A new building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering has opened in Ostrava

Ostrava - A new building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science costing more than one billion crowns was opened today at the premises of the VŠB-TUO (Vysoká škola báňská-Technická univerzita Ostrava). After more than twenty years of the faculty's existence, nearly 4000 students will move into their own space, said Klára Janoušková for the university in a statement to the Czech News Agency.
    "Until now, students of the faculty, whose fields of study are growing in popularity at a geometric rate, had to study in 16 different buildings. The number of students at the faculty has increased more than fourfold since its establishment," said university rector Ivo Vondrák on the occasion of the opening of the new facility.
    The fragmentation of teaching and research spaces was, according to the rector, limiting for the faculty's development. Therefore, the university long sought its own faculty building. "More than 19,000 square meters of the new building will now serve not only for teaching but also for research. In addition to offices for teachers and doctoral candidates, the building provides new lecture halls, classrooms, and 47 new laboratories for teaching and research," said Janoušková.
    The construction of the new building also included the establishment of an automated transport center, which develops and tests components for charging electric vehicles. It can accommodate up to 37 vehicles.
    The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science was established in 1991 and has never had its own building and sufficient facilities for research and teaching. The faculty collaborates closely not only with industrial firms but also with research institutions on a global scale.
    Preparations for the construction of the new building began as early as 2006. The actual construction took place in 2011. The total costs amounted to 1.026 billion crowns, of which 743 million crowns were obtained from European subsidies.
    VŠB-TUO has more than 160 years of tradition. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies across seven faculties, both in full-time and combined forms. The university carries out or participates in numerous projects in the field of research and development and collaborates with various domestic and foreign universities as well as with the private sector. The university has over 20,000 students.