Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Czech public agricultural university offering education and research in agriculture, forestry, environment, etc.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), historically also known in English as the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, is a public university in the Prague-Suchdol district of the Czech Republic. Its academic identity is rooted in agricultural education, but its contemporary scope extends across agrobiology, food and natural resources, environmental science, forestry and wood sciences, agricultural engineering, economics and management, tropical agriculture, rural development, information technology, and related fields. The university combines degree education with applied and theoretical research, practical training, consultancy, and the management of teaching farms, forests, vineyards, and other field facilities. The institution traces its origins to agricultural studies established at the Czech Technical University in 1906. The first agricultural engineers graduated in 1911. A dedicated Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry was formed in 1920, and in 1952 it became an independent institution known as the University College of Agriculture in Prague, or Vysoká škola zemědělská v Praze. The university moved to a purpose-built campus in Prague-Suchdol in 1966, which remains its principal location. Forestry education followed a separate institutional path for part of the twentieth century before becoming part of the university again in 1990. The present name was adopted in 1995. CZU offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral education. Its programmes cover traditional agricultural subjects such as crop and animal production, while also addressing environmental modelling, landscape planning, conservation, geosciences, business administration, finance, banking, insurance, rural and regional development, agricultural machinery, manufacturing technology, forestry, game management, timber production, tropical agriculture, and sustainable resource management. The reference material identifies approximately 40 programmes taught in English, including bachelor’s and master’s programmes, giving the university a substantial international dimension. The university’s faculties and institutes are supported by practical enterprises and research facilities. The University Farm at Lány provides training, demonstrations, and research opportunities and maintains animal genetic resources including Czech Red cattle and heritage horse breeds. The Mělník operation supports crop, vineyard, livestock, and food-production activities. The University Forest Establishment at Kostelec nad Černými lesy provides a large-scale setting for forestry, fishpond, arboretum, and land-management education. These facilities connect classroom learning with production systems, landscape stewardship, forestry operations, animal husbandry, and field research. Internationally, CZU participates in European life-science networks. It became a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences in 2005, and the secretary of the Association for European Life Science Universities is located at the university. CZU has also been associated with the Biofector project and other international research and education activities. Its overall positioning is that of a public, research-oriented life-science university with a strong agricultural foundation, practical field infrastructure, and an expanding environmental, technological, economic, and global-development remit.
History
The university’s institutional history begins in 1906, when agricultural studies were introduced at the Czech Technical University in Prague. The first agricultural engineers graduated in 1911. In 1920, agricultural and forestry education was organized into a Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. That faculty became an autonomous institution in 1952 under the name University College of Agriculture in Prague. The early postwar university developed during a period when agricultural education and research were closely connected with state agricultural policy. During the communist period in Czechoslovakia, the institution received substantial state support as part of the modernization and collectivization of agriculture. Its degree structure also changed over time: the standard master’s course lasted five years from 1952 to 1980, was reduced to four years between 1980 and 1990, and subsequently returned to five years. Three-year bachelor’s education was introduced from 1993. A major physical turning point came in 1966, when the university moved to a newly constructed campus in Prague-Suchdol. The campus became the central base for its teaching, research, and administration. Forestry education followed a partially separate history. A Faculty of Forestry was established in 1952 and remained associated with the Czech Technical University until 1959. It then formed part of the agricultural university until 1964, when it became the independent Institute of Forestry Science. Forestry returned to the university’s structure in 1990, strengthening CZU’s role in forest management, timber science, game management, and related environmental fields. The institution adopted the name Czech University of Life Sciences Prague in 1995. This change reflected a broadening beyond conventional agricultural education. Its faculties subsequently developed programmes in environmental sciences, economics and management, engineering, forestry and wood sciences, agrobiology, food and natural resources, and tropical agriculture. The former Institute of Tropics and Subtropics was transformed into the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences in 2013, formalizing the university’s international focus on tropical agriculture, rural development, and sustainable management of natural resources. CZU’s development has also relied on practical establishments outside the main Prague campus. The University Farm at Lány, founded in 1960, serves education, public demonstration, and research and maintains selected animal genetic resources. The Mělník farm supports horticulture, viticulture, livestock, and agricultural production. The University Forest Establishment at Kostelec nad Černými lesy provides forestry and fish-farming instruction across a large managed forest area and includes an arboretum, fishponds, a sawmill, and teaching facilities. In the twenty-first century, CZU has expanded its international profile through English-language degree programmes and participation in European life-science networks. It joined the Euroleague for Life Sciences in 2005 and has been connected with the Biofector project. The university now presents itself as a multidisciplinary public institution linking agricultural foundations with environmental stewardship, technology, economics, forestry, food systems, and global development.
- 2013
Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences established
[1]The former Institute of Tropics and Subtropics was transformed into the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences.
- 2005
Joined the Euroleague for Life Sciences
[1]CZU became a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences, reinforcing its European academic network.
- 1995
Current name adopted
[1]The institution adopted the name Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.
- 1993
Bachelor’s education introduced
[1]Three-year bachelor’s study became available alongside longer degree formats.
- 1990
Forestry returned to the university
[1]The forestry institution that had followed a separate path became part of the university again.
- 1966
Prague-Suchdol campus opened
[1]The university moved to a newly built campus in Prague-Suchdol, its continuing principal location.
- 1960
University Farm at Lány founded
[1]The Lány farm began operating as a practical education and research facility.
- 1952
Independent agricultural university established
[1]The faculty became the independent University College of Agriculture in Prague.
- 1920
Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry formed
[1]Agricultural and forestry studies were organized into a dedicated faculty.
- 1911
First agricultural engineers graduate
[1]The first agricultural engineers completed their studies within the developing agricultural education system.
Products and positioning
A public Czech university that combines agricultural heritage with multidisciplinary education and research in life sciences, environmental management, forestry, engineering, economics, and tropical development.
Higher education · 1993
Bachelor’s programmes
Three-year undergraduate programmes introduced from 1993 and now offered across areas including agrobiology, environmental science, economics and management, engineering, forestry, and tropical agriculture. The university’s English-language portfolio includes approximately 15 bachelor-level programmes according to the reference material.
Higher education
Master’s programmes
Credit-based graduate programmes provide advanced study in agricultural, environmental, economic, engineering, forestry, natural-resource, and tropical-development disciplines. Approximately 25 English-language master’s programmes are identified in the reference material.
Higher education and research
Doctoral programmes
Research-oriented doctoral education supports advanced work in the university’s life-science, agricultural, environmental, forestry, engineering, economic, and related academic fields.
Academic faculty
Faculty of Environmental Sciences
Offers education and research in environmental modelling, landscape planning, nature conservation, and geosciences, connecting scientific analysis with land-use and environmental management.
Academic faculty
Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources
Covers crop and animal production, food-related subjects, natural resources, environmental questions, agrochemistry, and plant nutrition, combining traditional agricultural education with contemporary resource concerns.
Academic faculty · 2013
Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences
Focuses on tropical agriculture, rural development, and sustainable natural-resource management in tropical and subtropical regions. It was created in 2013 through the transformation of the Institute of Tropics and Subtropics.
Teaching and research facility · 1960
University Farm at Lány
A practical agricultural facility used for student training, research, demonstrations, and public education. It maintains agricultural production and animal genetic resources, including Czech Red cattle and selected horse breeds.
Teaching and research facility
University Forest Establishment at Kostelec nad Černými lesy
A large managed forest and education complex supporting forestry operations, student training, fish-farming instruction, timber activities, and environmental education. It includes a castle, arboretum, fishponds, sawmill, garden centre, and accommodation facilities.
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