University’s of Defence plans and actual goals for collaboration with institutions abroad are principally based on the Czech Ministry’s of Defence basic documents that consider international cooperation in young military professionals’ education and training an imperative for the mission.

To meet the goals, University of Defence places accent on the processes that allow a more thorough cooperation with the military forces and military educational or research and development institutions of NATO member countries, Visegrad Four countries, neighbouring countries of the Czech Republic and other European Union nations. Carrying out students and academic staff mobility through opening the University of Defence to international university community on reciprocal basis, applying either bilateral or multilateral agreements with, primarily, appropriate military educational institutions in NATO member countries, along with systematic approach to those activities are deemed crucial.

An important turning point in University of Defence life was meeting the conditions of the involvement in the European lifelong learning programme of Erasmus and becoming a Standard Erasmus University Charter holder in the period 2008/2009 – 2013/2014. The above mentioned programme offers exchanges of students and staff with university institutions in EU member countries, Norway, Island, Lichtenstein and EU candidate countries.

To university teachers, the programme offers teaching periods used for partner institutions involved in the lifelong learning programme and with which the sending institution had signed a bilateral agreement. The teacher may teach for the partner university for a maximum of six weeks. The purpose is to give lectures, lead seminars, workshops or consultations. To enhance the language skills of the teachers participating in exchange programs, English courses are organized for them on the faculty level. ​

The students of the University of Defence, both military and civilian, who have enrolled in an accredited Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral degree programme may use the opportunity offered by Erasmus of studying on site of the foreign institution for the period of 3 to 12 months. Besides learning, they can get acquainted with the style of life and teaching in another country, improve language proficiency, get new contacts, along with becoming more independent.

In terms of this programme and other international contacts, University of Defence closely cooperates with its partner schools, carrying out students and/or teachers mobility.

Collaboration in Research and Development

University of Defence also achieves exceptional results in the engagement in research and development international programmes. University of Defence staff represent the Czech Republic to NATO/UN international working groups, in NATO expert panels or European Defence Agency working group sessions.

For example, University’s Faculty of Military leadership personnel are members of scientific organisations of SRA (Society for Risk Analysis), Germany and WSEAS (World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society), USA.

Many of the Faculty of Military Technology departments collaborate with NATO Research and Technology Organisation and Faculty’s researchers are NATO expert teams members in various engineering fields.

As far as medical support in overseas operations or protection against mass destruction weapons are concerned, the Faculty of Military Health Sciences has long built collaboration with similar military institutions in Europe and USA, such as Bundeswehr Medical Academy of Munich or Military Medical Academy of Lyon. Experience gained in many years of research and teaching and lessons learnt in deployment in overseas operations are well used by Faculty staff in NATO/EU working groups or expert panels addressing medical service and protection of health for military forces. Faculty’s personnel are also active members in numerous international scientific societies.

BŘEZINA, ALPE and FOURLOG Military Exercises

University’s Faculty of Military Leadership inter alia responsible for guaranteed training of the managers – commanders-to-be holds annually reciprocal Czech and Slovenian bilateral exercises of the students of BŘEZINA (in the Czech Republic) and ALPE (in Slovenia). Arranged in cooperation with the Officer School of Maribor, both of the exercises are intended to check Czech and Slovenian students’ abilities of accomplishing tactical missions in difficult landscape areas or weather conditions, communicating in English, and to practically verify the theory of tactical principles in contemporary operations.

Another regular international event held by the Faculty of Military Leadership is the contribution to the international logistics students exercise of FOURLOG. University of Defence collaborates with the Logistics School of Vienna (Austria) and Miklos Zrinyi National Defence University of Budapest (Hungary) in this event. During the fortnight exercise, the students of logistics of the three schools accomplish certain tasks concerning logistic support planning and executing for units deployed abroad. Starting in Austria, all participants move to Hungary to arrive to the Czech Republic for the final phase.

Thanks to the international cooperation in education, research and development, training or contests the University of Defence can compare achieved results and qualify for academic staff/students mobility in the appropriate fields.