The SmartAgriCambodia project officially launched this week at the National University of Battambang (NUBB), marking a major step forward in promoting sustainable agricultural practices in northwestern Cambodia. The two-day kick-off meeting, held from May 16–17, 2025, brought together representatives from academic institutions, local cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, government authorities, and international partners.
As part of the academic exchange program Erasmus+, Associate Professor Karolína Brandlová and Professor Pavla Hejcmanová visited Université de Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR). This collaboration began in October 2024 and is now progressing with concrete steps towards scientific and educational cooperation between the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at CULS and this university in the capital of CAR, Bangui.
On Monday, 5 May, a meeting of the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) was held, during which the new Dean of the faculty presented his proposals for Vice-Deans. The Academic Senate of FTZ expressed its support for the Dean's intention to dismiss the current Vice-Deans and to appoint the proposed new Vice-Deans.
In Spring 2025, two researchers from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at CZU traveled to the untouched savannah in the heart of Africa at the invitation of the organization African Parks (AP). Associate Professor Karolína Brandlová and Professor Pavla Hejcmanová had a unique opportunity to observe the Eastern giant eland in its natural habitat for the first time, gaining firsthand insight into its ecology and behavior.
On Friday, 25 April 2025, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) hosted the festive inauguration of its new Dean, Assoc. Prof. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D. This important event, which combined academic tradition with a modern vision for the faculty, welcomed former deans, faculty members, students, embassy representatives, and other distinguished guests, including the Rector of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.
In April Assoc. Prof. Ing. Johana Rondevaldová, Ph.D., from the Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, visited Fiji National University (FNU) as part of an academic mobility programme. The visit was made thanks to the Erasmus+ KA171 programme.
Last week, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from Kasetsart University, Thailand. The visit offered an opportunity to exchange research ideas, strengthen institutional ties, and explore new areas of academic cooperation in tropical agriculture, forestry, and environmental sciences
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).
We kindly invite you to participate in the 4th Agrinatura Conference 2025, which will take place in Ghent, Belgium. Agrinatura, through EEIG, is offering four travel grants for students who wish to attend and present their research at the conference.
The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) is hosting a two-week visit from a delegation of the University of Dschang (UoD), Cameroon, under the Erasmus+ KA171 credit mobility project, led by Ing. Jana Mazancová, Ph.D.The delegation included
On March 12, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences hosted the workshop "Bridging Cultures: Mastering Communication in a Multicultural Environment," led by the Head of Student Ambassadors, Bc. Mataa Ndau. The event brought together students and professionals to explore effective communication strategies in diverse cultural settings.
The new project “ Collaborative Innovation for Sustainable Value Chains: A Case Study Approach (CI4VC)” 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 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 focused on sustainable value chain analysis from one of the selected East African countrie
The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is celebrating 15 years of collaboration with the Royal University of Agriculture in Cambodia! Join us for a photo exhibition and thematic seminar showcasing successful projects, summer schools, research activities, and experiences of students and academics who have been part of this long-term partnership.
Summer semester starts – 10. 2. 2025.
The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (1st – weeks 1-6; 2nd – weeks 7-12) - BE CAREFUL WHEN PREPARING YOUR SCHEDULE!! – pay attention to the footnotes under each timetable!!!
The “block teaching” means that there are two lectures and two seminars in one week, all of them are obligatory. But the course is taught only during the six weeks of the semester.
1st block (1. - 6. week) 10. 2. 2025 - 21. 3. 2025
2nd block (7. - 12. week) 24. 3. 2025 - 2. 5. 2025
Exam period 5. 5. - 30. 6. 2025
We’re hosting a Zoom information meeting for EU applicants to the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Global Forestry. Don’t miss this chance to meet the professors and ask any question you have about the application process!
Save the date: 4 February 2025 16:30 (CET) in Zoom. Register HERE.
On January 9, 2025, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences had the honour of hosting H.E. Eduardo Menez, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Czech Republic, accompanied by Georgina C. Omaga-Diaz, Attache and Cultural Officer of the Philippine Embassy.
The visit highlighted the Faculty’s strong international connections, particularly with institutions in the Philippines. Our Dean, Prof. Patrick Van Damme, introduced the Faculty’s vision and activities, while Rachel Lenka Veselá, Head of the Project Centre, showcased ongoing initiatives and collaborations.
A significant moment was the meeting with Prof. Kokoška, Head of the Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology (LEE Lab), who confirmed the Faculty's active and fruitful collaborations with Visayas State University and the University of the Philippines Los Banos.
The Ambassador and his team also visited our Botanical Garden, exploring its role in research and education.
We are proud to strengthen ties with the Philippines and look forward to expanding our shared commitment to research, education, and sustainable development.
On Thursday, 9 January 2025, the election of the Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague took place. The Academic Senate of FTZ elected a new dean in the first round of secret voting for the term 2025–2029. The newly elected dean is the current Vice-Dean for Science and Research, doc. Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D.
He will assume the leadership of the faculty on 25 April 2025, succeeding the current dean, prof. dr. ir. Patrick Van Damme, whose term concludes on the same day.
Official Election Results:
Members of the Academic Community of FTZ may submit objections regarding the election process within 8 days of the announcement by addressing them in writing to the Chair of the Academic Senate of FTZ. The Senate will decide on any objections with finality within one week of their submission.
We thank the members of the Election Committee for ensuring a smooth election process. Congratulations to the newly elected dean, and we wish him a successful term of office!
In July 2024, seven students from our faculty participated in the Blended Intensive Program (BIP) at Ondokuz Mayis University (OMU) in Samsun, Turkey. BIP connects three or more higher education institutions from different Erasmus+ programme countries for short-term exchanges.
The program in Turkey focused on sustainable agriculture. During the first three days, students attended lectures delivered by OMU professors on topics such as the impacts of climate change on agriculture, global warming, renewable energy, biotechnology, smart agricultural applications, biodiversity, and many other aspects of sustainable agriculture. Our students engaged in discussions and shared experiences with participants from Poland, Romania, and Portugal, enriching the overall experience.
Beyond the academic part, students explored the Samsun region. They visited the historic city center, local markets, and the famous Şahinkaya Canyon, where they enjoyed a boat tour through Turkey’s second-largest canyon. The Erasmus Student Network at OMU also organized activities, including tasting local cuisine and other cultural experiences.
This trip was both an educational and cultural opportunity, broadening the horizons of all participants. It strengthened the collaboration between CZU and international universities, opening new opportunities for future students and academic staff.
Thanks to our students, Adam Vacek and Zuzana Procházková, for sharing their experiences and photos with us!
Dear students, colleagues, alumni, and FTZ friends! Time flies, and so you are now reading the last issue of our Tropical News of 2024. Even though I hoped in the beginning of the year that this year would be more peaceful, the situation has hardly improved and with the – well not so – new president-elect in the USA it doesn’t look as if the global peace situation will improve in the near future. Sigh (yet again).
However, faithful to our vision and mission, and commitments, our faculty continues to research on a wide variety of subjects, and also to base its teaching on often cutting-edge research results. A number of these received prizes, whereas also our contribution to international networking and teaching activities got rewarded as you will read further into the text.
If you never heard of pangolins, this is your moment to try and dig into these fascinating species; at one moment, they were suspected of transmitting the Covid-19 virus, as a panel of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses was indeed identified in them.
The faculty is actively promoting internationalization, and frequently receives foreign delegations, but also oftentimes links up abroad with research institutes, development projects, and universities. We are proud that so many southern partners want to call us in for collaborative efforts.
I hope you will find this issue an interesting one, and – if you are interested – we could discuss the content over a glass or cup of coffee in our bistro on the ground floor in our faculty building! See you there?!
As part of the Erasmus+ KA171 program, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences had the honor of hosting Dr. Honest Machekano from the University of Pretoria. During his visit, Dr. Machekano delivered lectures within the MSc Crop Production course, focusing on:
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.
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
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, 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.
Participating in the Erasmus+ KA171 program is more than just an academic opportunity—it’s a life-changing experience. This program, supported by Erasmus+ KA171 funding, allows students from across the globe to immerse themselves in innovative academic environments and diverse cultures.
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):
The candidates' CVs and their visions for the direction of FTZ are available:
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 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
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.
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!
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!“
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.
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.
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.
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.
Winter semester start – 30. 9. 2024. The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (1st – weeks 1-6; 2nd – weeks 7-12) - BE CAREFUL WHEN PREPARING YOUR SCHEDULE!! – pay attention to the footnotes under each timetable!!!
The “block teaching” means that there are two lectures and two seminars in one week, all of them are obligatory. But the course is taught only during the six weeks of the semester.
1st block (1. - 6. week) 30.9.2024 - 8.11.2024
2nd block (7. - 12. week) 11.11.2024 - 20.12.2024
Holidays 28.10.2024; 23.12.2024 - 1.1.2025
Exam period 2.1.2024 - 9.2.2025
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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:
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:
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 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.
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
The deadline for application submission is September 30.
For more information, please contact: paramonova@ftz.czu.cz.
Call for applications is open from 15th August till 15th September 2024. Applications are submitted online.
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
On July 30, 2024, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague had the honor of hosting a delegation from the Regional People’s Representative Council of Malang City, Indonesia. This visit marked a nice milestone in fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Meeting with Faculty Leadership
The delegation was warmly received by Dr. Petra Chaloupková, the vice-dean for International Relations, along with representatives from the International Relations Office of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. The meeting provided a platform for both parties to discuss potential areas of cooperation, share insights on academic and research initiatives, and explore opportunities for future partnerships.
Course Highlight: "Biogas as a New Source of Energy"
A key highlight of the visit was the presentation of the course "Biogas as a New Source of Energy" by PhD student Ricardo Chandra Situmeang, MA. This course delves into the innovative utilization of biogas, a renewable energy source derived from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste.
Topics covered included:
- Biogas Production Process: An overview of how biogas is produced from organic materials such as agricultural waste, food scraps, and sewage.
- Benefits of Biogas Technology: Discussion on the environmental and economic advantages of biogas, including waste reduction, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
- Applications of Biogas: Exploring various applications of biogas, such as heating, cooking, electricity generation, and as vehicle fuel.
Enhancing Sustainable Energy Solutions
The delegation showed great interest in the biogas adaptation processes and its potential as a sustainable energy solution. The exchange of knowledge in this field underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing global energy challenges.
Looking Ahead
The visit concluded with both parties expressing a commitment to future cooperation. The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences looks forward to nurturing this relationship with Malang City’s representatives, aiming to develop joint projects and research initiatives that will benefit both institutions and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.
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.
Ndeye Sokhna Bal was participating in the ERASMUS KA171 program and studying in the Czech Republic and as she described it has been an enriching experience. From the moment she arrived, she was captivated by the country's architecture. Her receive institution, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), provided a welcoming and supportive environment that made the transition seamless.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Samnang Nguon of Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Cambodia participated in a 10-day Staff Mobility for Training at Laboratory of Ethonobotany and Ethonopharmacolgoy (LEE) led by Prof. Ing. Ladislav Kokoška of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) at CZU Prague. During the mobility, he familiarized himself with the team’s expertise, laboratory facilities, and experimental design for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and GC-MS analysis. He received specialized training on the vapored-phase antibacterial activities of essential oils from tropical plant extracts and engaged in discussions about the analysis and interpretation of GC-MS results. Additionally, he assisted a Master’s student with research on antimicrobial susceptibility testing of essential oils in vapor phase, collaborated with researchers and PhD students at the laboratory, participated in departmental defense for a PhD dissertation, and discussed potential future collaborations with faculty members and researchers.
On Thursday, 30 May 2024, the IROICA (International Relations Officers' Network of the Association for European Life Science Universities) hosted a webinar titled "Universities and Mobility in the Time of Global Polycrises”. The event focused on the challenges and opportunities that universities face in maintaining academic mobility amidst global crises such as climate change, pandemics, political instability, and economic disruptions. The webinar featured expert speakers who discussed strategies for fostering international collaboration, supporting student and staff mobility, and ensuring resilience in higher education institutions. The participants explored how universities can adapt to rapidly changing global circumstances while continuing to promote international exchange and cooperation.
Prof. Michal Lošťák, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Head of Department of Humanities, CZU Prague, shared thoughts on "Universities in the Time of Global Polycrises" and “In what sense are current crises the opportunity window for changing paradigms in internationalisation at life-science universities?".
Dr. Petra Chaloupková, Vice Dean for International Relations, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, CZU Prague focused on "Practical and Ethical Aspects of Mobility in the Time of Global Polycrises" and shared practical experience with international mobilities at FTA. She also promoted the outputs of the project Multiclass: Multicultural classrooms: Inclusive Learning and Teaching in Higher education.
