Largest university campus project in Central Europe opens its doors
Masaryk University in Brno recently opened its new campus. This first large-scale education project co-financed by the EIB in the region is already changing the face of the Czech Republic’s second largest city.
“Getting there was not easy,” explains Petr Fiala, Rector of the prestigious Masaryk University. “Over the last eight years, we had to overcome a number of unexpected challenges, ranging from land restitution issues to tendering and financing difficulties. Today, I am proud to say that the Masaryk campus is among the most modern and well-equipped of its kind and an important landmark for Brno”, he adds. With a total cost of more than CZK 5bn (some EUR 200m), it represents the largest investment in higher education in Central and Eastern Europe.
“This investment is contributing to making Masaryk University more attractive to students and researchers. It is also helping to better equip young people for the jobs market – a key objective of the Europe 2020 strategy”, EIB Vice-President Anton Rop said.
The new campus, situated near Brno University Hospital at the heart of the city’s Bohunice district, is an important part of Masaryk University. Covering an area of more than 42 hectares and comprising 24 teaching and research pavilions, it accommodates 5 000 students and 1 000 teachers and researchers from the Medicine, Science and Sports Faculties. The newly-built campus offers a wide range of academic courses and research activities, and will substantially increase the quality of higher education provided by Masaryk University. “The new research and education infrastructure creates an inspiring and stimulating environment for promising young scientists”, says Rector Fiala. With future research projects expected to be financed from EU Structural Funds, the campus is seeking to become a centre of scientific excellence.
EUR 200m
With a total cost of more than CZK 5bn (some EUR 200m), it represents the largest investment in higher education in Central and Eastern Europe.
The buildings are divided into two major areas: integrated laboratories for biomedical technologies and an academic research and teaching complex. All buildings on the campus are accessible to people with disabilities. For example, support for the visually handicapped comprises leading lines, and sound and touch navigation. Sustainable energy use is managed by a so-called intelligent complex, which coordinates the consumption of the different buildings. The campus’ unique architectonic concept links all of its buildings. Corridors and foot bridges are therefore basic elements interconnecting not only the individual pavilions but also the ‘university city’ with the university hospital and the neighbouring shopping centre that also accommodates the academic restaurant. It has already become the basis for a new urban area and is thus contributing to the development of the city and the region.
“With the successful implementation of the campus project we have reached an important milestone in the life of the university and realised a hundred-year-old dream of Masaryk University’s founders, who strove to build facilities to match its relevance as the second largest Czech university”, Rector Fiala stated during the inauguration festivities.
