University of Defence was established as of 1 September 2004. That time was a period of institutional integration of the Czech Republic into “western” world structures marked with the crucial milestones such as accession to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (12 March 1999) and European Union (1 May 2004). Viewed from this point, the University is a product of the era following after the post-November transformation and the start of completely different quality processes. That fact reflected in University’s position, form and structure.
The ideas of a new form for military education system at the highest levels of the society began emerging short after Czech Republic accession to NATO; each of the existing military universities modified its internal structure so that it matched the planned consolidation into a single institution. This was established by Act no. 214/2004 on establishing the University of Defence, issued on 2 April 2004. The University of Defence was formed by merging the Military University of the Ground Forces Vyškov, Military Academy Brno and the Military Medical Academy Hradec Králové. In fact, each of the three schools became a faculty of three within the new university after 1 September 2004. Thus, only one military university has remained in the Czech Republic. University of Defence headquarters have deployed in Brno, exactly in the building in Kounicova Street characteristic by its concave shape that had brought its nickname of “Rohlík” in Czech which means typical crescent-shape bread roll. Completed in September 1937, that building belongs to considerable representative samples of architecture of the period between two world wars, designed by architect Bohuslav Fuchs. Since its origin it has been used for military purposes. At first, Moravia and Silesia Territories Military Command seated there replaced by Military Technical Academy in 1951. Today it is the address for University of Defence headquarters and two of its faculties – Faculty of Military Technology that resumes the former Military Academy, and Faculty of Economics and Management continuing in Vyškov military university. While the latter had to move to Brno, the third of the faculties, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, remained deployed in Hradec Králové. The principal actuator of military universities integration into one institution was the request placed by the forces that decidedly modified in 1990s; apart from the changes in technology and processes, the principal effect was caused by complete professionalization of armed forces that came in force early in 2005. Modern, small and quick forces were to get a school that would correspond to their requirements. Therefore, the staff was decided to reduce considerably.
University of Defence commenced at the inauguration ceremony on Friday on 8 October 2004. To lead the university in the position of “rector-commandant”, the minister of defence appointed colonel František Vojkovský who had commanded Brno Military Academy. University component parts were manned as well: lieutenant colonel prof. Ing. Bohuslav Přikryl, Ph.D. became the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, colonel doc. Ing. Josef Bucholcer, CSc., the Dean of the Faculty of Military Technology and colonel doc. MUDr. Roman Prymula, CSc., Ph.D. the Dean of the Faculty of Military Health Sciences. Furthermore, three university institutes completed the University structure: Strategic Studies Institute, Operational and Tactical Studies Institute and NBC Defence Institute, the latter deployed in Vyškov. On 29 April 2005, the University received military unit flag presented solemnly by the armed forces supreme commander Václav Klaus.
University forming process went on under the bestowed colours. Elections for University of Defence Academic Senate, university self-managing body, were held in February and March 2005 followed by its constitutional meeting on 4 April 2005 to unanimously elect prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Zemánek, CSc., the Senate Chairman. Another university body, established as of 22 November 2005, came Scientific Board consisted of 39 permanent members.
Apart from building its internal structure, profiling scientific and teaching activities were facing the university. Document issued by the Ministry of Defence titled “Military Education System Reorganization” determined significant reduction of the fields and programmes of study so that they corresponded to the reduced number of university employees but guaranteed Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degree programmes required by military. However, such an operation plan concept was too general in a manner, especially that university management several times declared the will of resuming and expanding the tradition of military education at the University of Defence to win reputation both nationally and internationally. In addition, there was some kind of obligation to bring up students’ moral, ethic and physique along with forming them into experts in particular fields. However, the University is also responsible for technical courses attended by civilian students as that was mentioned among the school’s mission objectives in the government document of 2006. Compared to other, i.e. “civilian” universities, it is relatively a small institution attended merely by the total number of 1,800 students in the academic year of 2008/2009 and employing some 500 academic staff. On the other hand, the growing interest in studying that school cannot remain unseen; 1337 applications placed in the academic year of 2007/2008 while no less than 2114 for the academic year of 2009/2010. Besides, the University annually hosts General Staff Courses, Senior Officers Courses and lifelong learning courses. Plus, it aspires to be also an institution with live scientific research. That was a reason for lasting discussions and negotiations held to modify University’s legal statute and to give more independence in self-managing to its component parts.
