From February 1, 2026, the future direction of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague will be in the hands of the current first vice-rector, Michal Lošťák. The new rector of CZU was appointed on Tuesday, January 20, by the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, along with other candidates elected by the senates of their universities during the autumn. In addition to CZU, Charles University, CTU, Mendel University in Brno, and the Technical University in Liberec will also have new leadership from February. The rectors of the other universities will continue in their current positions.
Professor Michal Lošťák (* December 3, 1963, Šumperk) will lead the university in 2026–2030. He has previously served as the first vice-rector and vice-rector for international relations at CZU and as a lecturer at the Department of Humanities of the Faculty of Business Economics at CZU. He focuses on regional and rural development, as well as the socio-cultural and socio-economic context of agriculture and food. His focus is also on social innovation. He is the guarantor of the follow-up master´s degree program, Public Administration and Regional Development, and the doctoral degree program, Social and Regional Development. He participated in seven projects of the Horizon program or its predecessors (he coordinated one of the projects as the principal investigator).
Professor Lošťák bases his vision of the further development of CZU on building an excellent university, the result of joint activities and successes of the academic community, employees, and students. He considers strengthening the community and creating an environment where people feel good and perform well as a priority for shaping the university´s overall atmosphere. “For me, it is essential that we focus our efforts on creating a sense of safety and security in today´s turbulent waters. We are constantly confronted with the fact that what was common and self-evident for us not long ago suddenly stops working. However, we need a sense of security and safety, and it is precisely this that the university should give us, stimulating us to be ever better. When we feel good here, we will function better. Then we will perform excellently in the long term,” notes the incoming rector of CZU, Michal Lošťák.
In his opinion, the following paths lead to excellence: Innovation in teaching based on the latest student-oriented knowledge; acceleration of technology transfer; continued support for scientific activities in prestigious grant schemes and socially desirable areas using the university´s human potential; a safe environment and facilities that are friendly to all and support the pursuit of excellence; international cooperation within the framework of an alliance of universities called Euroleague for Life Sciences; use of artificial intelligence for the benefit of the entire university; fairness in the distribution of state resources among universities in the Czech Republic and fundraising as a means of supporting excellence.
