Rector Zdeněk Horák: We teach informatics mainly practically

Why should a person interested in studying computer science choose your course of study?

At the College of Polytechnics Jihlava (VŠPJ) we teach computer science mainly practically - in the form of projects in which experts from companies participate. Our goal is not only to provide the necessary theoretical foundations, but mainly to prepare students for how to use this knowledge in the real world. Teaching here is not just about lectures - students work on specific tasks, join teams and have the opportunity to work with companies during their studies. Thanks to this, they gain experience that will be useful to them right after school.

What makes you different from other faculties or schools offering the field?

What makes us different is our personal approach, where our learners are not just numbers in the system, but real partners. From the beginning we try to work with them individually and support them in what they are good at. We also have a strong connection with practice - we cooperate with a number of companies where students of the Bachelor's programme in Applied Informatics can gain valuable experience already during their studies thanks to professional practice and real projects.

What opportunities do you offer students to get involved in practice or research during their studies?

At the VŠPJ, a compulsory professional internship is part of the studies, thanks to which students gain valuable experience directly from the environment of companies and institutions. In addition, they can participate in various projects or research grants during their studies. We support talented students who have the desire to work on research or development tasks and want to advance professionally during their studies.

What are the post-graduation career opportunities for graduates?

There has long been a great demand for IT graduates, not only in the field of information technology, but also in healthcare, industry, agriculture or logistics. Thanks to the broad focus of our studies, our graduates can find employment in a variety of positions, such as programmers, network and hardware administrators, web, desktop and mobile application developers or database administrators. However, there are many more options - it depends on what one enjoys and what one wants to do.

What should an applicant to study computer science consider before applying?

First and foremost, an applicant should ask themselves two simple questions: do I enjoy IT technology? Do I want to learn new things? If the answer to both is "yes", then this is a great foundation for studying computer science at the VŠPJ. We are looking for students who are curious, eager to explore new technologies and not afraid of challenges - at the VŠPJ they will find an environment that fully supports them in this.