The Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) is the largest faculty of the Czech University of Life Sciences (formerly Agriculture) in Prague. There are almost 6 000 students enrolled  in all its study programmes and in all forms of education (incl. the combined studies, consisting in part-time presence at the campus which is more like distance learning). The faculty offers a wide scale of education covering the areas of management, economics, ITC, public administration and regional development, or systems engineering, which reflect the needs not only of agriculture and the related industries but of the entire economy and society. One of the bachelor-degree programmes and one master-degree programme are taught exclusively in English (for more info see: http://msc.pef.czu.cz). There are about 160 professors, assistant professors and lecturers working at the faculty. The number of technical and administrative staff amounts to about 50 workers.

The decision of the Accreditation Commission of the Czech government (June 26, 1998) listed FEM as one of the best economics faculties in the Czech Republic (together with the faculties of the University of Economics in Prague). FEM has been ranked in group 1A - the best economics faculties in the Czech Republic. The evaluation of the Accreditation Commission states: “ The Faculty of Economics and Management of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague belongs to very well functioning and internationally comparable economics faculties. It demonstrates good results both in the area of education and research". The re-accreditation in 2001 re-confirmed the position of FEM among the best economics faculties in the Czech Republic (group A)

FEM offers a complex university education, organises doctoral (PhD) studies and various forms of lifelong learning. The faculty also implements the proceedings of habilitation to achieve the assistant professor status (in Czech “Docent”),  and the professorship (to achieve the professorial status). Based on the conclusions of the Bologna Conference of Universities and Higher Education Representatives (June 1999 in Bologna, Italy) the studies are divided into three levels - bachelor, master and doctoral levels, with corresponding degrees.

The Bachelor study programme takes 3 years and it is completed by the state bachelor examination during which the students sit for the examinations and defend the bachelor thesis under the questioning of the examination panel (board). Having passed the examination successfully, the student achieves the degree Bachelor (bakalář in Czech), abbreviated Bc (according to the Czech Act on Higher Education - Act No 111/1998 Coll.)

The graduates of the bachelor degree programmes from the Czech University of  Life Sciences (Agriculture), and the bachelor degree holders from other universities in the Czech Republic and from abroad can continue their studies in the master degree programmes implemented in the two-year follow-up master degree programmes (one of them is taught exclusively in English: see http://msc.pef.czu.cz). These master degree programmes take 2 years and they are concluded by the state final examination where the diploma master thesis is defended under the questioning of the board of examiners. Having passed the final state examination, the student achieves the master degree diploma and the Czech title “Inženýr”  (Ingenieur, abbreviated Ing. according to the Czech Act on Higher Education - Act No 111/1998 Coll.) which corresponds with the MSc degree.

The doctoral (PhD) study programmes follow the completed master degree studies. The doctoral studies take 3 years. They focus on scientific development of the graduates of the master degree programmes who completed their studies with excellent results. During the PhD studies, students sit for demanding and comprehensive examinations, for the final state comprehensive PhD examination, and they defend their dissertations. The degree of PhD and a doctoral university diploma are conferred upon them after the successful completion of the PhD course.

The faculty staff are engaged in theoretical and applied research which addresses the whole area of the agrarian sector, starting from primary production, through processing to sales and marketing. The research focuses also on various aspects of rural life, environment, sustainable development including economic and social position of agriculture within the contemporary Europe and worldwide.  Application of the latest ICT in conducting the research work is supported. Exact quantitative instruments for the decision-making support are applied. The research and scientific activities within FEM have a positive effect upon the quality of education and they contribute to professional development of the faculty staff. The research is implemented in co-operation with various research institutes, and with other organizations in the Czech Republic (such as universities), in Europe or overseas.

The accreditation of five areas of science for the habilitation and professorship proceedings has confirmed the quality of research and academic work at FEM. The faculty is authorized to confer the academic and scientific titles „docent“ and „professor“ in Business and Sector Economics, Management, Information Management, Systems Engineering, Regional and Social Development.

The students can take a part of their studies abroad at foreign partnership universities. Such studies are based on bilateral agreements within the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme (30 such agreements were in effect in 2004), on double degree programmes with the University of Wageningen (the Netherlands) and Cranfiled University at Silsoe (UK), or they are based on agreements with universities in USA (Ohio State University - internship for the students, University of Missouri and Kansas State University - education) and in Canada (University of Guelph, University Nova Scotia). The percentage of the students who study abroad is about 15%-25% depending on the form of studies abroad and on the length of the studies abroad.

Kamycka 129

165 21 Praha 6 - Suchdol

Czech Republic

Tel.: (+420) 224 384 345, fax: (+420) 224 382 360

E-mail: bernikova@pef.czu.cz