The University of South Bohemia (JCU/USB) was founded in 1991. JCU is a public university in the city of České Budějovice with external faculties in the cities of Vodňany and Nové Hrady. USB is a young and dynamic educational institution with a top-quality science and research centre, variety of interesting study fields and individual approach to students. The university has nearly 10.000 students and offers more than 220 bachelors, masters and doctoral study programmes. JCU has eight faculties:
JCU cooperates with over 300 universities around the world, it is a member of the Erasmus programme and supports foreign studies and research trips by students and academic staff and offers a lot of exchange opportunities. It also provides cross-border studies and offers the opportunity of double degree studies at other selected universities. The modern and lively campus is situated within the city and includes a student club, academic library, cafés and playing fields. The University hosts a variety of events and concerts for students and the general public. Accommodation and subsidized food are available at affordable prices. The University of South Bohemia belongs to the top centres for education and research within Central and South Europe and it has become a major research and development centre in South Bohemia. The university offers a wide range of bachelor and master study programmes in foreign languages and different fields of study, such as business, economics and management, nature and social sciences, agriculture, fisheries, environmental protection and ecology, health and health care, education and pedagogy, linguistics and philosophy and 10 double and joint degree programmes. The double-degree programmes of „Biological Chemistry“ and „Bioinformatics“ represent elite bachelor and master study programmes that are carried out within a bilateral cross-border collaboration between the Johannes Kepler University in Linz (Austria) and the Faculty of Science USB. The tuition fees are reasonable and the education of high quality. Postgraduate students may enter different study fields – Management and Business Economics, Philosophy, Charity studies, Fishery, Botany, Zoology, Entomology, Parasitology, Infection Biology, Biochemistry, Hydrobiology, Cell Biology, Physiology and other areas. The university is very active in research and intensively cooperates with acknowledged international universities and research institutions. Its scientists have gained international recognition in various fields and the university boasts major publications and quality research. Scientists from the University of South Bohemia publish the results of their work in the most prestigious scientific journals such as Nature, Science and PNAS. They also receive international recognition and awards.