"Thanks to our extensive experience in implementing projects in various countries around the world, e.g. Cambodia, Georgia, Ethiopia, Syria, Ukraine, Zambia, in cooperation with an expert in staff safety during foreign trips, we have developed rules and procedures for the trips of FTZ students and staff and established a safety team for foreign mobility," she said.
This insightful session provided valuable perspectives and practical solutions for higher education professionals navigating the complexities of global polycrises.
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.
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."
Online Sessions 27 May + 03 June + 10 June 2024; Face to Face Sessions 22 - 26 July 2024. Number of participants from CZU: 6 students (bachelor, master or PhD level)
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.
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.
The Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth and is one of the last places with a native forest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is one of the countries active in caring for nature and in general, it is forbidden to cut down trees, let alone in protected areas, but the reality is that the owner, in order to better sell his wooded land, totally destroys the entire undergrowth, leaving only large trees.
The Gandoka Forest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is still alive, but it is gradually being destroyed by developers for plantations and construction. The Prof. August Bayer Endowment Fund wants to buy 50 hectares of land in the middle of the forest from farmers and create a base for research and education that will help save the entire Gandoka area - Manzanillo willdlife refuge.
The Czech ethnobiologist Vít Hrdoušek, who manages the "Gandoka Lives" project, has been involved in the protection of this area for three years and is now dealing with the possibility of purchasing a part of the species-rich lowland forest for research purposes. He presented the intentions of this project on 13.2.24 at the opening of an exhibition of photographs from this beautiful piece of Central America. An exhibition of photographs, including information about the project, can be seen in the vestibule of the FTZ.
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.
"Ecological and evolutionary plant breeding for sustainability - Concepts of Darwinian Agriculture"
15 - 21 July 2024
Institut Agro, Montpellier, France.
More information and online application:
https://www.euroleague-study.org/en/digitalbreeding
Summer semester - start – 12. 2. 2024. The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (1st – weeks 1-6; 2nd – weeks 7-12) - BE CAREFUL WHEN PREPARING YOUR SCHEDULE!! – pay attention to the footnotes under each timetable!!!
The “block teaching” means that there are two lectures and two seminars in one week, all of them are obligatory. But the course is taught only during the six weeks of the semester.
1st block (1. - 6. week) 12.2. -29.3.
2nd block (7. - 12. week) 2.4. – 3.5.
OR
1st block (1. – 5. ) 12.2. - 15.3.
2nd block (6. - 10.) 18.3 – 19.4.
National holidays – 29. 3. + 1.4. (Easter Holidays), 1.5., 8.5.
Exam period (22. 4. – 30. 6. 2024)
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.
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.
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
The representative of the International relations office Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences participated in the second partner meeting of the Erasmus+ KA2 project "MultiClass".
Winter semester - start – 2nd Oct 2023. The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (1st – weeks 1-6; 2nd – weeks 7-12).
A summer school in Thailand called Value chain management was organized at Prince of Songkla University (PSU) in Thailand from August 1 to 18.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
The programme of the conference is available here: Agrinatura 2nd Conference 2023 | Agrinatura (agrinatura-eu.eu)
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.
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
Greetings from the University of Greifswald! This is to inform you that the application for our on-site summer school programme running from August 28th until September 8th will open soon. From May 1st until June 1st we accept applications directly via our website. Thanks to government funding, we are again able to offer SustainMV 2023 tuition free. Our on-site summer school is accredited with four ECTS according to the European Credit Transfer System. Accommodation is also a part of the scholarship. A final decision concerning the scholarship holders can be expected mid-June.
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
A new call of the Franco-Czech mobility programme, “Barrande mobility”, has been launched, with a deadline on May 31st 2023. You will find below a short presentation of the programme (in English and in French).
First Announcement and Call for Contributions. Brussels, Monday 4 December 2023. The Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences will organize its fourth Theme Day on Monday 4 December 2023. The goal of this conference is to allow young researchers under the age of 40, who are active in global South countries, to meet each other, whatever their specialization, but also to let them know the Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences and its activities (www.kaowarsom.be). Abstracts may be submitted in English, French or Dutch, but preferably in English. Participation is free of charge but registration is compulsory
Topic? "ASAP Cambodia -Assessing the sustainability of aquaculture production in Cambodia" When? 24th July to 4th August 2023
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.
