History of Prague University of Economics and Business

1953

• By government regulation, the VŠPHV is dissolved effective September 1, 1953, and a new University of Economics is created by substantially expanding its Faculty of Economics, the establishment of which is being prepared throughout the academic year 1952/53. General Economics, Production Economics, Internal Trade (soon to be renamed the Faculty of Internal and Foreign Trade), Finance and Credit, and the Faculty of Statistics; the seat of the new college was the building of the former apprenticeship school or the rector’s office of the VŠPHV (today’s Old Building) in Žižkov.

1968

• The Faculty of Political Economy is renamed the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Production Economics and the Faculty of Commerce remain, and the Institute of National Economic Planning is renamed the Faculty of Management – these four faculties made up the VŠE throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
• Teachers and students participated in the reform process, and students who had been excluded from studies in the period since 1948 were rehabilitated. Teachers and students take part in non-violent resistance against the Soviet occupation, students organize the November strike and other protest actions. Many of the staff and students of the VŠE go into exile.

1989

• The student strike, supported by most teachers and staff, contributes to the victory of the “Velvet Revolution” in Czechoslovakia.

1991

• As a result of the reorganization of the structure of the University, five new faculties were established: the Faculty of Finance and Accounting, the Faculty of International Relations, the Faculty of Business Administration, the Faculty of Informatics and Statistics, and the Faculty of Economics.
• Since the academic year 1991/92, VŠE has been the first university in Czechoslovakia to introduce a credit system into its studies – studies are still organized as a three-stage system: bachelor’s, engineering, and doctoral.
• The Association of Alumni and Friends of VŠE is founded.

1993

• The completion of the construction of the VŠE campus in Jižní Město means a further significant expansion of the school’s facilities by a total of 15 157 m2 of usable space.

1998

• The VŠE is expanding by a sixth faculty, which is the Faculty of Management in Jindřichův Hradec, which until now operated within the University of South Bohemia, based in České Budějovice.
• Based on an international evaluation, VŠE becomes a full member of the prestigious Community of European Management Schools (CEMS).
• The first of the VŠE’s scientific journals, Political Economy, is included in the JCR Social Science database Web of Knowledge and becomes an impacted journal.
• A new auditorium is completed on the premises of the school’s headquarters in Žižkov.

2000

• For the first time in the school’s history, a woman is elected to the head of VŠE, prof. Ing. Jaroslava Durčáková, CSc.

2006

• VŠE is introducing the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

2010

• The multifunctional sports hall in Třebešín is handed over.
• Another scientific journal of the VŠE Prague Economic Papers is included in the JCR Social Science database Web of Knowledge, which becomes the second impacted journal of the school.

2011

• The second scientific journal of the University of Economics, Prague Economic Papers, was awarded an impact factor.

2013

• VŠE celebrates the 60th anniversary of its foundation, which it commemorated with an extensive exhibition held at the school’s headquarters in Žižkov and the Faculty of Management in Jindřichův Hradec.
• VŠE opens a university kindergarten.

2014

• For the second time in the history of the university, a woman is elected to the head of the university, prof. Ing. Hana Machková, CSc.

2015

• VŠE is opening a university business accelerator called Xport.
• VŠE becomes a member of the international organization AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), which grants business schools around the world the prestigious “Business Accreditation”.
• VŠE becomes a member of the PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) initiative.
• In cooperation with Hospodářské noviny, a new project of VŠE is launched on…
• The first volume of a multi-volume series on the history of the University of Economics is published.
• VŠE awards an honorary doctorate to the American economist Prof. Richard H. Thaler, who two years later receives the Nobel Prize.

2016

• Based on the AACSB’s decision, the accreditation process of the VŠE has started.
• VŠE awards honorary doctorate to British economist M. Hashem Pesaran, world-leading expert in organizational anthropology and cross-cultural management Prof. Geert Hofstede and world-leading expert in management Prof. Henry Mintzberg.
• The “Vencovsky Club” was inaugurated.

2017

• The Faculty of Business Administration receives the prestigious international EQUIS accreditation.
• A new international advisory body, the VŠE International Advisory Board, is established, comprising representatives of leading European business universities and top Czech managers.
• VŠE awards an honorary doctorate to Prof. Hans-Werner Sinn, an internationally renowned scholar in the field of general macroeconomics and economic policy and one of the most influential economists of today.
• The Rector of the University of Economics is elected to the Presidency of the European University Association.

2018

• Within the new national accreditation rules, VŠE receives institutional accreditation for the field of education in Economics and Informatics.
• VŠE commemorates the role of VŠE in 1968 with an exhibition in the RB Atrium and a separate professional monograph.

2019

• The Rector of VŠE is elected President of the Czech Association of MBA Schools (CAMBAS).
• Rector of VŠE is appointed President of the International Advisory Board of rayon, School of Management.
• For the first time, VŠE awards the most popular teachers of all six faculties in the “Educator of the Year” award.
• The Faculty of Management celebrates 25 years, and the Gaudeamus VŠE Folklore Ensemble celebrates 70 years of existence.
• VŠE together with the Prague 3 Municipality organizes an exhibition on the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.
• A commemorative plaque of former student Jan Palach is unveiled at the VŠE.

2020

• The Faculty of Business Administration will defend the prestigious international EQUIS accreditation.
• The Faculty of Economics is ranked 50th in the Financial Times ranking.
• Engineers Prague wins the first year of the University Ice Hockey League.

2021

• Doc. Ing. Petr Dvořák, Ph.D. is elected 12th Rector of the University of Economics
• Based on the decision of the AACSB, the final phase of the international accreditation process of the VŠE has been initiated.
• The Premiere Night of Scientists will take place at the University of Economics.

2022

• The MIM CEMS program is ranked 25th in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2022.
• The Rector of VŠE is elected Vice-Chairman of the Czech Rectors’ Conference.
• For the first time, a Week of Innovation in Teaching is organized during the semester.

2023

• At VŠE, we are opening an art gallery PARADISE GALLERY in the atrium of the Rajská building.
• On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the school, the biggest festival of the VŠE students “VŠE Birthday” takes place at Jarov.