ZČU will begin the reconstruction of the faculty of health sciences this year for 200 million CZK

Plzeň - The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (ZČU) will begin extensive reconstruction of the Faculty of Health Studies building this summer, costing more than 200 million crowns. This is the building of the former general directorate of Škoda in Tylova Street, near the center; currently, the faculty is temporarily located in a building on Husova Street. This will be the largest investment of the year for the school, which has 11,500 students and 2,100 employees. CTK was informed by the bursar, Petr Beneš. The Ministry of Education has already allocated a grant for the school, which will cover about 90 percent of eligible costs. The decision on the allocation of the grant will be received by ZČU after the tender is concluded.

"We wanted to reconstruct the building last year, but unfortunately none of the applicants met the conditions of the tender. We are now preparing a new competition for the contractor in cooperation with the Ministry of Education," said Beneš. It should be known by mid-year. The construction is expected to take 13 months, and from September 2019, students should already be in the renovated building.

The faculty with 880 students will utilize about half to 60 percent of the space in the former Škoda directorate building, meaning all floors from the main entrance of the company to the second entrance of the building. "For the remaining part towards the forges, we are looking for solutions on how to further utilize it," Beneš stated.

The complete Faculty of Health Studies is expected to move into the renovated building during the summer holidays in 2019. "In addition to centralizing the faculty into one building, they will improve laboratory spaces and classrooms to meet the standard of other faculties. The library, which is currently located on Sedláčkova Street, will also be moved there," Beneš added.

The planned costs for the reconstruction exceed 200 million crowns. "The exact amount will come from the tender," said the bursar.

Thus, ZČU will now teach in three locations in Pilsen - at the main campus Zelený trojúhelník in Bory, in the center near the square, and in the building of the former Škoda directorate. All the properties are owned by the university.