The University of Chemistry and Technology Prague

UCT Prague was founded in 1952 but its origins date back to 1807 when the first course in chemistry was delivered at Prague Polytechnic. Reorganization of the polytechnic in 1920 resulted in the transformation of the chemistry department into the School of Chemical Technology, one of the seven sections of the Czech Technical University.

A number of key figures of the history of chemistry relate to UCT Prague. Among them, three figures are renowned in their fields: Vladimir Prelog, Nobel Prize winner, Otto Wichterle, inventor of contact lenses, and Emil Votoček, author of the Czech chemical nomenclature.

Several presidents of the Czech Academy of Sciences – František Šorm, Rudolf Zahradník, and Jiří Drahoš – are connected with the school as well.

UCT Prague was the first Czech university authorised to provide the Eurobachelor degree. As its name indicates, this prestigious recognition certifies the quality of UCT Prague bachelor studies at the European level.

Currently UCT Prague boasts a number of excellent experts such as Jana Hajšlová, member of the EU Advisory Group “Food Quality and Safety” or František Štěpánek, who has been awarded an ERC grant.

UCT Prague researchers were very successful within the European Community framework programme, HORIZON 2020, and are actively involved in developing many new research projects and collaborations.

Notable prior efforts include:

• RECOBA, Assoc. Prof. Juraj Kosek, Cross-sectorial real-time sensing, advanced control and optimisation of batch processes saving energy and raw materials
• PARTIAL-PGMs, Assoc. Prof. Petr Kočí, Development of novel, high Performance hybrid TWV/GPF Automotive afteR treatment systems by raTIonAL design: substitution of PGMs and Rare earth materials
• SElySOs, Prof. Karel Bouzek, Development of new electrode materials and understanding of degradation mechanisms on Solid Oxide High Temperature Electrolysis Cells
• SuPER-W, Prof. Pavel Jeníček, Assoc. Prof. Jan Bartáček, Sustainable Product, Energy and Resource Recovery from Wastewater
• Food Quality Projects : FoodSmartphone, Smartphone analyzers for on-site testing of food quality and safety; MultiCoop, Multidisciplinary approach to strengthen cooperation and establish novel platform for comprehensive assessment of food and feed safety; AUTHENT-NET – Food Authenticity Research Network, Prof. Jana Hajšlová, Monika Tomaniová, PhD
• Science education: SCICHALLENGE, Petr Holzhauser, MSc, Next generation science challenges using participatory techniques and digital media

Faculties 

UCT Prague (in addition to departments accomodating the needs of the entire university) has four faculties:

• Faculty of Chemical Technology
• Faculty of Environmental Technology
• Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology
• Faculty of Chemical Engineering

UCT Prague in Numbers

• UCT Prague in numbers
• UCT Prague in University Rankings

Worldwide Cooperation and Collaboration

UCT Prague cooperates with more than 100 universities and institutions worldwide. The university is the most active Czech university participant in the Erasmus+ student exchange programme and has also participated in other programmes such as the 5th and 6th framework programme, COST, EUREKA, and Leonardo da Vinci.

UCT Prague operates the superbly equipped library, ChemTK, situated in the modern National Library of Technology (NTK) building. The ChemTK collection includes more than 100,000 books, handbooks, encyclopaedias, periodicals, and other publications. ChemTK subscribes to 300 professional periodicals and provides electronic access to scientific journals. Over 2,500 journals from prestigious scientific publishing houses are currently available in electronic format. ChemTK also provides access to SciFinder, the Chemical Abstracts Service, and other specialised resources (see full list of eResources) that enable research across scientific specialities.

The complete collections of Beilstein's Handbuch der organischen Chemie and Gmelin's Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie are also available in both print and electronic formats. Print editions are available in NTK's Rare Books and Special Collections reading room.

Central Laboratories

UCT Prague's Central Laboratories consist of eight laboratories:

• Laboratory of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
• Laboratory of Infra-Red (IR) and Raman Spectroscopy
• Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry (MS)
• Laboratory of Organic Elemental Analysis
• Laboratory of X-Ray Diffraction
• Laboratory of Thermal-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
• Laboratory of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Laboratory of Surface Analysis

The laboratories provide high-quality equipment for use by students, professors, and research staff members and are equipped with modern instrumentation. Laboratory personnel are experienced in routine as well as specialized experiments.  The laboratories are used for student projects, grant-funded research, and industrial applications. External customers (universities, private companies, and others) can also use the facilities.

Laboratory personnel also teach several courses, workshops, and other seminars for members of the UCT Prague community. The courses include practical techniques as well as methods for spectra interpretation.