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You talk about sustainability as something that should run through everything – teaching, research, and operations. Where is this already most visible today?
A shining example of how it should look is the new study programme Environmental Engineering and Technology. It is accredited at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, but it cuts across disciplines, linking technical and natural science education. It will place strong emphasis on renewable energy sources and sustainable production. This is where teaching connects directly with research. Operations are also a major topic for the university. Examples include food management, energy use, and, in the future, the planned use of water from retention tanks to help manage water in the landscape around the campus.

Let’s get to very practical matters: the university canteen is trying to ensure food does not end up in the bin. How does that work?
Food that the canteen does not serve is sent to the St. Zdislava Home for single mothers and women in need. The cooperation began in autumn 2024, and since then, we have been sending them dozens of portions every week. I am glad we are getting positive feedback — not only are we preventing waste, but the mothers genuinely enjoy the meals. And, of course, employees can also take canteen meals home.

This is also linked to the introduction of reusable food containers instead of disposable packaging. Is it working?
We are still in a pilot phase. Ask me in a few months whether it works. Right now, we need to make sure all 2,500 employees even know this option exists. How does it work? You come to the canteen checkout, where the containers should be available. You need to load 250 CZK onto your ID card in advance — this is a refundable deposit. You are then given a container, which you take to the serving counter and have filled with your choice of food. After eating, you rinse it or wipe it with a napkin — no food leftovers should remain. The canteen handles professional washing. The next day, you bring the container back and exchange it for a clean one, which is immediately filled again. This can be repeated indefinitely. The goal is to reduce the use of polystyrene boxes. In the pilot phase, we have containers for 20 employees, with the option to expand to students in the future.

Recently, students and staff of the University of West Bohemia, including yourself, planted 35 lime trees near the Janov wetland. Why there, and what impact will it have?
We planted the trees in cooperation with the Plzeň Region, which identified suitable land and an area where the trees would be most beneficial. Near the Janov wetland, the lime trees will provide pollen and nectar for insects thanks to their dense crowns, and they will also form a natural barrier against noise from the nearby D5 motorway. The number 35 reflects the university's 35th anniversary this September. There will be much more cooperation with the region on sustainable development, and I am already looking forward to it.

A large part of sustainability at the university occurs through research. Which projects best demonstrate that the university can shape the future?
There are several. If I were to highlight a few to show how this spans faculties and disciplines, I would mention the development of separators for small plastic particles at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, waste-free 3D printing at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, sustainable fashion at the Sutnar Faculty based on recycled clothing, and several projects focused on renewable energy sources — whether solar, wind, or hydrogen. I also see sustainability in the education of future teachers and healthcare professionals. They, too, are essential for our future.

But institutional operations should also be sustainable. What is the university doing to run more efficiently?
Certainly — this has been a long-term effort. Key measures include continuous insulation of buildings, window replacement, and roof renovations, all of which significantly reduce heat loss. The university is also gradually installing energy-efficient lighting to lower consumption in offices, corridors, and laboratories. We are preparing a project for our own photovoltaic power plants that should enable us to cover part of our consumption from renewable sources in the future. As for heating, we use smart solutions such as adjusting heating based on outdoor temperatures and dividing heating circuits. This allows us to set temperatures individually in different spaces and prevent unnecessary heat loss.

How can employees and students themselves get involved?
This Saturday, 28 March, we would be glad if they joined the “Let’s Clean Up Czechia” initiative. We will meet at 10 a.m. in front of the rectorate and clean up the campus together. Students and staff can also use large-capacity water filtration stations from Lokni instead of buying plastic bottles. So far, the stations are available at three faculties: at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering near lecture room UP101, and in the city centre at the Faculty of Health Care Studies and the Faculty of Arts at Sedláčkova 15. Thanks to these stations, more than 121 thousand of PET bottles were saved in 2025. And, of course, we are open to new ideas for making the university more sustainable. That is exactly what the new Sustainability Hub at UWB is for.

So, to sum up: where is the university in terms of sustainability today, and where should it move in the coming years? What is the next step?
Although we already have some projects with real impact under our belt, to be completely honest, a coordinated and unified approach has only been in place since last year, when the university adopted its sustainability strategy. Now comes the hard part — putting it into practice. Many projects are still on paper, such as the planned retention tanks for water management in the future pond near the campus library. But we are ready to push forward. For example, we are planning a workshop in May where students and staff can learn how to live more sustainably in their everyday lives — at home, at school, and at work. Managing stress is also an important part of sustainability, and we will address that as well. We look forward to seeing everyone in the library on 5 May.

The Sustainability Hub at UWB is open to ideas from students and staff and is located in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering building, on the 6th floor (UK 625).