Jihlava University wants its own dormitories within seven years

Jihlava - The intention of the management of the Polytechnic University of Jihlava (VŠPJ) is for students to start using new university dormitories within five to seven years. A facility with services for students and the public could be built on land adjacent to the university. The estimated costs are approximately 400 million crowns, with a capacity of about 250 beds. The only university in the Vysočina region plans to negotiate financing for the construction with the Ministry of Education. VŠPJ rector Václav Báča told ČTK.

Currently, the university offers accommodation to a maximum of 150 interested students in a building rented from the city. This building is located at the opposite end of the city on Brtnická Street. After 15 years of operation, the university still does not have its own dormitories, which according to Báča would be beneficial for the development of student life and for the development of the region and Jihlava as a university town. "Since my arrival, I have been fighting to create academic facilities for the university," said Báča.

Half of VŠPJ students come from the region and commute daily for classes. The subsidized transportation for students supports this as well. Nevertheless, according to Báča, the demand for student accommodation is rising, as rents in Jihlava are increasing due to the demand from foreign employees of local companies. The beds that the university offers are regularly occupied at the beginning of the academic year, even though the accommodation does not meet 21st-century standards. It consists of rooms with up to five beds and shared sanitary facilities on each floor. Since the university does not own this property, it cannot reconstruct it using the grant program from the Ministry of Education designated for the repair of university dormitories.

VŠPJ acquired the land for construction between Tyršova Street and Legionářů Boulevard from the region a few years ago. It intends to apply to the Ministry of Education for financing of the construction. "We argue that university dormitories are an inseparable part of academic land, which is why we would like to enter into negotiations with the Ministry of Education to allocate funds in the national investment program that we could use for the construction," said Báča. According to him, keeping students in the city is beneficial for both the region and the city of Jihlava. "It has been proven that where there is a university, there is a higher quality of life, lower crime rates, and it brings many benefits, it is a healthier city that is lively," said Báča. He believes that the formal preparation of the construction could take about a year, with the development of project documentation and obtaining all necessary permits taking another two years, thus aiming for construction completion between 2023 and 2026.

VŠPJ was established in 2004 as the first public non-university higher education institution in the Czech Republic. It offers nine bachelor's programs and fields focusing on engineering, healthcare, tourism, and management, as well as two master's healthcare programs and seeks further accreditations. It is attended by approximately 2000 students annually.

Last year, it began building a modern educational center, including a lecture hall for 330 listeners, at a cost of about 166 million crowns. It is expected to be completed by the end of this year.