Masaryk University, located in Brno, is the second-largest public university in the Czech Republic and the leading higher education institution in Moravia. At present it comprises nine faculties with more than 200 departments, institutes and clinics. Recognized as one of the most important teaching and research institutions in the Czech Republic and a highly-regarded Central European university, it has been marked by a strong democratic spirit ever since its establishment in 1919. The university also plays a major role in the social and cultural life of the South Moravia Region.
One of the top priorities for Masaryk University is scientific research. It has attained a leading position in competitions for research grants, is making considerable financial investments at its new university campus to enhance its research and teaching capacity and is developing tools for the transfer of knowledge and improved support for research and innovation.
Masaryk University offers degrees in a wide spectrum of traditional as well as newly-emerging disciplines and is one of the fastest growing higher education institutions in Europe. In recent years it has consistently attracted the largest number of applicants for studies of any Czech university, which allows it to remain highly selective when admitting students. Masaryk University was one of the first to introduce a three-tier structure of studies based on the ECTS system for the transfer and accumulation of credits.
The university is heavily involved in the mobility activities and research programmes of the European Union and other countries, thanks to which graduates of Bachelor?s or Master?s studies at other institutions may continue at the Master?s or doctoral levels at Masaryk University. The same principle applies to Masaryk University students, who may study abroad and then return to their alma mater.
A special feature of the university is its policy with regard to students with sensory or physical disabilities. The Support Centre for Students with Special Needs ensures that the fields of study accredited by the university are open to those students and that they enjoy the same standards of education as the rest of the university?s student body.
Masaryk University places a strong accent on international cooperation with prestigious foreign universities and research institutions. It supports the continuous exchange of knowledge, ideas, information, researchers, instructors and students throughout the world and assures equal chances of access to education and the free exploration of ideas.
Masaryk University is firmly committed to electronic forms of communication. To improve access to information and the quality of studies it has developed its own intranet system featuring a number of tools designed for assessing tens of thousands of application forms for studies, implementing e-learning, registering students for examinations, helping staff to work more efficiently and supporting rapid communication between offices and departments. In 2005 Masaryk University?s information system received the prestigious EUNIS Elite Award in recognition of the university?s leading position in the use of information technology within the university community. It was the first university in the Czech Republic and in the new European Union member countries to win the award.
MU in numbers We are the second-largest university in the Czech Republic and the largest in Moravia. We are a respected research university (Research plans) and one of the fastest growing higher education institutions in the Czech Republic. We are the number two employer in the South Moravia Region, with 3881 employees, of which 1650 are academic staff. We have 9 faculties of more than 200 departments, institutes and clinics. We are the most selective university in the Czech Republic; in 2006 we registered 56961 applicants for studies in all fields, of which 18051 were accepted. We were the first Czech university to introduce an electronic application form for studies. We have 38493 students enrolled in regular degree programmes. We have 164 handicapped students enrolled in degree programmes, of whom 84 are blind and visually handicapped, 52 deaf and auditory handicapped. MU is the only Czech university at which the proportional representation of visually and auditory handicapped students equals the percentage of handicapped people of the Czech population. The number of students going abroad in the academic year 2006/2007 was 544; the number of incoming students in the same academic year was 250. There were 5574 graduates in regular studies in 2006, of whom 2907 were in Bachelor's programmes, 1640 in long-cycle Master's programmes, 787 in Master's programmes and 240 in doctoral programmes. Our graduates are very successful on the labour market (Graduate employment record). Since 1922 Masaryk University has graduated 96282 students. We are reconstructing the university?s historical buildings at a total cost of 1.25 billion CZK (44.7 million EUR). We are involved in a building project unique in the Central European region ? a new university campus (in Brno-Bohunice) ? at a total cost of 5.1 billion CZK (182.3 million EUR). The total value of university property (as of 31.12.2006) is 6,2 billion CZK (221.4 million EUR).
