The Faculty of Economics at the Prague University of Economics and Business Publishes Its 2024 Annual Report

The Faculty of Economics (NF VŠE) at the Prague University of Economics and Business presents its Annual Report for 2024, which offers an overview of the faculty’s most significant achievements and key developments throughout the year.

Below is a selection of highlights from the report:

Research Activities

In 2024, the faculty implemented two projects funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR). The first, titled “Rural Resilience in the Context of the Digital Divide Between Urban and Rural Areas”, focused on assessing the challenges and opportunities of digitalization in territorial development. The project was completed in 2024 by the Department of Regional Studies (principal investigator: Prof. Ing. Martin Pělucha, Ph.D.).

The second GAČR project, “Who Is Speaking? Pragmatics and Ethics of Large Language Models in Democracy”, was carried out by the Department of Philosophy (principal investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Mgr. Miroslav Vacura, Ph.D.).

The Department of Regional Studies also continued its involvement in a contract research project for the European Commission entitled “Support to the Implementation of the Just Transition in the Czech Republic.”
The Department of Economic and Social Policy conducted a study titled “Economic Assessment of Nuclear Power Plant Expansion in the Czech Republic,” while the Department of Economics worked on the project “Analysis of the Financial Health of the Municipality of Velké Popovice.”

In spring 2024, the Centre for Economics, Energy, and Public Policy was established as a platform for supporting scientific, educational, and public outreach activities. Student interest in using the Laboratory of Experimental Economics continued to grow, particularly for collecting data for theses. A core group of students also became involved as research assistants supporting the lab’s operations. In 2024, the laboratory was also made available to researchers and students from other faculties of VŠE, as well as from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University, CERGE-EI, and the Technical University of Ostrava.

In terms of output, NF VŠE academics published:

  • 30 articles in impact factor journals (including 4 in Q1 D1, 1 in Q1 D2, and 8 in Q2),

  • 5 articles in Scopus-indexed journals,

  • 8 peer-reviewed articles,

  • 6 monographs,

  • 3 chapters in edited volumes,

  • and various additional scholarly works.

Teaching Activities

The year 2024 marked the final year of instruction in 13 degree specializations under the now-expired accredited programs Economics and Economic Administration and Economic Policy. Simultaneously, teaching continued in 14 newly accredited programs across all three levels of study (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral), including two English-taught programs.

The mentoring program for bachelor’s and master’s students successfully continued in 2024, involving collaborative workshops between students and alumni. The program entered its third year in the autumn semester.

Prior to the start of the 2024/2025 winter semester, first-year students participated in traditional multi-day orientation events designed to help them transition into university life. As part of this support, a mathematics bridging course was offered, which attracted substantial student interest.

To recognize academic excellence, the faculty once again organized a Ceremony Honouring the Best Students of NF VŠE. A total of 21 top-performing bachelor’s students and 10 outstanding master’s students were awarded.

International Relations

In 2024, NF VŠE expanded and deepened its cooperation with Ocean University of China, renewing and strengthening this strategic partnership. The collaboration included preparations for future winter and summer schools and laid the foundation for long-term academic and research exchange.

Student interest in international mobility increased significantly, with 82 students going abroad for study stays—a year-on-year increase of 34%. The faculty continues to actively encourage and support student participation in international study programs and internships.

NF VŠE also welcomed several international visiting lecturers in 2024, who delivered specialized courses and workshops (e.g., Dr. Belesis, Dr. Koutmeridis). These visits contribute to the European comparability and internationalization of teaching at the faculty.

Other Activities

In 2024, the faculty once again participated in the Innovation Week, organizing a series of lectures by prominent figures from both the Czech Republic and abroad. Several excursions were also arranged for students, including visits to the Czech National Bank (ČNB), Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ), the National Archives, and the Museum of Communism.

The faculty regularly collected and analyzed student feedback in cooperation with the NF VŠE Alumni Club, which grew to nearly 500 members over the past year. The faculty management also held regular meetings with students, offering space for open dialogue beyond the formal teaching framework.

Finally, the Expert Institute of NF VŠE produced six expert opinions in 2024.