There is only one month left before the application deadline for the University of Angers Summer Schools 2023!
Our newly launched online MSc degree programme offers students from all over the world the opportunity to specialise in Tropical Agroecology!
Tropentag 2023, hybrid conference (Berlin and online); September 20-22, 2023; 'Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation: trade-offs and synergies.'
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.
The semester is divided into 2 periods/blocks (weeks 1-6), (weeks 7-12) OR (1-5) (6-10) - BE CAREFUL WHEN PREPARING YOUR SCHEDULE!! – pay attention to the footnotes under the each timetable!!!
The Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR), the Bavarian Academic Center for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (BAYHOST) and the Bavarian-Czech Academic Agency (BTHA) would like to invite you to a workshop aiming at initiating consortia and applications in the European funding program “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Doctoral Networks”. The workshop takes place in Regensburg (Germany) from 22-23 March as a physical meeting.
Find some possibilities for internships at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in the pdf below
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
Dear students, UniLaSalle offers you several internship offers. Find below a document with further information. Applications (CV + Cover letter) and questions about the internship must be sent directly to the contacts mentioned in the offers (see attached).
Deadline to apply for students: January 12th 2023
Financial support: 550€ /month (gratification)
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.
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“
Application for the Junior Research Labat Institut Agro Montpellier in the south of Franceis now open! The 8 week-course is an opportunity to learn and practice research in agriculture, embedded in the large Agropolis scientific community.
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.
All information can be found HERE.
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.
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!!!
Interview with Prof. Dr. Phung Le Dinh, the Vice-Rector of HUAF. By Klára Jiřičná
The last qualification round of the “Implementation of Project-Based Learning among master’s degree students in selected ELLS Universities (iPBL-EU)” projects is successfully behind us. We cannot wait to see all the winning groups in the final round in Prague during the ELLS conference!
From the 8th until the 19th of August, a summer course entitled “Plant Protection Biology: improving plant health under climate change and other stresses” was hosted by SLU Alnarp (Sweden) under the leadership of Erik Alexandersson. As a part of the course, iPBL was introduced to the students, who were divided into 6 groups and worked on 6 different case studies. At the beginning of the summer course, an introduction to iPBL and ELLS was given by Anna Maňourová, who also represented CZU in a jury on the final evaluation day, together with Svante Resjö (SLU) and Sebastian Michel (BOKU). After a very tight score between the last two groups, a team working on “Integrated pest management strategy for thrips to reduce tomato spotted wilt virus in tomatoes in Mexico” has been selected as the winner.
Big congratulations to all four winning teams from BOKU, CZU, SLU and the summer course! We hope to meet you in Prague on the 23rd of September for the final presentation round and the following award ceremony. Please, do not forget to register for the conference even if you only want to attend as a visitor and support your favourite team. The ELLS conference is tuition-free and offers a rich programme from all fields of Life Sciences. See you there!
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.
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.
Everything an expat needs in Prague. The 9th edition of the biggest job fair for international job seekers in Prague, this time happening with Prague Relocation Fair. September 24, 2022 at 10AM-5PM Newly renovated Křižíkův pavilon B, Výstaviště Praha Holešovice (map)
A fresh concept of the most exciting networking event for expats in Prague. Jobspin Job Fair is perfect for international and bilingual job seekers looking for new job opportunities in Prague. Prague Relocation Fair brings together all key services for Prague expats under one roof. The official language of the fairs is English.
And, as we always do, the job fair is FREE to attend for all visitors.
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.
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.
...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
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Besides the Summer schools organized by CZU, you can apply for Summer schools organized in any EU country. Apply by filling out THIS online form till 30th May 2022.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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.
Do you need an international English language certificate?
Dear EDD Community, Following the First Community Meeting two days ago, we are thrilled to announce that we have opened the applications to organise sessions and to be an EDD 2022 Young Leader.
We very much look forward to working once again with the EDD community to build an outstanding and inspiring programme for the European Development Days 2022.
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.
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.
Important days of summer semester 2021/22. Summer semester - start – 7th Feb 2022. Find out more here.
This summer school project has only started last year online and is jointly hosted by all universities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV), North-East Germany. It is open to international Bachelor, Master and PhD students; postdoctoral researchers and academics also welcome. The overarching theme for this unique event is Sustainability in the fields of Tourism, Renewable Energies, Digital & Technological Innovations, Recycling & Waste Management and Ecosystems, showcasing opportunities for transformation through science and education for a sustainable future. It is funded by the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.
We are happy to share the invitation to Erasmus staff week 2022 that will be held physically at Lithuania Business University of Applied Sciences (Klaipeda)! We are sharing preliminary program.
Dear Colleagues and Friends, please find below the Staff Training offer for the next spring, together with the current registration figures. Kindly share this with your Colleagues and Partners as long as it might be of their interest.
Best regards from Valencia
The event will be held on 8-9 April 2022 in Radom Academy of Economics at Traugutta 61a. Radom Academy of Economics and the Co-organizers invite you to participate in the International Scientific Conference on LIFE IN VIRTUAL REALITY - ECONOMIC, PEDAGOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS.
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
Are you ready to look into the future of cropping systems, meet fellow agricultural students and go on (real-life) excursions? During the International Conference for Youth in Agriculture 2022 (ICYA22)
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).
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.
The Department of Plant Breeding conducts research, education and innovation work of strategic importance for society's long-term supply of food, industrial raw materials and energy, and to meet an
CASEE Secretariat is happy to announce that we have opened online submissions for abstracts for the 12th CASEE Conference entitled "Sustainable agriculture in the context of climate change and digitalization" . The event will be hosted by the State Agrarian University of Moldova (Chisinau) on 22 – 24 June 2022 (the anticipated format of the conference is the physical meeting with face to face sessions).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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”.
Dear colleagues and friends, we are contacting you to inform you that we are hiring interns! The International Relations Office of Universidad Loyola Andalucía is looking for 2 interns starting on January 15th, 2022 up to June 30th , 2022
FTA experts (Jan Staš, Radim Kotrba and Petr Pudil) just started the final phase of the project “Integrated Farming II” in Zambia by conducting the monitoring harvests of the fishponds.
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”.
The SIMPLE project, coordinated by FTA and co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, was focused on bridging the gap between universities and the professional sector in Europe (Czechia, Austria and Belgium) and Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand). Find more info about the project here.
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
In September 2021, the members of the Department of Economics and Development from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences visited their counterparts from the Agricultural University of Tirana as an initiative supported by the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project.
We would like to invite you to the Faculty Open Day at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences in Prague
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
From 17 to 24 August 2021, a summer school called Host Plant Resistance Breeding took place in Alnarp, one of the 4 campuses of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) based in Uppsala. It was organized as part of the ESCAPAdE project - EraSmus Curricula in Applied PlAnt SciEnces, a European project funded by the European Union-funded Erasmus + Strategic partnership from September 2018 to August 2021
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.
“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.
Learn and understand the key concepts, processes and approaches, to the formulation of international decisions using Biotechnology as a case study for developing the needed skills.
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...
Creativity, challenge by Lithuanian business enterprise, and Lithuanian language and culture are our three key elements for the 2021 Staff Training Week!
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.
We are sharing with you a traineeship offer - 2022 International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) Applications Open – Apply by July 31, 2021!
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.
Experts from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences launched 3 units of the CZU mobiLAB - a mobile laboratory for the detection of infectious diseases
A successful online webinar was held on April 30, 2021 by FTA staff and Student Ambassadors for newly admitted foreign students. The webinar was called, "What to do after the entrance exam?", and it was focused on the process of obtaining visas / long-term residence permit for study purposes in the Czech Republic. There were just under 100 foreign students that signed up for the webinar!
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
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).
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.
We would like to invite everyone to our webinar dedicated to traineeships abroad within the Erasmus+ programme which will be held on 28th April at 7:00 PM
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.
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.
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
Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agriculture and Life Sciences about the World Agriculture Prize.
We cordially invite you and your colleagues to participate in our incoming academic International Conference on Climate Change and The Built Environment to be held on the 5th August 2021. Please find more information in our website: https://icccs.unud.
Information about conference Bioeconomy and Circular Economy which will be held in English, online on 16th March 2021. More information and registration via link below.
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.
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".
Please find attached the call for papers of the annual conference organized by the Africa Platform of Ghent University Association: "Africa and its ecologies: people and nature in the age of climate change".
