ranking, CZU was ranked 201st - 300th in the world. A total of 766 universities from all over the world successfully participated in THE Impact Ranking this year.

Easing of the measures issued by the Government – higher education institutions

In accordance with the eased measures approved by the Czech Government students ENROLLED IN ALL STUDY YEARS are allowed to participate in study activities in groups of a maximum of five people from, April 27th 2020.

The cooperation between our faculty and ICRAF

The cooperation between our faculty and ICRAF (World Agroforestry Centre) is the logical outcome of more than two decades of research and development of agroforestry projects in various regions of the world

Organization of the remaining part of the academic year 2019/2020 in the field of pedagogy

Due to the ongoing State of Emergency and the necessary measures in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes have to be made to the academic year schedule. It is clear to us that the current situation increases the tension and stress to which you are exposed, so we aim to ensure that you - the students - are able to successfully complete the academic year.

Change of the date of Final State Examinations at FTA for the academic year 2019/2020

Regarding the current situation with the spread of COVID-19, the date of the Final State Examinations (FSE) at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) has changed.

Travel journal from Cameroon

Upon his return from a research trip in Cameroon, tropical entomologist and new associate professor at our faculty, Jan Šobotník, had mixed feelings: on the one hand, he had seen a catastrophic decline in termite populations in the forest, on the other, however, the group collected many new termophile insects, yet unknown to science.

The most frequently asked questions

The most frequently asked questions about study at CZU

CZU cancels lessons from March 11 until further notice

In connection with the current decision of the Ministry of Health which is based on the recommendation of the National Security Council, teaching at CZU is cancelled from tomorrow, 11 March until further notice

New Pavillion of Tropical AgriSciences

A  new state-of-the art facility called “the green building“ will be the latest expansion of the campus of the Czech Life Science University (CZU). Prospective students of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences interested in the fields of tropical agriculture and developing countries can enjoy the new premises as of this fall semester. The facility will offer top-notch technologies and space for scientific research.

How many giraffes live in Niger?

Perhaps even more interesting than the number of giraffes is their coexistence with people and livestock in the "tiger bush". Giraffe here are in permanent contact with people, their crops and livestock.

Study Programme ERASMUS+ in Europe Registration for new ac. year 2020/2021

You can register for the study exchange programme Erasmus+ on the board in front of the office T136. You will fill in your name, e-mail, year of study in 20/21 and length of stay to the table of university you want to study, not later than February 18th 2020, 11:59 AM.

Dr. Hynek Roubík – second youngest member of the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Hynek Roubík (Group leader of our Biogas Research Team) has been appointed as member of the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences

7th INTERNATIONAL FAIR PARTY 2019

Student group BeFair at CZU has spiced things up once again at the Faculty of Tropical AgriScience at the International Fair Party (IFP) yearly event where multicultural and exotic feels like home. Everyone was invited to have a good time on Dec 11 on campus.

CZU is once again the most environmentally-friendly university in the Czech Republic

A year of hard work has paid off. CZU ranked 31st in the Green Metric World University Rankings, and is thus one of the world leaders in terms of consideration for the environment.

Scientific Day in Mostar

On Monday, December 9, 2019, the University of Mostar with University of Džemal Bijedič (Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina) in cooperation with FTA organized Scientific Day.

Student Scientific Conference in Cambodia

FTA organized the second annual international scientific conference for young scientists and students, which was held on 5 December 2019 at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Cambodia.

Meeting with the Assistant-Director-General, FAO with CZU representatives

On October 22th 2019, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague was hosting a meeting with Mr. René Castro Salazar, Assistant-Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and leader of the Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department.

Erasmus Day at CZU

Erasmus Day at CZU is going to take place on Tuesday, December 10th 2019 from 11:00 to 14:30 at Menza!

Workshop Project management and HR AWARDS organised in Ukraine

FTZ representatives organized “Project Management Training - Preparation of the EU Projects and HR Awards” at the partner universities in Ukraine - Sumy National Agrarian University, Sumy State University, Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University as part of the project “Support for young university capacities in the field of quality of education and scientific and research activities in Ukraine”.

Open Days at FTA - November 22nd 2019

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is warmly inviting you to be part of our programme during the Open Days at FTA - November 22nd 2019 from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Project COST Action

The first project meeting took part in Brussels in October, 14, 2019. Dr. Miroslava Bavorová, from FTA CULS, participated at the meeting as a Member of Management Committee and representative of the Czech Republic.

Przewalski’s horse in The Great Gobi B SPA Protected Area in Mongolia

Read about impressive research of our PhD student Anna Bernátková who just came back from her research activities in Mongolia.

