The third rector of the University of West Bohemia, Josef Průša, celebrates his 85th birthday.

Josef Průša led the University of West Bohemia from March 1, 2004, to February 28, 2011.

A graduate of the University of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (VŠSE), a research assistant, and also its last quaestor, as well as the first quaestor of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, deputy minister of education, chancellor of the University of West Bohemia, and finally its rector.

All of this was doc. Ing. Josef Průša, CSc., who is celebrating his 85th birthday today.

He was born on February 3, 1939, in Plzeň, spent his high school years at the gymnasium on Mikulášské náměstí, and chose the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at VŠSE. After his studies, he became a designer at the Škoda Works in Plzeň, and in 1970, he began working at VŠSE as a designer. Five years later, due to political reasons, he had to transition to technical staff. He also worked as an energy engineer and safety technician at the school, but remained loyal to VŠSE, or rather the University of West Bohemia, throughout his entire professional career, except for the years 1998-2003, when he was deputy minister of education, youth, and physical education for science and higher education.

Josef Průša, associate professor in the field of technical cybernetics, served as rector of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň for two terms from March 1, 2004, to February 28, 2011. When evaluating this period in 2016 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the University of West Bohemia, he said he was proud "undoubtedly of the investment development. We managed to obtain a significant grant of 3.5 billion crowns from the Research and Development for Innovation Operational Program, from which the research centers NTIS, RICE, RTI, CENTEM were built. Thanks to this, the university's reputation in the fields of research and development was significantly strengthened. The construction of the centers itself is largely due to Rector Mauritzová. But success was also the establishment of Techmania, the creation of the Science and Technology Days festival, and I am certainly pleased with how we managed to resolve the issues with the Faculty of Law."