The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences invites you to Open Day, held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event is an ideal opportunity for prospective students to explore our study programs, campus environment, and the activities our faculty offers.

Program:

Information sessions about study programs will take place at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Room 116. Representatives from student organizations such as Be Fair, Student Ambassadors will also be available throughout the day to introduce their work and inform you about study opportunities.

• Be Fair promotes fair trade, sustainability, recycling, and mindful food consumption.
• Student Ambassadors help new students adjust and organize various events with the faculty throughout the year.

Antelope Conservation, which is dedicated to protecting the biodiversity of the West African savannah and the western subspecies of the Derby antelope, will also be present.

Laboratories, research, and botanical garden tours

Meet members of our research teams and explore our laboratories, including the Laboratory of Plant Tissue Cultures and Laboratory of Molecular Genetics . The Animal Physiology and Behaviour Research Team, focusing on physiological and behavioral patterns in domestic species, will also present its work. Additionally, our Botanical Garden will be open with guided tours on the hour, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Kateřina Berková, one of our PhD students, has returned from an exciting internship at Visayas State University. Want to know more about her journey? Check out our latest article.

„When the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ KA171 program in the Philippines arose, I didn’t hesitate and immediately applied. This year, on July 22nd, I set off alone on a journey halfway around the world, and by the next day, I landed on the island of Leyte, where our partner university, Visayas State University, is located.

My internship primarily focused on field training, which is essential for me as a PhD student and will play a significant role in my research on tea-like plants. I travelled across the island for a few weeks, learning everything from expedition preparation and plant material collection in primary rainforests to market exploration and sample processing. In the second half of the internship, I worked in the laboratory at the university. I visited local farms and agricultural enterprises where the university produces its own products from local crops.

During my free days, I explored several islands and nature reserves, I went to several excursions and tasted a variety of interesting foods and drinks. The internship in such an exotic country and in an international team was a challenge for me, which I am very happy about. My stay in the Philippines brought me a lot of experience and I'm already looking forward to being able to apply it.

To anyone considering Erasmus+, I encourage you to get involved, go abroad, and bring back practical experience and knowledge!“

S potěšením oznamujeme, že proděkanka pro mezinárodní vztahy na FTZ, Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D., dr. h. c., získala prestižní cenu ICA Excellence Award v kategorii „Networking“. Toto ocenění uděluje Asociace zemědělských univerzit v Evropě (ICA) za mimořádné přínosy v oblasti navazování a rozvoje mezinárodních vztahů. 

Asociace zemědělských univerzit v Evropě (ICA) sdružuje více než 70 univerzit zaměřených na vědy o živé přírodě, včetně zemědělství, biotechnologie, potravinářství a dalších příbuzných oborů. Její cílem je podpora mezinárodní spolupráce mezi univerzitami, vědci a odborníky v těchto oblastech. Více informací naleznete na: ICA - Europe - 14th ICA Rectors and Deans Forum 2024. 

Výběrová komise ICA ocenila odborné znalosti a inovativní přístup Petry Chaloupkové a zejména její významný přínos k rozvoji sítě ICA a podporu ostatním. Její práce nastavila nové standardy v oblasti mezinárodního networkingu a inspirovala mnohé další odborníky v oboru.  

Petra Chaloupková převzala ocenění na slavnostním předávání cen ICA, které se konalo ve dnech 25.–26. října 2024 během ICA Rectors and Deans Forum na Zemědělské fakultě Univerzity v?Záhřebu v Chorvatsku. 

Srdečně gratulujeme Petře Chaloupkové k tomuto ocenění a přejeme další úspěchy a přínosy v oblasti mezinárodních vztahů a spolupráce. 

• Indigenous vegetable value chains in Uganda, Martin Mutambuka, Ph.D., , Uganda Christian University, Uganda
• Value addition in agricultural value chains, Elisha Otieno, Ph.D., Pwani University Kilifi,  Kenya
• Postharvest Issues and Food Safety Concerns with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, Cecilia Onyango, Prof., University of Nairobi, Kenya
• Potato value chain in Uganda, Jackline Bonabana Wabbi, Assoc. prof., Makerere University Kampala, Uganda
• Horizontal integration and ethical certifications as tools for inclusive and sustainable value chains, Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D., FTA, CZU
• Gender dimension in agricultural value chain, Jana Mazancová, Ph.D., FTA, CZU
• Ethical consumption and value chain of tropical fruits, Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D., FTA, CZU

• This activity was conducted as part of the EU project ADVALUE, which aims to advance sustainable agricultural value chains by strengthening transdisciplinary skills and fostering cooperation in East African doctoral education. Additionally, this meeting served as a study trip and focusing on international knowledge sharing and capacity building.