The first elections of the candidates for rector-commandant may be considered the symbolic landmark of University’s existence closing the first stage of constituting a full-bodied school of university type. In those elections, the two candidates for rector-commandant position were brigadier general prof. Ing. Rudolf Urban, CSc., and the acting rector-commandant brigadier general doc. Ing. František Vojkovský, CSc. Senate ballot then elected Rudolf Urban on Friday on 13 June 2005. A month later he was appointed by the Czech president to assume the first three-year office period on 1 August. Rector-commandant’s inauguration ceremony introduced also University’s new vice-rectors in their offices late in November. That originated the first vast personnel rotation since university founding as the positions manned before and left after their appointments by the vice-rectors needed staff. Changes included Academic Senate that elected colonel prof. MUDr. Jiří Kassa, CSc., the new chairman and the leading position at the Faculty of Economics and Management that appointed lieutenant colonel Ing. Petr Čech, Ph.D, the acting Dean, and more changes occurred in short time. The Faculty of Economics and Management interim manning lasted until February 2006 because of incomplete Faculty’s Senate for a long time and thus incompetent to elect a new dean. Only in January 2006 it elected colonel Ing. Miroslav Šuhaj, Ph.D., to lead the Faculty. He was the head till early 2010 being replaced by lieutenant colonel Ing. Vladan Holcner, Ph.D. The Faculty of Military Technology was lead by Josef Bucholcer till his passing away in June 2005. Lieutenant colonel prof. Ing. Zdeněk Vintr, CSc succeeded and came in the office as of 1 August 2005. He then also defended this position for the following period being the only candidate in the elections held in May 2008. Hradec Králové’s Faculty of Military Health Sciences was lead till the end of 2009 by Roman Prymula, handing Dean’s office to the successor of colonel MUDr. Roman Chlíbek, Ph.D. The second, and by then last ones, rector elections took place in May 2008. The Senate elected the only candidate for the position who was Rudolf Urban, already in the office that time. To complete the list of University’s supreme bodies Academic Senate should be mentioned. The last meeting of the original Senate was in March 2008 while its members present at the one month later session came from the second Senate elections. Leading position in the new Senate was in fact defended during the constituting meeting by the former Senate chairman Jiří Kassa. Belonging to the principal university bodies, the Senate was largely responsible for that the University of Defence was a compact and working institution rather than just an empty name for an umbrella of former three universities. Unfortunately, this intention was a bit in contradiction of the continuously ongoing structural changes, such as for the academic year of 2005/2006 the reduction of the number of departments at the Faculty of Economics and Management from twenty-one to sixteen, joining the Strategic Studies and Operational and Tactical Studies Institutes into one (under the name of Strategic and Defence Studies Institute) to eventually form Lifelong Learning Department under the Faculty of Economics and Management umbrella as of 1 January 2010 or founding two all-university centres – Language Training Centre and Physical Training and Sports Centre, to mention the most important modifications in structure.
During the time of its existence, the University has established contacts and cooperation with foreign military schools. International cooperation has most remarkably reflected in receiving “Erasmus University Charter” and in the participation in the first military higher schools students meeting at Saint-Cyr that opened Erasmus programme among military schools. However, the closest contacts have grown within Central Europe region. The University of Defence has regularly been organising exercises (“Alpe”, “Brezina” and “Pokljuka”) together with the Slovenian officer school for several years in summer and winter seasons. The events are held so that they make cadets practice their skills and apply knowledge to get ready for service in international units. Another noticeable event is the international logistics exercise of FourLog participated in by military university cadets from Hungary and Austria, along with the Czech Republic. Various sport clubs working under the University of Defence or sport days organised at rector and dean levels and offering numerous sports to participate in document the accent placed on the physical part of education. Probably the most acknowledged event is “Winter Survival”, a four-day competition held annually since 1994 in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains. It is a three-member team competition simulating military patrol operation in a winter mountain area. Long time the winners came from mountain rescuer school of Saalfelden, Austria.
Duties of service have often brought University of Defence personnel abroad, such as to European Union Military Staff in Brussels or to multinational missions, for example in the field hospital deployed in Afghanistan or in the EUFOR unit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Besides, University personnel have several times proved their qualities in floods relief effort in the Czech Republic erecting temporary bridges. As mentioned above, the University of Defence endeavours after complying with its research mission, too. The results include numerous (international) conferences and also particular outputs, such as a new obstacle element presented at the military exhibition in Slovakia in 2006 or a year later revealed FW-26 wing (an unmanned flying vehicle model) or an original biovac design to transport ill people. The Faculty of Military Health Sciences introduced a new otitis media vaccine early in 2006. In 2007, a bakery laboratory was established to study the options of improved feeding for personnel in overseas missions.
The negotiations on University of Defence eventual form were accompanied by parallel reconstruction of “Czech and Moravian Civilian Employees in Military Forces Union”. Two cells were established on the same date as the University founded – one for the components deployed in Brno, the other for Hradec Králové faculty. The Brno cell represents the largest trade union unit within the Czech Ministry of Defence. Several more social clubs and societies are organised under the University of Defence, out of which “Czech and Slovak Artillery Community Club” or “Military Retired Club” may be named. The key role in the social life is played by the University Club. Czech Military Spiritual Support is represented by a chaplain serving at the University of Defence. The first chaplain appointed on 1 September 2005 was 1LT Mgr. Martin Vařeka replaced by captain Mgr. Jan Pacner in 2008. Czech military forces are also the guarantor and protector of national military traditions. In those terms, the University organises regular commemorative meetings and events and spreads history awareness. It should be mentioned here that the University organised exhibitions devoted to important persons in Czech military history – Alois Eliáš and Heliodor Píka – in cooperation with Military Historical Institute and Hrabyně World War II Memorial, respectively.
The University of Defence has undergone many changes and transformation during its existence so far. Using a bit of overstatement, “change” has been incorporated in this institution’s existence. Though, differences of a kind may be identified in the changes quality. The two first semesters period (i.e. till spring 2005 approximately) was a university building stage followed by a period in which the prevailing occurred changes resulted from forces requirements. This book after all has been written in the need of coping with, consideration of and evaluation of university’s recent development from the eternally variable horizon of present.