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Over the course of 25 years of operation in Plzeň, the Faculty of Arts at the University of West Bohemia has produced over 11,000 graduates. In the upcoming months, the faculty intends to commemorate the significance of humanities education in 21st-century society and its importance to Plzeň. As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the faculty has gifted itself the reaccreditation of the Foreign Languages for Commercial Practice program.

Every region requires experts in humanities and social sciences. This motto has been upheld by the Faculty of Arts at the University of West Bohemia in the Plzeň region for over 25 years. "Graduates of the faculty are now indispensable in areas such as regional administration, social services, education, heritage conservation, and many others," explains David Šanc, the dean of the Faculty of Arts at UWB.

The fact that studying at the Faculty of Arts at UWB has never been solely about philosophy is evidenced by the fact that for several years, the most sought-after program among applicants has been International Relations - Territorial Studies, which also produces the highest number of graduates. Historically, however, the highest number of students have studied in the General Humanities Studies program, which introduces students to a wide range of humanities and social sciences. The wide range of programs is constantly evolving to reflect modern trends. "In recent years, the Faculty of Arts at UWB has also focused on accrediting professional study programs, which further integrate theory with practice and future employers. Among the most sought-after is the Bachelor's program in Social Work," explains the dean of the Faculty of Arts at UWB.

The study of foreign languages also continues to be immensely popular among applicants. This year, the Faculty of Arts successfully reaccredited the popular Foreign Languages for Commercial Practice program, which offers students the opportunity to study English in combination with another world language. In April 2024, a new department of philology will be established at the faculty, led by Vice-Dean Helena Horová. "Graduates not only learn to speak a foreign language, but we also emphasize their ability to use the language in practice, in the field of commerce and services, management, or law. The specialization they choose is up to them," explains department head Helena Horová.

Over the past two decades, the faculty has managed to establish over 200 partnership agreements with foreign universities. "As a result, it can send its students and teachers on exchanges and internships around the world, serving as a gateway to the world for young residents of Plzeň," says Petr Krištuf, vice-dean for external relations at the Faculty of Arts at UWB, adding that the faculty currently has by far the highest number of student mobilities within the entire UWB, with the Department of Political Science and International Relations alone accounting for more than 10% of all international student trips.

The goal of the Faculty of Arts at UWB now is to increase the number of international students coming to Plzeň. One of the first steps is the participation of UWB in the follow-up Master's program in International Relations. The coordinator is Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and besides UWB, the program involves the University of Pécs (Hungary) and Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (Slovakia). Students from all over Europe will spend one semester at each university.

One of the faculty's significant international achievements includes the ongoing archaeological research in southern Kyrgyzstan. Archaeologists, together with colleagues from Osh State University and academies of sciences of both countries, have discovered traces of ancient settlements dating from the 1st millennium BC to the Middle Ages and modern times in the AK-Dzhar locality in the foothills of the Pamirs. "At the request of the Kyrgyz side, research also began in the Batken region in 2023, where no archaeologists have worked since the 1950s. So far, all expenses have been covered by Batken State University, which is very interested in further cooperation," explains Pavel Vařeka, head of the archaeology department.

The significant 25th anniversary of its founding will be marked by several events at the Faculty of Arts at UWB. The first of these will be the ceremonial end of the semester on June 12, where the management will honor students and employees who have significantly contributed to the development of the faculty. The entire quarter-century celebration will conclude in the fall with a two-day meeting of deans from all faculties of arts in the Czech Republic, which will be hosted by Plzeň and UWB this year, with doctoral studies and funding for humanities being the main topics.