From October 2nd to 15th, 2024, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) had the honor of welcoming esteemed guests from the University of Bangui, Central African Republic. Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and her colleague, Dr. Solange Makatia-Wango, visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague as part of a short-term Erasmus+ stay. The main objective of their visit was to deepen cooperation between the two universities and explore collaborative research initiatives that contribute to the development of science, education, and higher education management in CAR.  

The visit’s program was organized by Assoc. Prof. Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. During their stay, the scientists from the Central African Republic participated in key activities such as the presentation of the Advalue project, which focuses on sustainable development in Africa, and a roundtable discussion in celebration of the International Day of Rural Women. They also presented their research during a seminar hosted by the Wild Ecology Lab, which focuses on the conservation and research of large mammals. 

 Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo Visits 

A part of the visit was a tour of the FTZ Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo, where the delegates were joined by colleagues from Université de Thies, Senegal, who are also long-term partners of FTZ and were in Prague through Erasmus+. The visit to the zoo provided a rare opportunity to observe animal species not commonly seen in the wild and highlighted the importance of zoological gardens in species conservation. 

“As a result of zoological gardens, we have the opportunity not only to admire and study wildlife but also to actively protect it,” said Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou. Many African species were seen up close for the first time by the professors from CAR and Senegal. 

Collaboration with the Institute of Vertebrate Biology and Field Research in Central African Republic 

The visitors also met with the team from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who have long been engaged in research on lowland gorilla symbionts in the Central African Republic. Dean Aba-Toumnou and her colleague participated in discussions about recent expedition of the Institute to the Chinko Nature Reserve, where over 40 species of small mammals were confirmed. Chinko is also home to the eastern subspecies of the giant eland, the largest antelope in the world, whose conservation is supported by Antelope Conservation at FTZ. 

This visit represents another step forward in the ongoing scientific and educational collaboration between the Czech Republic and Central African Republic. A key focus of this partnership is the improvement of higher education quality in CAR, which supports the country’s sustainable development and contributes to its security and stability. Joint projects in biodiversity research and higher education advancement hold the potential to significantly enhance expertise and scientific progress in CAR. Through these international partnerships, FTZ continues to expand its efforts to promote sustainable development both in Africa and globally. 

On October 8th and 9th, 2024, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) welcomed a delegation from the National University of Ucayali (UNU), based in Pucallpa, Peru. Our faculty has been collaborating with this university from the Peruvian Amazon since 2003 on several research and development projects. Currently, UNU and CZU have a signed Memorandum of Understanding, which was revisited during the visit with the aim of strengthening and expanding the mutual cooperation.

The Peruvian delegation was led by UNU Rector Dr. Edgardo Leoncio Braul Gomero and Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Dr. Julio Cesar Pastor Segura. After a warm welcome from CZU Rector Prof. Petr Sklenička, discussions were held at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) with faculty representatives. Petra Chaloupková, PhD., dr. h.c., Vice-Dean for International Relations, and Prof. Jan Banout, Vice-Rector for Strategy, explored the potential to deepen and expand the current partnership, particularly in terms of academic and research exchanges. The meeting was attended by Prof. Bohdan Lojka, the cooperation coordinator, Vice-Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies Assoc. Prof. Hynek Roubík, and colleagues Prof. Eloy Fernández Cusimamani and Assoc. Prof. Zbyněk Polesný. Throughout their visit, the delegation was accompanied by Ph.D. candidate Ing. Bc. Goldis Perry Davila and Mgr. Simona Marková.

The Peruvian guests toured the CZU campus, visited the university brewery, and explored selected research teams and laboratories at FTZ. The discussions focused on enhancing existing cooperation and opening new opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, as well as scientific collaboration. Both institutions are looking forward to further strengthening their international partnership.