“ESDW is an opportunity for us to share experience, draw inspiration from others and, together with other European universities, look for concrete ways to make higher education institutions more sustainable. We do not see sustainability as a separate topic, but as a principle that should permeate teaching, research and the everyday life of the university,” says Vice-Rector Lenka Wimmerová, commenting on the involvement of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague in European Sustainable Development Week.
From 3 to 8 October 2026, CZU students, employees and members of the public can look forward to several days of activities focusing on sustainability, a healthy lifestyle, responsible consumption, environmental care and mental well-being. The programme will include an autumn swap, a sustainable brunch, a running race through the university forests and a guided tour of the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. The first event of this year’s ESDW at CZU took place on 24 September, with an excursion to the Amálie experimental landscape, where researchers test ways of adapting landscapes to climate change. The main ESDW programme will begin in October.
Saturday 3 October | You Can’t Outrun the Dean – Forestry 15
The fifth edition of the running race, organised by the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences CZU in cooperation with CZU Forests, will take place in the forests around Jevany. The event combines physical activity, time spent in nature and opportunities for students, employees and members of the public to meet in the surroundings of the university forests. Participants can choose between two routes of 7.5 km and 15.2 km, and there will also be a race for children. Entry is free for secondary school and university students, children, and employees of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences and CZU Forests. More information is available here: News – Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences CZU Prague.
Monday 5 October – Thursday 8 October | 8:00–15:00 | Autumn SWAP
An autumn SWAP organised by CZU FreeShop will take place in the Dining Hall area in front of the CZU Shop. You can bring clothes, books or household items you no longer use and take home something that can find a new purpose with you. Please do not bring electronics.
Monday 5 October | 8:00–15:00 | Pluxee Information Stand
CZU employees can visit the Pluxee information stand located in the Dining Hall in front of the CZU Shop. They can find out more about employee benefits and ask any questions related to using them.
Tuesday 6 October | 9:00–9:50 | Webinar: Finding a Smart Balance Between Work and Life
How can you best balance work or study responsibilities with your personal life? An online webinar, organised in cooperation with Hedepy, will offer practical tips for achieving a better balance, as well as space for questions and discussion about mental health and therapy. The webinar is open to students, employees and members of the public.
Join via MS Teams: Join the webinar
Wednesday 7 October | 8:00–12:00 | Sustainable Brunch
Come to the Dining Hall in front of the CZU Shop and discover what sustainability can look like on your plate. You can look forward to Fairtrade refreshments, a chocolate fountain, exotic fruit, chocolate, traditional Czech bundt cakes, coffee and tea. Local food products from the CZU Food Pavilion will also be available, together with tastings of plant-based versions of popular dishes prepared in cooperation with ProVeg.
The “Every Plate Counts” campaign, focused on preventing food waste in the CZU Dining Hall, will also be presented. Visitors interested in composting can receive advice and pick up starter kits for sorting organic waste in their offices.
Thursday 8 October | 11:00–14:00 | Guided Tour of the Greenhouses at the FTZ Botanical Garden
The ESDW programme will culminate in a guided tour of the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden of the CZU Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences. Visitors will also have the opportunity to taste and purchase products made from chilli peppers. Capacity is limited, so advance registration is required: Register for the tour of the greenhouses at the CZU FTZ Botanical Garden.
European Sustainable Development Week at CZU is an opportunity to find inspiration, taste new things, get active, share items that can continue to be useful to others, and learn more about ways to live more sustainably both at the university and beyond.
