Partnerships and the Third Role
UTB Sustainability Plan for 2026+
- Active membership in the PIONEER alliance
- Support and joint events with TBU student clubs for the climate and Adopt a Plant
- October 14, 2026 – Regional Conference on Environmental Education, Upbringing, and Awareness (EVVO)
UTB for the Climate
- Continuation of workshops and community activities
- Participation in Clean Up Czechia
- Series of lectures as part of the Science Café Marathon
Adopt a Plant
- E.ON Globe Award – approached by organizers to participate in this competition; May – advanced to the finals
- University-wide Green Wave
- purchasing more plants and organizing more events
Sustainability at UTB in 2025
- Members of the PIONEER Alliance
- Cooperation with the Zlín Region
- Partnerships with the BENNON Group, Prabos Plus, and the non-profit organization Líska
- October 15, 2025 – Co-organization of the Regional Conference on Environmental Education, Upbringing, and Awareness (EVVO)
- Support for UTB student clubs dedicated to climate action and the launch of the new “Adopt a Plant” club
UTB for the Climate
- UTB Faculty Waste Sorting Competition – Winner: FHS with 49% of unsorted waste in the mix
- Upcycling workshop “Zašívárna” – once a month
- Knitting and Crocheting Club “Klub(ko)” – once every two weeks
- Statistical waste sorting in the city of Zlín (4 times a year)
- Christmas pub quiz
Adopt a Plant
- Founding of an association at FaME
- “Hands in the Soil” event – repotting plants and plant care education
- Plant SWAP (flea market)
- Eco-Quiz and a series of online quizzes
- Zero-waste workshops: natural scrubs
- Media coverage – online Zlínský deník and ČT24
Sustainability at UTB in 2024
Students
Events for students were organized in 2024 primarily through collaboration with the UTB for Climate association. Throughout the year, association members prepared many activities for students, such as film screenings on sustainable agriculture followed by discussions with experts, an educational workshop on slow fashion, and numerous activities promoting physical and mental well-being. Representatives of the association also participated in European Sustainable Development Week, where they organized several workshops, screenings, and a clothing swap. The clothing swap is held several times a year and is popular among both students and staff.
As part of the course Fundamentals of Project Management, FaME students were involved in socially beneficial projects, which they carried out in teams of four to seven members between February and May 2024. A total of 328 students carried out 66 projects not only in the Zlín Region. The projects had diverse focuses—including children, seniors, and people with disabilities; other projects promoted a healthy lifestyle, developed financial literacy across age groups, or focused on helping abandoned animals. Thanks to these student projects, there is regular and often long-term cooperation with hospitals, children’s homes, senior care facilities, and other non-profit organizations.
As part of these projects, FaME students, as they do every year, participated in 2024 in volunteering to support the NADĚJE Charity Evening, which took place on Friday, October 11, 2024. Proceeds from the event were designated for social therapy workshops where the Naděje Zlín organization assists people with disabilities.
Selected students from FLKŘ attended a summer school in Celje, Slovenia, focused on sustainable logistics. The program included seminars, discussions, field trips, and the exchange of experiences with experts.
Unfortunately, the year 2024 will forever be associated with the devastating floods in the Jeseníky region. The floods that struck our country left behind serious damage—destroyed homes, flooded villages, and immense losses for many families. At FLKŘ, they did not hesitate to offer help and called on students to get involved as volunteers and assist with post-flood recovery.
International Cooperation
UTB is a member of the international PIONEER alliance. The alliance aims to shape the future of inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities, providing students with specialized skills in a European context. European universities represent a unique model of international cooperation that supports greater mobility of students and academics, the development of excellent science and research, and overall enhances the competitiveness of European higher education on a global level. The approval of this project represents a strategic success that will support the further development of our university and the entire region.
A delegation from the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy (FLKŘ) participated in a working mission to Bhutan focused on cooperation in the areas of nature conservation and sustainability. The initiative was supported by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
Zlín and the Zlín Region
In 2024, two agreements addressing cooperation between the Zlín Region and the university were signed, which were approved by the regional council at the end of April. The subject of the first agreement is the provision of a regional grant for the construction of a new building for the UTB Faculty of Technology. Construction began in September 2024 and is scheduled for completion in 2026. The second agreement builds on the Agreement on Long-Term Cooperation between the Zlín Region and the university, which was concluded in March 2024.