One of the goals of this group of projects is to motivate excellent Czech scientists who have long-term international experience, and are in the early stages of their careers, to carry out their own “Excellence Project” at an institution in the Czech Republic for the duration of the Project, i.e. 3 years.
We would like to invite you to our first online staff week From May 18th to 20th 2021
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.
On 10–11 February 2021, Prolinnova and A Growing Culture (AGC) will celebrate small-scale family farmers through the global Farmer Innovation Fair (FIF). This virtual event will give men and women farmers in Africa and Asia a chance to showcase their innovations and to learn about the activities of others in local innovation and farmer-led Participatory Innovation Development (PID).
Important days of summer semester 2020/21 can be found here
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.
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.
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
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.
On behalf of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, we are very glad and honored to invite your students to participate in the international “CASEE Online Winter School 2021
The Department for Science and Research announces the FTA Dean's Award for the best publication or popularization output of FTA employees
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.
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.
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).
You can register for the study exchange programme Erasmus+ by sending the documents mentioned below by October 15th, 11:59 AM to e-mail hummelova@ftz.czu.cz.
All courses at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) from September 29, 2020, will be organized as distance teaching (online lecturing).
Important days of winter semester 2020/21 - More information can be found in attached file.
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
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.
The Summer School will be on September 7-11, 2020, in Barletta (Italy).
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here you can find schedules for summer semester 2019/2020.
We would like to inform you that we are offering 3-month mobility exchange for PhD students to the Tishreen University in Syria.
...which will be held in Barletta (Italy) from June 15 to June 19, 2020, and organized by the University of Foggia (Italy).
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.
Offer of scholarship programs for PhD students in France.
On the 7th of November 2019 Wageningen University & Research (WUR, Netherlands) had organised the annual Study Abroad Fair. Sofiia Pyshnieva, master student of Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, who is doing an Erasmus semester abroad at WUR, got a chance to share her experience about living and studying in Prague.
We inform you that the on-line application is open until January 31st for a placement between June and December 2020.
We offer practices on the following services:
In November 2019, our Biogas Research Team co-organized conference in Bila Tserkva (Ukraine).
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.
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.
Korea University informed us about scholarship programme for international students. Details are attached
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”.
The scientific conference 2019 for young scientists and students will be held on 5th December 2019 at the Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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.
Read about impressive research of our PhD student Anna Bernátková who just came back from her research activities in Mongolia.
Do you like to stay abroad with a relation to nature? Then farm work in Norway is just right for you
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).
Guidlines - How to conect to CULS WIFI and How to charge ISIC online
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.
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.
Please find attached an electronic copy of our 2020 Study Abroad Brochure.
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).
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.
Read an interesing report from student (Gaurav Khanna) internship at our Biogas Research Team
This year, Stage Malta is celebrating 14 successful years of providing: Mobility Programmes, Internship and Work Placement opportunities, Research & Training visits, Entrepreneur programmes, as well as..
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 collaboration of staff and students of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences to save the Western Derby eland in Senegal will soon turn its twenties...
The Guide for International Students offers comprehensive information about studies and life at CULS Prague.
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.
International Scholarship Exchange of PhD candidates and Academic Staff - fully covered
Study at College of Staten Island/City University of New York - English Language Institute
Call for participants - Summer school at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University with topic "Research in practice - Waste management", 22th – 31th August, 2019
Let us remind you the new deadline for abstract submission to the ELLS Scientific Student Conference 2019, which will be held at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Campus Ultuna.
Applications will be accepted until July 15 for the Manuel Gomes Guerreiro Prize which will recognize a published work, book or doctoral thesis which has contributed to scientific development in one of the fields of study of the University of Algarve.
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.
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.
Food security & Climate Change Summer School Philippines 2019: agrinatura students can apply now! Deadline 1stMay !
Deadline: April, 24th 2019,
Lenght: 3-6 months,
Stipendium: 1.350 - 2.000 EUR / month
ERASMUS internships offer by the consortium EDUCA
The Centre of Expertise for Cooperative Entrepreneurship (KCO) of KU Leuven, Belgium is looking for 5 full-time PhD students to pursue research on cooperatives in various areas of business economics and management. Please disseminate this information among those who might be interested in. More detailed information is in the attached file.
The International Relations Office and Office of Research and Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences are launching a call for financial support of research stays abroad (internships).
