05 - Czech Republic - Types of institution

Due to the different nature of institutions, vyšší odborné školy and vysoké školy.

 

Tertiary professional education

The structure of study fields at vyšší odborné školy is regulated by government decree.

As far as the founder are concerned they can be public (originally established by the State, after the state administration reform in 2001 by regions), State, private or denominational, although the latter require state approval for their establishment.

Vyšší odborné školy mostly developed out of střední odborné školy and usually form a single legal entity with them. Only about one quarter of them are independent.

Legislation: Government regulation on fields of studies in basic, upper secondary and tertiary professional education

Higher education

In terms of the founder vysoké školy can be

• public institutions (legally established);
• private institutions;
• state-run institutions (only in the case of military and police academies), legally established under the control of the relevant ministries.

In terms of the study programmes they offer, they may be

• Non-university institutions of higher education
• University-type vysoké školy

The type of a vysoká škola is included in its statutes in accordance with the recommendation of the Accreditation Commission. Public vysoké školy can have the following parts: faculties; academic institutions; other workplaces focused on educational, academic, research, developmental, artistic or other creative activity, or workplaces providing information services; specialised facilities for cultural and sports activities, housing and boarding, particularly for members of the academic community and facilities supporting operation of vysoké školy.

Non-university higher education

Non-university vysoké školy offer mainly Bachelor's study programmes, together with research, art and other creative activities. They can also offer Master's programmes, but not doctoral programmes. They are not divided into faculties. Admission requirements, study fields and branches, aims and content of education, methods, assessment and certification are the same as at universities.

Two vysoké školy of non-university type are public. The first non-university vysoká škola established in September 2004 – the Vysoká škola polytechnická in Jihlava – was transformed from a vyšší odborná škola, since 2006 a second institution of such a type the Vysoká škola technická a ekonomická in České Budějovice is in operation. Private vysoké školy started as non-university. Since 2007 two private vysoké školy have become universities: Vysoká škola Jana Amose Komenského and Vysoká škola veřejné správy a mezinárodních vztahů, o. p. s.

University higher education

Universities may offer all types of study programmes and carry out scientific, research, development, artistic or other creative activities connected with these. All public vysoké školy are universities. Only some of them offer programmes in one field (art, agriculture and some technical), most having faculties in various scientific fields. The state military vysoké školy and the police academy have undergone transformations in terms of the content and organisation of education following the Czech Republic's admission to NATO in 1999 and in compliance with international commitments to Interpol. Since 1 September 2004 the three military institutions have been merged into one – the University of Defence. Its establishment is regulated by legislation.

Institutions:

Accreditation Commission
Odbor vysokých škol MŠMT Karmelitská 7 118 12 Praha 1
Tel.:+420257193592
E-mail:info@msmt.cz
Website:  http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/akreditacni-komise

Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe