Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Czechia, is one of the PIONEER Alliance universities and I got the chance to visit their international week April 7-11, 2025. The university is named after the famous shoemaker Tomas Bata. It was their 12th international week organized.
Tomas Bata University is a modern, open, and flexible higher education institution. Its central values are entrepreneurship, openness, usefulness, creativity, and responsibility. It has over nine thousand students at six faculties. International students from all over the world form 10 per cent of student population and create an international atmosphere on campus. The international activities receive maximum support, since their goal is to offer all students interested in spending at least a part of their studies abroad a possibility to do so. (Tomas Bata University 2025.) The welcome center for international students organizes many events for the students, like “battle of the nations,” where students from different countries present different dishes. This is for local and international students together.
The study and research focus areas are management, marketing, economics, finance, accounting, industrial engineering, information systems, enterprise economics, statistics, quantitative methods, regional development, public sector, tourism economics, sports management, and sustainability. (Tomas Bata University 2025.)
The research focus of TBU is on polymer engineering, applied informatics and creative specializations. The common fields of study with Laurea are business, management and economics, informatics, security, and nursing. We visited one simulation hospital space, and I learned that they receive foreign nursing students for 2–6-month traineeships. The challenge is the language, so they support the situation by providing translation help from students. (Tomas Bata University 2025.)
The degree programmes in English are:
- Bachelor’s Degree programmes: Economics and Management, Finance and Financial Technologies
- Master´s Degree programmes: Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Management and Marketing, Finance (especially Corporate Finance, Financial Markets and Technologies)
- PhD: Industrial Engineering, Economics and Management, Finance, Tourism economics
TBU has ranked best among Czech Higher Education Institutes in Business and Management and Accounting in Finance in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023.
Facts about Czechia
- According to 2024 Global Peace Index, Czechia is 12th most peaceful country in the world
- There are over two thousand castles in Czechia, more than in any other country in Europe. Famous ones are Hluboka, Bouzov, Lednice, Orlik and Karlstejn Castles. Prague castle is the largest ancient castle in the word, in Guinness World Records.
- Czechia is a country of architecture, where Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Romanesque, Classicism, Art-Nouveau, Cubism, Functionalism and even architecture from the communist era are all in display in the country.
- Czech inventions: 1959 soft contact lenses (Otto Wichterle), genetics and inheritance principles (Johan Gregor Mendel), the creation of word “robot” (Josef Capek).
- World-known Czech brands: Pilsner Urquell, Skoda, Bata shoes, Becherovka. (Tomas Bata University 2025.)
Zlín as a city
Zlín is located at eastern part of Czechia. The fastest way is to fly directly to Vienna and take the train from the airport to Vienna main railway station. There are direct trains from there to Otrokovice and from there you can take the trolleybus to Zlín. This all takes about 3 hours.
The city of Zlín has a population of approximately 75,000 residents. The city is still largely influenced by the former Bata shoe factory since the city center still has the buildings but in another use. There is the Bata villa, resident house of the Bata Foundation, Tomas Bata Memorial, and the houses that the factory workers used to live in, now still in use.
The city center is very compact, and you can easily walk anywhere. There are green areas and parks you can enjoy in the spring and summer season. Zlín is active culturally and they organize several events, regarding sports and for example Zlín Design Week. This was the perfect time to visit when cherry trees were blossoming, and the spring was arriving.
Zlín city center view. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
Programme
Monday April 7, 2025
The international week started with registration and welcome coffee at the opening, where we met TBU staff members, and they introduced their university. We also presented ourselves and our universities. TBU has 112 international agreements. They participate in healthcare Blended Intensive Programmes. They receive incoming students mostly from China, Korea, France, Spain, Poland, and Türkiye. More than 16 per cent of students are international. They have more than one hundred international students each academic year. They have four double degree programmes, with University of Huddersfield (UK), Ton Duc Thang University (Vietnam), Baku Business University (Azerbaijan) and Fort Hays State University (USA).
International atmosphere on campus. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
After that we had an excursion to the Faculty of Humanities and the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, where we heard a presentation. They teach general nursing. Examples of courses are nursing procedures, nursing, anatomy, physiology and pathopsychology, basics of biophysics and biochemistry, pharmacology, clinical propaedeutics, clinical nursing (in internal medicine, surgery, and other fields) and psychology and communication. Their practical training is 2300 hours. Their health and social care degree has these types of courses: physiology, sociology, psychology, developmental psychology, personality psychology, psychopathology, somatology, basics of pathology, theory and methods of social work, social services, basics of nursing, basics of internal medicine and basics of surgery. The practical training they have is 840 hours. They also have a degree in home and hospice care which includes courses like nursing, home care, hospice care, palliative care, pharmacology, specialized care in clinical fields, pain management, chronic wound care, psychology, and ethics. Their professional practice is 320 hours. This would be an exciting place for Laurea nursing and social services teachers to visit and plan collaboration.
One of simulation spaces. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
The campuses have modern facilities, coffee shops, filtered free water and nice relaxing spaces.
After lunch at the student canteen, we heard a presentation by František Brázdilík about well-being activities for students and staff. He works at TBU Welcome Centre and meets all the international students and organizes programme for them. Welcome center is a part of the UTB International Office and focuses on comprehensive advisory services primarily (but not exclusively) for international students, staff, and their families working at UTB in Zlín, for example with VISAs, residency, accommodation, health, translations, finances, among others. We discussed and shared various best practices regarding well-being in the well-being workshop.
In the evening, we had a great welcome buffet at the rooftop of student accommodation with TBU representatives and local music.
Tuesday April 8, 2025
The second day started with an excursion to the Faculty of Multimedia Communications, Art and Design ateliers and Centre for Digitalization of Education. We heard a presentation and saw students working on various projects, with photo shoots, filming etc.
Student projects. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
Then we went to one of the Tomas Bata Factory buildings, to Creative Workshop “ROBOTA”, where we got the chance to try various artistic methods ourselves, for example, adding a photo or text to a tote bag, engraving art to glass, putting together a small wallet from leftover leather, using 3D printers etc. This was so interesting that I could have stayed there the entire day!
After lunch we had a guided tour in “14115 BATA INSTITUTE”. This industrial building of Bata shoe factory area is converted into a modern cultural and educational center with art museum, museum of the area and regional library.
In the afternoon we got the chance to visit the Zlín ”Skyscraper” building nr. 21, which used to be the administration building of the shoe company. During the day on campus there was also the” International Festival – taste of different cultures”, where exchange and other international students present their countries with costumes, music and delicacies. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit this.
Wednesday April 9, 2025
We started the day with an excursion to the Faculty of Applied Informatics. The degree of Information technology in administration includes computer technology, information systems, office software, computer graphics (2D and 3D), computer networks, database: basic legislative norms, tax and accounting law, banking and insurance, economics and accounting, professional communication, public relations and marketing and communication.
We had a presentation of international marketing and promotion by the international office staff of TBU where we shared knowledge and best practices. We heard about TBU student events, like welcoming first-year students, opening of academic year, Mardi gras, beer spiral, international student day, international week, business day, UTB gala evening, among many other great get-togethers at bars or tea houses. We discussed international marketing and its importance, to engage students and academics, maintain international reputation, building relationships, informing, boosting the number of applicants and to provide insights.
This was followed by an introduction of the Faculty of Technology and Faculty of Management and Economics. The contact person there is Eva Chmelarova, who is working at the international office of Faculty of Management and Economics.
Coffee workshop and tasting. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
The next stop was the Department of Food Technology which resembles our Bar Laurea hospitality learning environment, where we had an experiential excursion. We got to smell different coffee beans, saw a special technique to make coffee, and tasted different fermented drinks. This is a place where Laurea hospitality students could collaborate. This was exciting! The contact for this is Miroslava Simonikova, also from the international office of Faculty of technology. They have about ninety courses in English, possibilities for traineeships and free Czech language courses for foreigners. The Degree courses that they offer in English (master level) are polymer engineering, environmental engineering, food technology, biomaterials and cosmetics and chemistry of food and bioactive compounds. This could be a collaboration point for Laurea hospitality management and beauty and cosmetics. They have their own department of food technology and a department of food analysis and chemistry. For the beauty and cosmetics at Laurea the closest is Department of Fat, Surfactant and Cosmetics Technology.
The afternoon session was the most interesting for me since it was about inclusion. We first heard the presentation about support for students with specific needs by TBU Counselling Centre staff member Veronika Janštová. Then we all who work with inclusion topics introduced ourselves, our universities and inclusion activities. I presented the concept of Inclusion Academy and discussed how well-being and students support activities are organized at Laurea. I presented my role as senior specialist in the international services but also supporting and guiding international exchange students, especially those with special needs. Inclusion is one of the Erasmus+ key topics and my professional interest, so I was happy to present Laurea support services in this session and learning from others.
Thursday April 10, 2025
The morning started by departure by bus to the city of Kromeriz, which is located outside Zlín in the same Zlín region. It has 28 620 inhabitants, and it is mostly known for its castle, which we visited. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The caste and its surrounding park were beautiful. The park had also some animals around it. We had lunch in the old town in a traditional Czech restaurant. After lunch we had a guided tour in the city and Flower Garden. I can recommend TBU and this staff warmly for Laurea staff members to visit (special education teachers, career counselors etc.).
Chateau of Kromeriz. Photo by Sini Aalto-Friman
Friday April 11, 2025
The last day was reserved for individual meetings, so I met again with Veronika Janštová from Counselling Centre. We discussed our work and found similarities. The discussion focused on the topics of TBU Counseling Centre (Psychological Counseling, Social Counseling, Legal Counseling and Centre for Students with Special Needs), Educational Counseling and Social Safety.I had a meeting with coach Hana Záhorovská, who explained her work and her role. Lastly, I had a meeting with career advisor Marek Prokop, who told me about his work, activities they do etc. This resembles our Career Services at Laurea.
PIONEER and future collaboration
Laurea has already had collaboration with TBU regarding student exchange. We also organized the AI Symposium together with TBU in 2024 at Laurea. One Laurea student is attending a Blended Intensive Course at TBU. Some Laurea students are considering an exchange period at TBU. We also had visitors from TBU during our international week at Laurea this summer, 2025.
TBU is an exciting place to be visited, especially for an international week. They organize Blended Intensive Programmes and summer schools for students and Laurea students can go for student exchange there. When we are all in PIONEER alliance, both staff and student mobilities are recommended to PIONEER destinations, so this is an interesting choice for that.
“You can achieve anything you want.“-Tomas Bata
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