Thai delegates of the PISAI project at FTA

This Autumn 2019, the delegates of the PISAI project (Participatory and Integrative Support for Agricultural Initiative) from Thai partner universities visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS) as arranged by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA).

Instructions for students -WIFI, ISIC charging

Guidlines - How to conect to CULS WIFI and How to charge ISIC online

FTA at Tropentag Conference 2019 in Kassel

Conference Tropentag 2019 with topic "Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources management" was held on September 18th - 20th at Universities of Kassel and Goettingen, Germany.

Final Conference of the SIMPLE project

Final Conference of the SIMPLE project, "Bridge the gap between academic and professional sector" organised by FTA and co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, was held on 27th  August 2019 at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Petra Chaloupková was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Tropical Agricultural Resources Management at Prince of Songkla University

In recognition of her contribution and dedication to the advancements and improvements of higher education beyond the field of her expertise, and to honour her valuable outputs, the Council of the Prince of Songkla University in the Meeting 407, held on June 1, 2019, unanimously agreed to award an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Tropical Agricultural Resource Management to Dr. Petra Chaloupková. The awarding ceremony took place in the Convention Hall of the Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai on September 8, 2019. Dr. Chaloupková was honoured to receive the degree from Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, who – being scientist herself – has founded a research institute and give lectures at Mahidol University in Bangkok. Due to the presence of a member of royal family at the ceremony, a spot from the handover was on Thai national TV in the prime time news.

Summer school in Cambodia 2019

In August we organised the 6th summer school in Cambodia at Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Phnom Penh. The summer school is the integral part of the development projects supported by Czech Development Agency (CDA).

FTA Summer School in Ukraine for students and young researchers with focus on Waste Management

In August, we organized in Ukraine under the leadership of Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D. (from our Biogas Research Team) another field research of FTA students together with students and young researchers from three other Ukrainian universities - Sumy National Agrarian University, Sumy State University and Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University.

Enrollment information

Dear students,

The enrollment to first year (new students) will be held in room T135, Pavilon T. Dates and times showed in attached photo.

For enrollment to next academic year (current students) for Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes, please come to the Study Administration Office on the certain date (see attached file) at 10:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 15:00. Your blue books are not needed.

Thank you,

Study Administration Office

 

Summer school „Value chain management“ in Thailand 2019

This year, CULS students had another opportunity to attend the 2nd Summer School in Thailand for the MODULE 1 of this project on the topic of Value Chain Management, thanks to the cooperation of this project. 

The years with elands are running

The collaboration of staff and students of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences to save the Western Derby eland in Senegal will soon turn its twenties...

How FTA scholarships can help?

Read a story of a brave young lady Frilly Andrelia Utami, who has gone through hard life time during and after the tsunami in Palu, Indonesia in 2018. Our Faculty gave her an opportunity to stundy in Czech Republic for 6 months.

FTA participated at the international fair NAFSA 2019: The International Education Event of the Year!

The NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo unites nearly 10,000 attendees each year from more than 3,500 institutions and organizations from over 100 countries. It is the most comprehensive international education event serving the diverse needs of the entire international education community. The NAFSA 2019 conference was organised on 26-31 May, 2019 in Washington D.C., USA. The 2019 annual conference theme, “Global Leadership, Learning, and Change,” encouraged reflection on the current state of the field and on how to work through the changes and challenges in the area of higher education. The opening plenary was provided by Dr. Madeleine K. Albright and General Colin L. Powell. During the fair, study programs offered at FTZ were presented and cooperation with universities from Ecuador, Chile, Spain, etc. was established.

FTA at World Congress on Agroforestry 2019

Members of our faculty participated in World Congress on Agroforestry 2019, which was held in Motpelier, France from 19th to 22th May 2019.

Representatives of FTA at the General Assembly of Agrinatura

From Tuesday, May 14th to Friday, May 16th, 2019, General Assembly of representatives of all members of the Agrinatura (The European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development) was held in Gembloux, Belgium.

Tropentag 2019 - call for papers!

We would like to remind you that the deadline for submission of abstracts for the Tropentag 2019 conference is Wednesday May 1, 2019.

Newsflash April 2019: Call for Papers EAAE Congress August 2020

The Local Organising Committee (two members from FTA) cordially invites you to the 16th Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists, EAAE. 

The Congress will take place in Prague – Czech Republic, from Tuesday, August 25until Friday, August 28, 2020.

doc. Ing. Bc. Tatiana Ivanova Ph.D. was appointed an associate professor

We are pleased to announce that our lecturer and researcher doc. Ing. Bc. Tatiana Ivanova Ph.D. was appointed an associate professor in the field of Engineering and Mechanization of Agriculture at the Faculty of Engineering, CULS Prague. 

