UCT Prague defended its second place among Czech universities and is ranked 358th in the world.

For the fouth time in a row, UCT Prague defended its second place among Czech universities in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2023. 

The excellent result in the QS World University Rankings 2023 was most influenced by UCT Prague’s small student-to-academic instructor ratio. Individual support for education and the inherent involvement of students in the research process even earned UCT 29th place in the world and first in Czechia in this aspect of rankings system evaluation process.

“The fourth success in a row is, of course, a nice outcome of all the staff and students of our university. We strive to build a supportive and fair environment for everyone, where everyone can participate in scientific activities. But I understand that the ranking is just a number. It is more important that we work on ourselves and continue to improve,” said Pavel Matějka, UCT Prague Rector.

The international environment of the university, with a high number of students (by Czech standards) from abroad in recent years, contributed to the good ranking. The university has also recently attracted international academics who have linked their careers to UCT Prague. After last year, which was greatly affected by the pandemic situation, these indicators have increased again. In the overall result, this means that UCT Prague is ranked 230th in this criterion.

Other Czech universities were also successful in this year’s edition of the rankings. The largest Czech university, Charles University, placed in the 288-290 world ranking range. CTU Prague moved to the 378-379 ranking range; Masaryk University achieved 551-560; Palacký University in Olomouc, 651-700. A total of 16 Czech universities were ranked.

The full list of rankings and a description of the QS methodology can be found on the QS World University Rankings 2023 website.

UCT Prague welcomed students of international study programme ATHENS on Monday November 14^th. 

ATHENS or Advanced Technology Higher Education Network, is an international programme started in 1997. Universities participating in this programme organize week-long intensive courses in technological fields. 

The Faculty of Environmental Technology and the Faculty of Chemical Engineering regularly offer courses Environmental Technology and Digital Signal and Image Processing with Applications.

More information about ATHENS programme:

• for international students willing to come to UCT Prague for ATHENS

• for UCT Prague students willing to study in ATHENS programme at partner University

Last month, I visited Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy, the European Commission's Joint Research Center, and the third biggest European Commission site. There is a tradition to invite a group of young scientists from the country of the European Union (EU) that holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to visit the JRC Ispra, and I had the honor of being selected as one of ten young scientists currently studying or working in the Czech Republic to participate in this visit. The visit lasted three days, during which we had the opportunity to know the excellent research infrastructures of the JRC and how they are organized in order to support EU policies with scientific evidence. Research on artificial intelligence, population and migration, and detection of nanoplastic pollution are examples of research interest for the EU.

The whole plan of activities during these three was greatly enriching, but for me, the highlight goes to the shadow day in one of the units of our interest according to our research area. Since I am currently interested in research on materials for attenuating the undesired effects associated with electromagnetic pollution, I spent a day in the European Microwave Signature Laboratory (EMSL) shadowing some of the researchers that work there. It was a great opportunity to see how those researchers contribute directly to EU policy-making and for establishing contacts that may be useful in the course of my research at UCT Prague.

Given this experience, the best advice I can give to those who are always in doubt about whether or not it is worth it to apply for these calls is: apply! It is an excellent opportunity to visit top research centres and, most importantly, to know different working methods and researchers with different perspectives of ours, aspects that can make difference in our research.

On Wednesday 26 October 2022 in Brussels, the Newely project received the Best Innovation Award at the Clean Hydrogen JU Awards 2022 ceremony.

UCT Prague’s Department of Inorganic Technology is participating in the H2020 Newely (Next Generation Water Electrolyser) project together with partners from six countries around the world.

This project deals with the development and testing of components for the next generation of Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysers (AEMWE). With the innovations on the membrane, electrodes and stack design, the NEWELY prototype will become the most efficient and cost-competitive AEMWE by 2023. NEWELY will be an important breakthrough that will enable the economic adoption of green hydrogen energy storage solutions in Europe and in the world for turning to more sustainable energy systems. That is also why the project is co-financed with European Union funds.

For more information, you can visit NEWELY’s website,

Honorary doctorates and Emil Votoček Medals awarded by UCT Prague’s Rector during the celebration of 70 years of the University’s independence as an institution.

Marking the celebration of the 70th anniversary of UCT Prague’s independence as an institution, the UCT Prague Academic Council met on Friday, 23 September. During a ceremony at Strahov Monastery, UCT Prague’s Rector, Pavel Matějka, presented honorary doctorates to three distinguished researchers: the President of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CAS), Professor Eva Zažímalová; the Director of the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Phase Interfaces, Dr. Peter Seeberger; and the former Director of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS, Dr. Zdeněk Hostomský.

During a ceremonial meeting of the Academic Council, Professor Martin Hof and Professor Aleš Procházka also received Emil Votoček Medals from the Rector.

“Celebrations of important anniversaries also provide appropriate occasions for honouring important researchers. With the three Honorary Doctorates and two Emil Votoček Medals, we recognized exceptional Czech and European researchers who have contributed to enhancing UCT Prague’s reputation and with whom we will cooperate in the future. With these awards, we want to encourage their further engagement in the development of the European research area,” said UCT Prague’s Rector, Professor Pavel Matějka.

“I highly value the honorary doctorate from UCT Prague. The University is a leader in its field and has, since its inception, been ‘forging the path’ for new methods, approaches, and fostering fundamental discoveries. And very important is that it is—and always has been—open to cross-institutional and interdisciplinary cooperation,” said Professor Eva Zažímalová.

“Undoubtedly, the chemical fields constitute Czech scientific export goods, and with them, we achieve world-class results in the long term. And without over exaggerating, we can also certainly say that one of the epicentres of Czech chemistry is the Dejvice campus, where UCT Prague and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IOCB) are almost directly adjacent. The two institutions have numerous and close ties. It was a great honour to have led IOCB over the past 10 years and to help foster mutual cooperation, not only in the field of education and research, but also socially within the local academic community. And it is a great honour to receive an honorary UCT Prague doctorate,” said Dr. Zdeněk Hostomský about the award.