Modern spaces for teaching and meetings
J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem has completed one of its most significant investments in recent years. The renovation of the Faculty of Education campus on České mládeže Street has transformed the department buildings, auditorium, and connecting corridors into a modern, environmentally friendly, and welcoming space where students and teachers can fully devote themselves to teaching, research, and joint activities.
The construction work, which began in 2024, required the complete closure of the buildings. University life was therefore temporarily moved to alternative premises. However, it was worth the wait: the original office and laboratory spaces of the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Arts, and the UJEP Center for Information Technology were transformed into new classrooms and department facilities.
The large auditorium underwent the most significant transformation. The foundations and masonry were insulated, the roofing and windows were replaced, and the interior was completely rebuilt. The corridors were also renovated and are now bright, spacious, and equipped with three new elevators. The facade was repainted, which visually brightened the entire complex.
The modernization also included the installation of environmentally friendly technologies. A solar power plant was built on the roof of the building, energy-efficient lighting is used throughout the building, and "gray water" is now used – rainwater is collected, treated, and used for flushing toilets.
The new complex is designed to be accessible and welcoming to all. During the renovation, the faculty took into account the recommendations of experts from the Department of Special and Social Education and introduced a number of measures to increase the comfort of students and staff. There is barrier-free access, toilets for people with physical disabilities, a breastfeeding and diaper-changing room for mothers with children, and orientation elements to facilitate movement for people with visual impairments.
"The university environment should set the tone for socially responsible use of space. We wanted everyone to feel comfortable here—whether they are students, teachers, or visitors," says the faculty management.
For the first time in history, all departments of the Faculty of Education are now under one roof. Previously, they were located, for example, on Hoření Street or temporarily in the UJEP building on Králova výšina. The new layout strengthens the cohesion of the faculty and brings greater efficiency and comfort. The total investment in the renovation reached CZK 304 million. Of this, CZK 249 million was subsidized by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, with the remainder covered by the university and the faculty from their own resources.
Students returned to the new premises at the beginning of the winter semester of 2025, and the initial reactions have been very positive. The modern lecture halls and classrooms offer better acoustics, lighting, and technical equipment. "Only full operation will show what still needs to be fine-tuned, but it is already clear that the quality of teaching has taken a big step forward," said the faculty management.
The renovation also revitalized the faculty's cultural life. The Koridor Gallery, a space in the connecting corridor where exhibitions by students of the Department of Visual Culture are held and other cultural events open to the public are planned, has been put back into operation.
The UJEP Faculty of Education is thus entering a new phase of its existence. The modern and environmentally friendly building provides high-quality facilities for more than three thousand students and hundreds of employees. By bringing the departments together under one roof, the faculty has gained a stronger identity and better conditions for educating future teachers, special educators, psychologists, and other professionals.
The renovation is not just a structural transformation. Above all, it is an investment in people and their opportunities to learn, create, and develop in an environment that meets the needs of the 21st century.
