Charles University in Prague

Charles University in Prague or Univerzita Karlova v Praze (UK) - public higher education institution in Czech Republic.

Charles University in Prague - Description

Charles University was founded on the 7th of April 1348 by a charter of Charles IV, King of the Romans and of Bohemia. In this way one of the three great ideas of Christian medieval times –universitas was fulfilled. Thanks to Charles’ foresight and his good relations with Pope Clement VI, the newly founded university had four faculties theological, legal, medical and arts a pattern which corresponded to medieval concepts of a complete university. The university was based on the Sorbonne model and it is the oldest university in Central Europe. Over the centuries, as with all other universities, CU has experienced periods of great success, and times of trouble and decline. Our Alma Mater, founded in the hope that it would serve the nation forever, is now a leading educational and scholarly institution that remains true to its ancient traditions. Its seventeen faculties educate over 50,000 students; teaching and research is carried out by hundreds of specialists in the various disciplines. The prime purpose of Charles University is the diffusion of learning and protection of acquired knowledge, the cultivation of free thought, independent academic research and the arts, and the encouragement of the free creative spirit of humanity. Charles University in Prague was founded in 1348 and is one of the world's oldest universities. Charles University strives to become the top quality centre of education and learning, independent knowledge culture and creative activities. It endeavours to play a key role in the scholarly, scientific, cultural, social and economic development of the society and to be the place where lasting values, knowledge and skills are maintained and transmitted to future generations of researchers and leaders in the economy, healthcare, culture, public and state administration. Its main priority is the development of scientific and research activities and improvement of its position among top research universities. Charles University belongs to the 2 % of the world's top universities, a fact that has been confirmed repeatedly by the international university rankings. High quality of all study programs, mainly at master and doctoral levels, stems from systematic focus on students' scientific and research activities. High quality science and its connection with education should be a standard in every discipline. Strong support has been devoted to education of young researches. The doctoral study programmes are cornerstones in this aspect. Another crucial value of the university is its openness. It aims to achieve high standards in international joint research projects and to be open to talented students, outstanding teachers and scholars from home and abroad. The university is dedicated to international co-operation with prestigious educational and research institutions. Charles University has signed many partnership agreements with a number of the first 100 universities in the ARWU rankings.
Charles University is an accredited public university, and so an autonomous scientific and educational institution. It is headed by a Rector, while the Academic Senate is its supreme self-regulating academic body. Its other bodies include the Scientific Council and the Bursar, and the Board of Trustees which is responsible for the implementation of public interest in Charles University's policies. The Collegium consisting of the vice-rectors, the bursar and the chancellor make up the advisory body of the rector. The faculties are governed by deans who enjoy a large measure of self-governing competences. Other component parts of Charles University are managed by their directors.
Nowadays it consists of 17 faculties (14 in Prague, 2 in Hradec Kralove and 1 in Plzen), 3 university institutes, 6 further centres for educational, scientific, research, development and other activities or for provision of information services, 5 university-wide special facilities and the Rectorate as the administrative centre of the whole university.
Charles University covers the full spectrum of fields – medicine, pharmacy, science, humanities and social sciences, theology and sport at bachelor, master and doctoral levels. There are more than 300 accredited degree programmes and 650 study disciplines. Approximately 19,000 are studying in bachelor's programmes, 25,000 in master's programmes and 7,700 in doctoral programmes. Almost 7,800 students are from abroad. Various courses in lifelong learning programmes organised by CU attract more than 20,000 people each year. CU has 8,100 employees, 4,700 of these being academic and research staff. Almost 51,000 students are studying at CU (which is more than 13 % of all students in the Czech Republic).

The status of Charles University can also be characterized by its income, which is roughly 9 billion Czech crowns per year. Roughly one third of this amount comes from educational funding, one third from competitive research grants, and the last one is its own income