Faculty of Management and Economics Celebrates 30 Years – From Bold Beginnings to Global Success
27. May 2025The Faculty of Management and Economics (FaME) of Tomas Bata University in Zlín is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Since its establishment on 27 June 1995, the Faculty has transformed into a reputable educational and research centre, recognised as one of the leading institutions in the Czech Republic.
The celebrations commenced on 23 May with a festive gathering held in the TBU Assembly Hall. Over the course of three decades, the Faculty has produced more than 16,000 successful graduates who have gone on to pursue careers in business, public administration, and international markets. As part of their studies, every student is required to complete a minimum of 480 hours of professional internship in a company, which effectively links theoretical knowledge with practical experience from the real business environment.
“Thirty years of the FaME is not only an occasion to celebrate but also an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come. From a regional academic institution, we have grown into a Faculty that keeps pace with global trends in education, research, and practice,” says the current Dean of the Faculty, Michal Pilík.
The FaME was originally established as an independent Faculty of the Brno University of Technology, based in Zlín. The first Dean was Alois Glogar. Six years later, in 2001, the Faculty became an integral part of the newly founded Tomas Bata University in Zlín.
“At that time, we started with around 400 students; today, we have approximately 2,000 enrolled each academic year, along with over a hundred PhD students. The development of degree programmes is also remarkable – in our first academic year, we offered just one degree programme, whereas today we offer fifteen programmes across Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral levels. More than half of our doctoral students come from Asia and Africa. The most sought-after specialisations include Business Economics and Management, Finance and Financial Technologies, and our brand-new programme in Sports Management,” adds Dean Michal Pilík.
The Faculty places long-term emphasis on the international dimension of education. It offers 95 course units taught in English and maintains active cooperation with over 150 partner universities worldwide. Each year, more than 70 students undertake study periods or internships abroad. Students also have the opportunity to complete a year of study at the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom, earning an additional British Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
The FaME’s international achievements are confirmed by its performance in global rankings – the Faculty has repeatedly been included in the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, where it was the only Czech Faculty of economics ranked in the global top 500 between 2020 and 2023 in the fields of Business and Management, and Accounting and Finance.
In 2021, the Faculty opened the first and only academic bank in the Czech Republic, designed specifically for students. This virtual joint-stock company with its own local currency is managed by experts from the Department of Finance and Accounting, together with students specialising in finance.
“We look back with respect and gratitude, but our focus is firmly on the future – we aim to remain a Faculty that continues to shape responsible and creative leaders of tomorrow,” concludes Dean Michal Pilík.
