Czech Universities Join the European Sustainable Development Week. This Year’s Theme: “Resilience and Balance”
17. September 2025Universities across the Czech Republic are once again participating in the European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW), an initiative that connects education, community life, and sustainability principles. From 20 to 26 September 2025, dozens of workshops, discussions, swap events, collection campaigns, as well as sports and educational activities for students, staff, and the general public will take place at universities throughout the country. This marks the third edition of the event, which in previous years saw participation from 24 out of 26 Czech public higher education institutions.
The theme of this year’s edition is “Resilience and Balance” – reflecting the ability to find a sustainable approach to oneself, society, and the environment. Universities are demonstrating that sustainability is not only about ecology, but also about mental health, work-study-life balance, healthy lifestyles, and active community engagement.
“We see sustainability as an integral part of everyday life, and universities have the potential to serve as positive role models in this regard. ESDW is a great opportunity to inspire, connect, and open up discussion on topics that are essential to our society,” says Martina Juříková, Vice-Rector for Internal and External Relations at Tomas Bata University in Zlín.
The ESDW activities are organised in cooperation with local organisations, business and industry experts, and non-profit initiatives. As a result, the event becomes not only a source of new knowledge, but also a means to strengthen relationships between universities and their local communities.
At Tomas Bata University in Zlín, the rich programme will include courses and workshops focused on both physical and mental health. Participants can also look forward to behind-the-scenes tours of the university canteen, popular clothes swaps (SWAPs), and even indoor plant swaps.
The university will also be running several collection campaigns open to students, staff, and the wider public. Items to be collected include unused mobile phones for Re–mobil, a project promoting ecological recycling; functional glasses for the Glasses for Africa initiative; and toys and children’s books for the non-profit project Re–toys.
“We don’t see sustainability solely as an environmental issue – it’s also about healthy interpersonal relationships, mental well-being, and an active, mindful approach to oneself. For us, ESDW is a chance to show that at TBU, sustainability is a complex issue that extends well beyond a single week,” adds Martina Juříková, Vice-Rector for Internal and External Relations at TBU.
Special attention will also be given to student organisations, which will be showcased in the University Centre (building U13). The goal is not only to highlight their activities but also to encourage other students to get involved in student life and civic engagement.
The full programme for ESDW at Tomas Bata University is available at: www.utb.cz/etur.
More information about ESDW 2025 can be found on individual university websites and on the official portal: