ABOUT THE CULS = UNIVERSITY FULL OF LIFE
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (formerly of Agriculture) provides public higher education (in accordance with the Law on Schools of Higher Learning No. 111/1998 Coll.). In 2006 it celebrated its centenary anniversary.
Let´s note briefly some of the most important facts. As early as in 1776, lectures in economic sciences were introduced at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University in Prague. In 1812 the Chair
of Economy was associated with the Czech Polytechnics on the basis of the Court Decree of 17th December. The first lectures in forestry sciences were launched in autumn 1848.
The history proper of our University started with the establishment of the Agricultural Department at the Czech Technical University (CVST) in 1906 by the Decree of Emperor Franz Joseph as of 26th
October. An outstanding agricultural expert Professor Stoklasa was appointed Dean. The studies took four years and the establishment of the department was the fulfillment of many years of efforts towards the establishment of a Czech agricultural school of higher learning. Since its very beginning (1906/07) the school was very active, not least due to the devotion of both the lecturers and the students. The World War I, however, slowed its development down slightly but the nation´s liberation and the foundation of an independent state contributed substantially to the school´s prosperity.
The post-war reforms which concerned education as well, resulted in a change of the CVST structure.
The then agricultural department was reformed in 1920 into an Agriculture and Forestry (Engineering) School of Higher Learning (VSZLI). It should still be noted that the year before (1919) the Ministry of Education established by its Decree of 12 March 1919 the forestry department at the CVST which was thereafter transferred into the newly established VSZLI. The school, then located in the Groebe Villa at Havlíčkovy sady (Park), had been extremely short of space for all the time. In 1932, therefore, the construction of a new building at the Dejvice district of Prague was hammered through, and the school moved there relatively very soon – in 1936.
The years of the Nazi occupation and the year 1948 were not favourable for the development of education and they had a negative effect upon the studies of agricultural sciences. Outstanding experts were made leave and dissident students were persecuted.
The independent University of Agriculture in Prague, formerly part of the Czech Technical University in Prague, was established by the Government Decree of 8 July 1952. On the one hand the generous state support of agricultural education was positive of the new organisation of learning and research, on the other hand the political character of the climate and the education of experts to meet the needs of collectivisation should not be overlooked, particularly when its effect for the national economy proved to be at least dubious in historical retrospect. Up to about 1959 the school operated with faculties which were aimed at materializing the new agricultural policy. The Faculty of Forestry then remained as part of the Czech Technical University (1952-1959), and after a transition period under the administration of the University of Agriculture it was transformed in 1964 into a Scientific Institute of Forestry.
In the 1960´s the University developed step by step. The fourth faculty of the University started work at České Budějovice in the academic year 1960-61. In the first half of the 1960´s the entire University of Agriculture in Prague moved into the newly built campus at Suchdol in the Prague outskirts. It should be noted that the campus is still under continuing construction and the original intention of establishing a respectable centre of education for several thousand students had been generous from the very beginning.
From 1952 the studies were a five-year course while the new Act on Schools of Higher Learning
39/1980 Coll. changed the period of studies to four years. Since 1990 the full course study time has again been changed to take five years, and in 1993 the three-year Bachelor Degree studies were introduced. Since 1998, in line with Act 111/1998 Coll. a two-tier study system has been introduced at all faculties of the University.
In 1990 the Faculty of Forestry was restored completely and became an integral part of the University.
In 1997 the Faculty of Forestry moved into its own newly constructed building within the University campus.
As of 1 January 1995 the University of Agriculture in Prague was transformed in line with Act 192/1994 Coll. into the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague.