The number of students at Czech universities will start decreasing as from 2012. This will also contribute to a reduction of the number of universities which is at present excessive. The reduction would mainly afflict private universities.
Last year, the Czech Institute for Information in Education registered 26 public and 45 private universities operating in the country.
According to the Czech Rectors’ Conference head Petr Fiala, this is too much given the population size.
Universities have admitted more and more students in the past years although the number of people capable of studying at universities remains the same in the Czech population, Fiala said for the Czech press agency.
Around the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 the numbers of students at universities will decrease and the number of universities should be adapted to this.
As it would be easier to get to university, interest in private schools would fall.
Lack of specialists
Josef Juenger, rector of the private University of Management, said further students would select such departments of study that would give them better opportunities to assert themselves on the labour market.
Czech students are mainly interested in studying humanities and social sciences while employers seek mainly information technologies specialists and engineers, he said.