Tropentag 2019 organised by University of Kassel, September 18-20, 2019

 Tropentag 2019 - Call for papers! Topic: ''Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development''

Among the leopards in Southern Namibia

The aim of the research is to determine the size and range of the leopard population, their habitat and food preferences. 

Erasmus days

Come to learn more about the programme, see winning photos, listen to lectures and presentations of students who have already studied abroad...
February 13 - 14, 2019 
10:00 – 14:00 at CULS Menza

Schedules for summer semestr 2018/2019

Here you can find schedules for summer semester 2018/2019.

TOEIC English - Listening and Reading

Do you need TOEIC English certificate? You can do it at our Language department. You can find all information HERE.

The FTA representatives participated in the launch of the LEAP4FNSSA project

A New project within H2020 programme titled „Long-term Europe-Africa Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security, and Sustainable Agriculture (LEAP4FNSSA)” was officially launched in Accra, Ghana at these days.

Collaboration agreement signed with the National University of Mongolia

For the last two years members of our Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences have been lecturing a summer school on “livestock-wildlife interactions”, organised by the NGO People in Need. This initial contact finally lead to signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the National University of Mongolia,

The Czech University of LifeSicences in Prague hosted a board meeting of AGRINATURA

Agrinatura Association is a grouping of European universities and research organizations with a common interest in supporting the development of agriculture in a sustainable way and in order to improve the lives of the farmers.

Rector of CZU joined the Meatles Monday at FTA

This week, the rector of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague prof. Ing. Petr Sklenička, CSc. has joined us in the Meatless Monday campaign. He agrees and supports the idea of the campaign.

Academic Community meeting and International Fair Party

We invite all students and teachers to the Academic Community meeting and International Fair Party which will be held on Wednesday 12th December 2018 from 6 PM in Pavilion T.

FTA organized student's scientific conference in Cambodia

As part of the development project "Support of Science and Research at the Royal University of Agriculture in Cambodia", a team of experts from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences and the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources

Staff team from FTA and FAFNR, is helping with three development projects in Zambia

Staff team from CULS Prague, FTA and FAFNR, is helping with implementation of three development projects funded by the Czech Development Agency, in cooperation with Caritas Czech Republic, University of Barotseland,

Results of supplementary elections to AS CZU and AS FTA

Dear students,

allow me instead of electoral committee to acknowledge your active participation during elections and congratulate to Iva Bernáthová and Barbora Motýlová to be elected to AS of FTA and to Iva Bernáthová to be elected to AS of CULS. You will find more in attachments.

My best regards

Radim Kotrba

 

Meatless Monday at Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Are you aware of significant impact of your eating habits on the environment? We are! Therefore, we voted last week for joining our faculty to the global Meatless Monday campaign.

Visit of International Alumni

The Alumni of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague were invited to  visit their Alma Mater.  Five selected graduates from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Faculty of Economic and Management and Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources spent one week at the University and participated the meetings at the faculties. They were representatives of our parnetrs universities from China, Mongolia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Thailand. The main purpose was to promote actual study programmes, research and international activities at the faculties and support strengthening of further international activities. At the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences they discussed the actual research and academic issues with the dean of the Faculty and representatives of all departments, visited the botanial garden as well as the laboratories.

Travel scholarship for student mobilities – 3rd round

The International Relations Office of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences has opened a call for Bachelor, Master students and PhD candidates, who are conducting the research for their theses in cooperation with foreign universities.

Excursion for our students to Milovice

On Monday 8th October we are with our beloved Prof. Pavla Hejcmanová, Ph.D  for an excursion to pastures for Oxmoor ponies, European bison’s and „aurochs“ in Milovice, approx. 50 km from Prague. 

European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2018

On the 10th October 2018, the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2018 took place in Philippine capital city Manila, organised by Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines.

Begin Central Asia Tour. International Education Fair 2018 in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Alexander Kandakov, Ph.D. represented the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at “Begin Central Asia Tour.

FTA at Tropentag 2018 conference

Conference Tropentag took place in Ghent, Belgium from 17th to 19th September 2018 and our faculty represented in high number of participants. 

 

Another collaboration successfully established!

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences officially build up a partnership with Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences (HIES) in Cameroon

CZU came to visit the University of Battambang

On March, Hynek Roubik from Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (from our BiogasResearchTeam) and Anna Brunerová from Faculty of Engineering, visited the University of Battambang. 

Czech participation from FTA at the International Pangolin Symposium in Chicago 2018

Author: Markéta Swiacká. During August, in Chicago there was held the very first international conference focused on conservation of pangolins which was organized by the Chicago Zoological Society in Brookfield Zoo.

