Partners

Department of Environmental Studies
Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University

The Department of Environmental Studies, with a background in environmental sociology, psychology, economics and environmental humanities, takes as its starting point the historic and cultural causes of the environmental crisis and looks for possible solutions in the areas of social, economic, legal and political studies and their interactions, considering also natural sciences approach. The bachelor’s program combines knowledge from the natural sciences, the social sciences and humanities and a wide array of practically focused courses. The environmental studies master’s program has been for more than sixteen years a unique meeting place for graduates of various bachelor’s programs. Our master’s students hold undergraduate degrees in social sciences, natural sciences, economics, law, arts and technical sciences. Thus, our department comprises a diverse community in which students, scholars with various academic backgrounds, and experienced “real world” professionals transgress the boundaries of individual disciplines, expand and deepen their understanding of the relationship between humans and the environment.

Department of Development and Environmental Studies
Faculty of Science, Palacký University

The Department of Development and Environmental Studies was the first department of development studies in Central Europe and the first traditional university in the Czech Republic to establish a bachelor studyline focused on Sustainable Development. The department’s international reputation is underlined by rich collaboration within Europe as well as outside of the continent (e.g. student and staff exchanges with about 30 universities within the Erasmus+ program). In 2013, the Department earned a prestigious EADI accreditation (The International Accreditation Council for Global Development Studies and Research) for its Czech International Development Studies master’s program. In 2014, it started Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development bachelor programme. In 2017, the new Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree of International Development Studies was opened.

Sluňákov, Centre for Environmental Activities

The Centre for Environmental Activities Sluňákov is a well-established and certified organisation dealing with environmental education, training and dialogue intermediation. It has been providing programmes for schools, as well as informal education in the fields of history, psychology, pedagogy, global development and technology and organising related events for the public in the form of lectures, seminars, excursions and workshops for more than 30 years. Moreover, Sluňákov, by means of a wide range of activities, has always been trying to connect individuals and organisations acting in various areas of the natural and social sciences, art, municipal and regional administration and business. These activities include lectures, hands-on presentations, exhibitions, artistic performances and publishing, and are also aimed at creating space suitable for sharing visions concerning the general issues of humanity and the surrounding world. These are particularly demonstrated during the Environmental Days Olomouc festival that deals with a broad context of environmental issues, with lecturers coming from various backgrounds (universities, NGOs, business) and performing artists of various genres and expressions.

Sluňákov as an organisation is an ideological originator and a practical operator of the unique outdoor Nature Gallery of which main purpose is to intensify the relationship between humans and nature by means of the land art and the physical and mental perception of art objects and the surrounding landscape. It is inspired by a composed landscape and romantic English gardens and includes land-art objects by the leading Czech artists. The Nature Gallery tries to convey the interconnectedness between natural, mental, physical and cultural processes and is a place to reflect about the role of humans in the world and their approach to other living beings and unliving objects. The Nature Gallery also is a site where Sluňákov holds its educational programmes for school children, guided tours, landart workshops and various cultural events for the general public.

Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies
Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, University of South-East Norway

The department offers study programmes in outdoor recreation, sports and physical education, as well as in food- and health-related disciplines. It focuses on sustainability, entrepreneurship and relevance to future careers in work. It works actively to develop its studies portfolio and promote research and results dissemination and in all its disciplines.

The department offers both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in sports and outdoor recreational studies, as well as teacher training in physical education and sports disciplines. It also makes a key contribution to teacher training for Primary and Lower Secondary school, and Pre-school teachers, as well as offering practical pedagogic training. It also offers three, less extensive, international study programmes.