The Faculty of Management and Economics at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (FaME UTB) has been addressing this issue for a long time, and the results of its work confirm that the chosen path is the right one.
FaME UTB, a faculty with a reputation as a top educational institution, has regularly ranked among the best universities in the Czech Republic in the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THEWURTH) in the field of economics and management over the past six years. In the 2025 subject ranking, the faculty took second place in the Czech Republic – just behind Charles University, while in the global comparison of universities it ranked in the 401–500 range. For comparison, other Czech public universities, including Masaryk University and CTU, are listed in the 500+ category.
FaME's success is no accident. It reflects the quality of the educational and research work of the entire institution, as confirmed by the THE ranking criteria. The five basic pillars include Teaching, which assesses the quality of the study environment and academic background, Research Quality, which, with a weighting of 30%, monitors the citation rate of publications, reputation, and productivity of research teams, and Research Environment, with 29%, which focuses on grant success and the effectiveness of scientific work. The International Outlook pillar accounts for 7.5% of the evaluation and takes into account the proportion of foreign students and academics, as well as the extent of international cooperation. The final component is Industry Income, with a weighting of 3.5%, which reflects the university's ability to transfer knowledge and innovation into practice through research projects, patents, and contract research.
Overall, the ranking focuses primarily on the quality of teaching, scientific work, and cooperation with the application sphere—three areas that FaME UTB has been developing for a long time and in which it achieves exceptional results.
In the following chapters of this article, we will present the faculty's latest initiatives focused on education, innovation, and cooperation with companies and the public. You will learn about the new lifelong learning programs we offer, the projects we are implementing in the field of digitization and artificial intelligence, and how the new Center of Excellence of the Czech Management Association at FaME UTB is being created – a platform that connects the academic sphere with real-world practice and brings inspiration and concrete benefits to businesses and managers throughout the Czech Republic.
FaME UTB is also expanding its activities in the field of lifelong learning and the development of professional skills for managers. At the beginning of 2026, the Business Manager Academy will be launched, a certified educational program focused on practical skills in company management and business processes.
The program offers seven modules:
- Cost management tools and methods
- Organization and management of business processes
- Human resources in management
- Management skills
- Industrial engineering
- Digitization of economic processes
- Financial management of a company
The total scope is 175 hours (28 hours of lectures, 56 hours of practical training, 84 hours of self-study, and 7 hours of testing). Each module is completed with a micro-certificate, and after completing all modules, the participant receives a Business Manager certificate. The program is aimed at managers and talented individuals preparing for management positions and offers direct application of knowledge in practice through case studies and model tasks.
Another educational project is the Industrial Engineer Academy, which focuses on production process management, innovation, and digitization in industrial companies. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical demonstrations from plants in the Czech Republic and abroad. Students acquire skills in lean manufacturing, process analysis, and the implementation of digital tools in line with the Industry 4.0 concept.
The aim of both academies is to support the development of professional competencies, managerial skills, and the ability to apply knowledge in a real business environment. The education is also linked to the modern concept of microcredits, which allow participants to study flexibly using a modular system.