The history of the Silesian University in Opava (Slezská univerzita v Opavě) is relatively short. It was established by a law passed by the Czech National Council on July 9, 1991. However, for more than a hundred years, Opava‘s cultural representatives had proposed the creation of an institution of the university type, applying in 1870, 1945 and 1968. Only after the political changes in 1989 their dream came true and two faculties were created in close cooperation with the Masaryk University in Brno: the Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava and the School of Business Administration in Karviná. Since 1991 the Silesian University has been expanding. In 1999 the Mathematical Institute in Opava was established after its separation from the Faculty of Philosophy and Science. In 2008 several other institutes were separated from the same faculty and the Faculty of Public Policies in Opava was created. The youngest part of the university – the Institute of Physics was founded in 2020.
The Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava is equally dedicated to both humanities and artistic disciplines, offering bachelor, master and doctoral study programs. The humanities are represented by Linguistics, Library Science, History and Archaeology while Creative Photography and Movie, and Television and Broadcast creation fall within the artistic disciplines. Additionally, the faculty offers programme focusing on Computer Science.
The Faculty of Public Policies in Opava provides a wide range of education suitable for the public service sector. The faculty offers bachelor programs in Social Work in Public Administration, Social Pathology and Prevention, Educational Care for Seniors, Special Education, General Nursing, Midwifery and Dental Hygiene. The master programs are aimed at Public Administration and Social Policy and Special Education.
The School of Business Administration in Karviná focuses not only on the regional and entrepreneurial field but also on analysing and evaluating the impact of globalisation and integration processes on individual sectors of the Czech economy. The school offers bachelor, master and doctoral study programs in Economics, Marketing, Management, Finance and Banking, Economic Policy and Administration and Management Informatics.
The Mathematical Institute in Opava is devoted to study programs oriented towards Mathematics, covering bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
The Institute of Physics in Opava specialises in Applied Physics, Theoretical physics and Astrophysics while offering bachelor, master and doctoral study programs.
The Silesian University in Opava is a member of the European University Association and other international institutions. With the beginning of the third millennium, the university successfully underwent a demanding evaluation process carried out by the European University Association. The university is also a holder of the prestigious HR Excellence in Research Award . This award guarantees a high-quality working environment that meets European standards in employee care and openness and transparency in selection procedures.
Our university is involved in several international student and teacher exchange programmes, particularly within the framework of ERASMUS , and applies ECTS credits and standards in all its study programs. Also, the university collaborates with foreign universities in many research projects. In 2022 it became a member of STARS EU Alliance – the Strategic Alliance for Regional Transition. An alliance between nine complementary European universities was established to build collaboration in initiatives of different types. The goal is to promote the exchange of ideas, people and innovation in both research and teaching innovation in the classic functions of the university in the face of a future of unprecedented social change. In 2023, the Alliance gained the Erasmus+ European University Initiative grant.
The administrative seat of the Silesian University is located in Opava, a historical town originating from the 12th century with a rich history and significant cultural background. Initially, it was a seat of the Princedom of Opava, later a capital of the then-named Austrian Silesia, one of the provinces of the Habsburg Monarchy. Afterwards, in the times of the former Czechoslovakia, Opava represented a seat of the administration of the Silesian County. Until the end of the second decade of the 20th century, Opava was the political and administrative centre of the region.