Another partner is the Tomáš Baťa Regional Hospital in Zlín. Joint negotiations have been underway for more than two years between the region, the university, and the hospital, with the aim of obtaining accreditation for the new study programs in Emergency Medical Services and Radiological Assistance in 2025.
UTB, together with representatives of the Zlín Region, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and the TESSEA organization, signed a memorandum of mutual cooperation on the project Development of the Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. The aim of the memorandum is to support the further development of social entrepreneurship in the Zlín Region.
Community
As for the individual departments, the Faculty of Technology offers collaboration with the commercial and industrial sectors based on the focus and capabilities of the institutes. The Zlín Rubber Group, a branch of the Czech Society of Industrial Chemistry, is also active at the Faculty of Technology; it supports technical progress, research, development, and the sharing of know-how in the rubber industry. Science as an adventure, enthusiasm for the natural sciences, and the sharing of knowledge—lecturers can demonstrate this through their popular science lectures, tailored to complement physics, biology, chemistry, or technology classes as part of “Science on Demand” for schools, the “Try Being a College Student” event, or thematic field trips. Polymers, materials, biomaterials, chemistry, cosmetics, the environment, food, or 3D printing. And much more at the Faculty of Technology.
The FMK is home to UPPER – Center for Creative Industries and Entrepreneurship, which plays a key role in fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, collaboration, and creativity. These activities not only developed students’ skills but also built bridges between the university and the professional world, the public sector, and non-profit organizations, thereby supporting the long-term sustainable development of both the region and the educational institution. UPPER has organized a variety of events: competitions, hackathons, workshops, discussions, meetings, and challenges—all focused on improving students’ skills, supporting innovation, and connecting with the professional world.
One of the major events organized by UPPER was the “University FOR Entrepreneurship” meeting, which attracted nearly forty representatives from Czech and Slovak universities in May 2024. The event provided a discussion forum addressing topics such as integrating entrepreneurial ideas into teaching outside business schools, involving students in business-related processes, using research data to shape entrepreneurship support policies, and drawing inspiration from real-world practice and international examples. This format supported institutional innovation and the sharing of best practices, which was important for a sustainable education system, regional development, and strengthening the quality of higher education institutions.
Community gatherings such as Meet & Greet (four times a year) and Bonfire@Zlín (twice a year) expanded professional networks and facilitated the exchange of experiences among students, industry experts, and companies. At the same time, they created space for inclusion and knowledge sharing across disciplines. In this way, they supported the development of social capital, which is key to the region’s sustainable development, innovation, and social cohesion.
UPPER also provided a support program—a series of workshops titled Build it UP! (e.g., on the use of AI, legal aspects of business, tax issues, LinkedIn presentations, and pricing). The workshops equipped students with knowledge across areas that were often overlooked in standard instruction but essential for successful practical application. This approach helped build comprehensive qualifications—not only professional but also complementary skills—that supported graduates’ adaptability in an ever-changing work and economic environment.
Part of UPPER is the open creative workshop ROBOTA, whose goal is to support the development of digital competencies and entrepreneurship among students and graduates, while also opening up a space for the general public to engage in their own creation, creativity, and competency development in accordance with the European frameworks GreenComp, DigComp, and EntreComp. In 2024, a large part of the workshop’s activities focused on the recycling and upcycling of materials, zero waste, and the circular economy. The workshops primarily worked with waste materials from production and sought new ways to utilize them. The workshop program was also oriented toward equal employment opportunities for designers and artists. As part of the “From Art to Learning” workshop series, the pedagogical practice of artists was supported. This project ran from January to June, and a total of ten workshops were held. The project was funded by the National Recovery Plan, through the Creative Learning program of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. ROBOTA also fulfilled the university’s third role by supporting young talent from elementary and secondary schools. The principles of sustainable development and the circular economy were also promoted through targeted workshops for adult audiences.
FLKŘ joined the international City Nature Challenge initiative, which connects citizens and scientists in documenting biodiversity. Within the Uherské Hradiště–Kunovice–Staré Město tri-city area, local flora and fauna were recorded using the iNaturalist app, thereby supporting environmental education for the public.
Sustainable Development Strategy 2025–2030
Sub-goal 3.B Actively involve students in the sustainable development of TBU
Sub-goal 3.C. Strengthen ties with local business and organizational communities through educational programs, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and volunteering
Implementation Measures for the Period 2025–2026
- Regularly hold meetings with representatives of student organizations during the planning and implementation of sustainable development measures and support their activities
- Conduct an analysis of opportunities for cooperation with municipalities, local companies, associations, and non-profit organizations in the area of sustainability