University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT Prague) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of an intensive educational program for a group of 10 university students from NIMS University Jaipur. This unique program, which lasted from September 25 to November 18, combined theoretical instruction in chemistry with practical experience acquired during a two-week period.

Advanced Educational Program for Students from NIMS University Jaipur

The program offered by UCT Prague was carefully designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of various aspects of chemistry, from theory to practical application. The course was divided into several segments, ensuring that students gained a deep understanding of the subject and practical skills.

Block Teaching: The program began with two weeks of block teaching, covering approximately 10 courses in half-day sessions. Topics included raw material sources for the chemical industry, chemical technologies, process design, technical catalysis, and chemical product safety. Typical Laboratory Tasks: Students participated in laboratory tasks, divided into five groups and rotating through 1-2 day tasks. Safety training was provided collectively and then specifically for individual tasks. Project: Students worked on projects in groups of three, involving laboratory measurements, evaluation, protocol, and a joint presentation.

Practical Training at ORLEN Unipetrol: Intensive Experience in the Petrochemical Industry

The final part of the program was conducted in collaboration with ORLEN Unipetrol in Litvínov, where students completed a two-week internship in a petrochemical operation. This practical module gave students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained at UCT Prague in a real industrial environment.

The ORLEN Unipetrol internship program included:

Initial training, first aid, fire safety training Familiarization with multiskilling and a training unit Operator training simulator for DCPD Work with distillation columns and a training laboratory Tours of the operation

This diverse and intensive program allowed students from NIMS University Jaipur to not only expand their academic horizons but also gain valuable practical experience, which will be key to their future careers in the field of chemistry.

This educational project is an example of successful international cooperation in education, strengthening the relationship between UCT Prague and NIMS University Jaipur. We expect similar initiatives to continue developing and strengthening scientific and academic cooperation between the Czech Republic and India."

The Global Student Satisfaction Awards organised by Studyportals recognize and celebrate outstanding universities based on student reviews and feedback. We empower students to review their schools so that other students worldwide can make informed decisions and will find it easier to discover the international degree that fits them best.

Throughout the last years, organizers have managed to crowdsource around 195,000 student reviews. These were collected with the help of their partners, such as:

• ESN (Erasmus Student Network)
• ESTIEM (European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management)
• EDUopinions

To prevent false reviews and fraudulent behaviour, they use validation systems (e.g. manual checks, email checks, contacting the reviewer). Studyportals also verifies the reviews collected by universities.

There are eight criteria used for reviewing each university. UCT Prague have succeeded in the category Student-teacher interaction: Students had to rate their teachers and how open and engaged they were in terms of communication, feedback, and support, both during and after classes.

UCT Prague has been chosen as the best in this category in EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa).

• More about Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2023

On Monday November 20th our university welcomed students of international study programme ATHENS. This programme offers study at fourteen major European technical universities also to our students.

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 at UCT Prague

UCT Prague ranks well among Czech universities and 556th overall in the QS World University Rankings

A small ratio of students to an instructor traditionally count most in terms of solid QS World University Rankings. Individual educational support and the involvement of students in research earned UCT Prague 35th place in the world—and first in Czechia—for this criterion in this year’s ranking.

After the QS methodology was expanded this year to evaluate nine different parameters, UCT Prague placed fourth among Czech universities, dropping two places compared to last year. UCT Prague monitors its position in several ranking systems, all of which have different methodologies and resultant rankings. UCT Prague is rather unique in Europe due to its small size and chemistry focus, and this also impacts rankings.

“My comments are similar every year. University rankings are good for holding up a mirror to ourselves, spurring us to think about what others are doing differently and what we could improve. But they have a downside, because trying to improve rankings at all costs can lead to the pursuit of numbers that correspond to a certain ranking methodology at the expense of quality. We Czechs have experience with this because of our research evaluation system. Let’s try to make the right decisions, even if sometimes they can be politically bold and unpleasant for some. I believe that, in the long term, making the right decisions will have a positive impact in terms of rankings as well,” says Pavel Matějka, UCT Prague Rector.

UCT Prague’s international environment, with a high (by Czech standards) percentage of international students, contributed to this year’s good placement. In recent years, UCT Prague has also attracted international researchers, both of which contributed to UCT Prague ranking 201st in the international criterion.

Other Czech universities (16 in total) were also ranked. The largest, Charles University, placed 248th in the world. Masaryk University ranked 400th; and CTU Prague, 454th.

More detailed information about the QS World University Rankings, including methodology, are on the 2024 website.

Prague, Czechia, [6.11.2023] – The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT Prague), in a resplendent display of international collaboration and educational excellence, hosted the esteemed Kyutech Autumn School from October 21 to 27, 2023. This event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between VŠCHT and the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan.

Under the expert guidance of Professor Josef Krýsa from the Institute of Inorganic Technology and in coordination with UCT Prague's Department of International Relations, the autumn school provided an immersive learning experience for Japanese students. This year's event symbolized a triumphant return following a four-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, reflecting a renewed commitment to global educational exchange.

The autumn school, a continuation of the successful sessions held in 2018 and 2019, witnessed participation from 14 esteemed students from Kyutech. They were accompanied by distinguished Professors Teruhisa Ohno and Mitsuru Kitamura. The curriculum was meticulously designed to encompass Theoretical and Environmental Aspects of Chemical Technologies. UCT Prague's faculty, including Professor Josef Krýsa, Associate Professor Martin Paidar, Ing. Michal Baudys, and Ing. Šárka Paušová, played a pivotal role in delivering this comprehensive educational experience.

A highlight of the program was an innovative Workshop where both Czech and Japanese educators and students had the opportunity to present and discuss their cutting-edge research topics. This academic exchange culminated in an informal gathering at the café Carbon, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.

Complementing the academic pursuits were a series of cultural and exploratory activities, offering the students a rich taste of Czech culture and history. Visits to the iconic Estates Theatre, exploratory tours of Prague, an excursion to the Bernard brewery, and a trip to the silver museum and cathedral in Kutná Hora enriched the students' experience, blending education with cultural appreciation.

Looking ahead, UCT Prague eagerly anticipates the continuation of this fruitful collaboration, with plans already underway for the fourth iteration of the autumn school in the 2024/2025 academic year, to be hosted by Kyutech in Japan.

About University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT Prague): The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, is a leading institution in the field of chemistry, chemical technology and related disciplines. Renowned for its innovative research and high-quality education, UCT Prague is a beacon of academic excellence, shaping the future of science and technology both nationally and internationally.

Contact:

Department of International Relations of UCT Prague (international@vscht.cz)

Assoc. Prof. Michele Suman, PhD (Food Safety & Authenticity Research Manager, Barilla G. & R.
Fratelli S.p.A., Parma, Italy & Adjunct Professor of AgriFood Authenticity at Catholic University Sacred
Heart–Milan/Piacenza, Italy) and Prof. Dr. Michael Rychlik (Technical University of Munich,
Germany) were named by Visiting Professors in the MSc study programme in “Chemistry and analysis
of food and natural products” for period 2023-2025.