A Word from the Rector

Doc. Ing. Jaroslava Durčáková, CSc.

Every year, more than fourteen thousand students at the University of Economics, Prague - Vysoká škola ekonomická (VŠE) receive their education in economics and management at the Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral levels. This number represents 45 % of all students studying economics at institutions of higher learning in the Czech Republic, of which VŠE is the sixth largest in terms of student enrollment. VŠE, which offers tuition and training comparable to well-known academic institutions abroad, occupies the leading position among all schools of its kind in the Czech Republic.

Students at VŠE may choose from a wide range of programmes in both economics and management. VŠE academic staff includes numerous individuals at the top of their fields in both pedagogy and research, a number of whom have been recognized abroad for their scholastic achievement. The range of programmes and fields of study represented by this talented group of individuals is both far-reaching and indicative of their respected positions within the Czech and international academic communities. The University maintains an ongoing relationship with state and other public sector institutions, as well as important contacts with the business community. Furthermore, our membership in an active and unique network of international contacts provides VŠE with a rich assortment of opportunities to cooperate with foreign institutions. Persistent interest among students - from both the Czech Republic and abroad - provides evidence of the strong international reputation of VŠE, as does the success of its graduates on the international and domestic job markets.

The high quality of instruction and research at VŠE have been recognized by many. For example, the University received the highest accolades during a national education evaluation in 1998, and in December of the same year became a member of the prestigious Community of European Management Schools (CEMS), an honour bestowed on only a single university in each participating country. VŠE thus became one of only sixteen elite institutions of higher learning from the entire European continent to receive CEMS recognition. Happily, recognition of our accomplishments does not end here: In 1999 VŠE became the only institution in the field of economics from Eastern and Central Europe to be accepted as a member of the world-wide Programme in International Management (PIM), an organization which recognizes superior achievement in higher learning and research.

It is not enough for VŠE to rest on its laurels. At the onset of the new millennium we are dedicated to having a clear vision, and to implementing it with all of the vigour one would expect from an energetic and future-oriented centre of higher learning. It is essential that we fully exploit our current position. It is also my wish that VŠE maintains both its high standard and its hard-earned reputation in an increasingly dynamic domestic and international environment. In doing so, we should strive to stay ahead our competitors - both at home and abroad - in terms of the quality of teaching methods and the content of our curricula. By working hard in these areas we can ensure our importance as a place of study for students, and can continue to attract the most gifted and innovative teachers. Such a strategy will also pay dividends in strengthening our position as a desirable partner for the private and public sectors alike. In short, if we remain faithful to our goal of being the best, we can be certain that our graduates will enthusiastically say: "I am proud to have studied at VŠE."