University of Pardubice

The University of Pardubice is one of the top universities in the Czech Republic, with particular expertise in chemical sciences. The university dates back to the country’s efforts to rebuild following the Second World War. Local chemical factories petitioned to create an Institute for Chemical Technology, which opened in 1950. In 1994, after years of expansion, this became the University of Pardubice. The vision of the university is “to contribute continually to the development of scientific knowledge, creative human potential and advanced technologies”. There are seven faculties at the university: Chemical Technology, Economics and Administration, Transport, Arts and Philosophy, Restoration, Health Studies, and Electrical Engineering and Informatics. More than 60 different courses with almost 130 specialisations are available to students. Several specialist labs and research centres belong to or affiliate with the university. Spectroscopy of organic synthesis, rail vehicles and solid state chemistry are some of the particular fields into which the university is carrying out research. The university is part of the Erasmus exchange programme, and has several hundred international students. Pardubice city is known for its hockey, football and motorcycling, and its university takes sport very seriously. The department of organises competitions both inside the university and nationally. Every year since 1958, the university has held a tournament in which each faculty competes in badminton, football, hockey, squash, cross country and other activities. The campus is near Pardubice city centre, a Renaissance town where the Czech Republic’s Labe and Chrudimka rivers meet. The town’s speciality is gingerbread, and the sweet treat can be bought in all different shapes and sizes from the town’s speciality bakers.