Join ReThink Protein Challenge organized by Wageningen University! More information HERE.
The first call for fellowship applications has just started and will run until 30 April 2019. It is focused on studying ancient plant varieties to develop tasty, nutritious food as well as alternatives to proteins from dairy. “Plant-based, protein-rich raw materials have enormous potential for new foods that can contribute to a balanced diet and reduce consumption of animal-based dietary components while also reducing the impact on the environment,” says Mathys.
Tropentag 2019 - Call for papers! Topic: ''Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development''
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
Do you need TOEIC English certificate? You can do it at our Language department. You can find all information HERE.
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.
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,
In December, FTA had the pleasure to host the director of Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia, Ganbaatar Oyunsaikhan, as part of the ongoing collaboration between our institutions and Prague Zoo.
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.
Information about studying a semester in taught in english at Agrocampus Quest, France.
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 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,
Institut Francais is inviting all students interested in doing a PhD or a research internship in France to the event below.
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.
One of our student (Lenka Hofierkova) spent one and half month in southwestern Siberia in Altai Krai and Altai Republic where she collected data for her diploma thesis under supervisor Miroslava Bavorova.
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.
The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences coordinated the Erasmus Mundus project ALFABET which was oriented to support the mobility exchange of students and teaching staff among the universities in EU and Asia.
"I got a great opportunity thanks to the FTA to participate for three months at International Credit Exchange Mobility program which will be held in Sumy, Ukraine."
The CULS together with the Royal University of Agriculture are organising the Scientific Practical Conference hosted at the RUA Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 29th November 2018.
Based on the ongoing cooperation between the representatives of the Bauchi state (Nigeria) and the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciecnes (CULS) following
“Participation in the exchange program for teaching staff called „International Credit Mobility: cooperation between Czech Republic and Ukraine”
International Credit Mobility: cooperation between the Czech Republic and Ukraine coordinated by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is to exchange the students and staff among the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS) together with two Ukrainian universities:
We are pleased to inform you about long stay paid placements in Malta.
We are pleased to inform you that the call for French Government scholarships is now open.
IPB Job Fair Career and Entrepreneurship Expo 2018 was held at Bogor Agriculture University in Indonesia 21st and 22nd September 2018.
Here you can find schedules for winter semester 2018/2019.
Here, you can find new schedule for academic year 2018/2019
Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences officially build up a partnership with Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences (HIES) in Cameroon.
On March, Hynek Roubik from Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (from our BiogasResearchTeam) and Anna Brunerová from Faculty of Engineering, visited the University of Battambang.
Summer School in Thailand called „Value chain management“ took place from 8th to 28th August at Chiang Mai University.
Scholarship Awards within the Foreign Development Assistance Programme for students from developing countries.
Six monts internship in Bonn, Germany for all students. For more information please...
Placement Offer Erasmus+ Traineeship 2018 – Support to International Students.
The Vice-Dean for International Relations, FTA Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D. together with the head of the international office Ing. Aneta Krémová
Second round for Support of Student Mobility open till 30th June 2018, 11:59 AM.
The deadline for the application is the 30th of June, 2018.
The online application will be open from 1 of June to 28 of June of 2018.
Deadline for submitting abstract to Tropentag is April 15, and the deadline for Agrinatura travel grant requests is May 15!
Apply by sending by May 15th, 2018 to hummelova@ftz.czu.cz
Winter Semester 2018/19 at Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico
Sumy National Agrarian University, Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University
Deadline for pre-acceptance: March 8th
Application by March 15th, 2018
AGRINATURA will grant max. 8 students from AGRINATURA network by travel grant of amount 300 EUR.
Deadline January 31, 2018
Application period: February 10th - March 10th
Now, you can make an appointment at Hladkov ON-LINE
Gain real-world experience with one of 10 student internship opportunities abroad!
France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Malta, Maldives, Panama, UK
Deadline for applications: 30th of October
WHEN: October, 9-13
WHERE: BOKU University, Vienna
Great placement/internship opportunity that are looking for a candidate to start in July!
Téma/Theme: We’ve met in Prague
Deadline: 30.4.2017
Twelve month Live, Learn and Earn programme in New Zealand
NEW - DEADLINE EXTENDED!
Until 9th January!
We are looking forward to welcoming students to Wales!