FTA at Garden party for alumni and friends of CZU

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is warmly inviting you to be part of our programme during Garden party for alumni and friends of CULS

Student's field research in Ukraine

Student's field research called "Agri-Cooperatives and Institutions for Rural Development" is still ongoing in Sumy, Ukraine.

FTA continues the cooperation with two universities from Sumy

FTA was visited by the representative of Sumy State University and Sumy National Agrarian University – dr. Oksana Zamora

ALUMNI of FTA - stay with us

Dear FTA finalists,

Since our faculty would like to stay with you in touch even though you will leave our university soon, I would like to ask you to fill and register...

Invitation to the thesis defense of master student

We warly invite all students and wide public to the thesis defense.

ICARD students during the field trip to Czech NGO ADRA

During the summer semester, students of BSc. study program ICARD visited the headquarter of international development NGO ADRA in Prague.

Global Biodiversity Conservation Conference

25. - 26. 9. 2018

ČZU v Praze/ CULS Prague

Senegalese Milestones

Jana Ptačinská Jirátová describes the important events of Derbianus Conservation in Senegal

Support of Summer Schools in the EU

 Apply by sending by May 15th, 2018 to hummelova@ftz.czu.cz

Job Offer "Production Farm Manger" in Cameroon

In case of your interest, send your CV and cover letter until 30th April to ondrej.jirasek@nirex.cz

 

Participation in the International Education Fair 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria

Alexander Kandakov, Ph.D. represented the CULS Prague and the FTA at International Education Fair 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria

Study in Mexico

Winter Semester 2018/19 at Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico

 

Job/Internship Offer in Cameroon

In case of interest, send your CV and cover letter to ondrej.jirasek@nirex.cz by March 31st.

Biogas plants help farmers in Vietnam

Animal excrements, especially those of pigs, are produced in large volumes in Southeast Asia.

Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resource of Ethiopia visited the CZU Prague

Ethiopian alumnus of the FTA and current the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resource of Ethiopia, H.E Dr.Eyasu Abraha Alle visited the CULS Prague.

FTA at European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2017 in the Philippines

Our PhD student Monika Kosova represented the FTA at EHEF 2017 in Manila

SUMMER SCHOOL 2017 "SCIENTIFIC WORK: Step by step"

FTA and FAFNR organized a two-week summer school "SCIENTIFIC WORK: Step by step" at the RUA in Phnom Penh

Summer School in Mongolia was held in September

"Livestock-Wildlife interactions in Mongolia"

Team FTA have won the Best poster award at International Conference

"1st International Conference on Food, Environment and Culture"

Philippines

Project Erasmus+ SIMPLE organizes training course for staff of Asian Alumni Centres

WHEN: October, 9-13

WHERE: BOKU University, Vienna

FTA Film will be presented in Science Film Festival 2017 in Malaysia

Film "Ethnobotany and Human Nutrition: A Samoa Case Study"

FTA professor and student visited Senegal

Prof. RNDr. Pavla Hejcmanová, Ph.D. and Iva Bernáthová, the BSc. student of ATS study programme, visited Senegal in August.

Questionnaire for Students and Alumni in Africa

African students and alumni: the EU needs your feedback!

1st year students from the faculty during the practical course ABI08Z "Field practices for special botany, zoology and ecology"

Three days field excursion and excursion to arboretum Truba in the Southern Moravia

2017 DANUBE: FUTURE INTERDISCIPLINARY SCHOOL (DIS)

Cultural and social implications of global change on the Danube River Basin

Krems, Austria July 14th – 21st

BCFN YES! YOUNG EARTH SOLUTIONS

BCFN YES! (Young Earth Solutions) is an international competition for young researchers from all over the world.

Job Offers for FTA students or graduates

Organization Salanga

The deadline to apply for this position is: May 30th, 2017.

Invitation to the State Doctoral Examinations - SRD Study Programme

WHEN: Monday May 15th, 9:00, 10:30, 13:00

WHERE: CULS Prague, Rectorate building, room no.110

5th Agroforum Mare Balticum conference

Tartu, Estonia

April 18 - 20

Announcement of the conditions of the admission procedure for the academic year 2017/2018

Dean of FTA/CULS in Prague announces admission requirements for Bachelor's and Master's degree studies for the academic year 2017/2018

4th International Fair Party was successful

On Wednesday the 7th of December there was the fourth International Fair Party at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences organized by the student organization BeFair.

This year the FTA course “Block of experts” for students of bachelor's degree programs was opened again

For the third year FTA offers the course “Block of Experts”, which introduces practitioners of Czech development cooperation.

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