The fifth prestigious annual CzecHopes conference, one of the largest events of its kind in the Czech Republic, took place at the Bohunice campus on 5–6 February 2026. The Faculty of Science was the conference’s general partner and also participated in the event’s professional programme. Vice-Deans Markéta Munzarová and Kateřina Zachovalová welcomed the students.
Over six hundred participants and a rich programme
This year, 634 high school students from across the country registered for the event, which offered a varied programme of activities. The programme included 62 workshops and lectures, covering topics ranging from technology, science and medicine to entrepreneurship, personal development and financial literacy. Participants were able to broaden their horizons and communicate directly with guests from the various fields.
Cooperation with partners
Students had the opportunity to draw inspiration and make contacts at the forty stands set up by partner organisations in the campus corridor.
The conference, which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, was organised by students affiliated with the non-profit organisation CzecHopes, in collaboration with the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University. Nearly twenty organisers and volunteers, mostly university students, were responsible for the organisation.
Representation of scientific departments at the Faculty of Science
Several Faculty of Science departments presented their work at the conference, giving participants the opportunity to try out activities related to specific scientific fields.
What the organisers said about the conference
“It is a joy to see how much energy, curiosity and desire to progress young people have. We just create a space where they can choose what they want to learn and develop further”, said Markéta Bučková, the main organiser of Czechopes.
“It’s a great opportunity to try out work in a specific field and get a realistic idea of what it entails (e.g. laboratory research). Students without experience are usually at a loss after high school, choosing their studies blindly and then often changing fields after their first year of college. This is a problem that we would like to address with this conference”, said Kateřina Kudličková, founder of Czechopes.
“Thanks to this conference, students can discover all the things they could do while still in high school. There are endless possibilities, and many organisations that can support them. At the conference, students can discover these opportunities and gain a clearer idea of what they entail, because they are all brought together in one place over two days”, said Václav Kuna, one of the organisers of Czechopes.
Networking at the end
The conference offered plenty of opportunities to network, with participants able to establish contacts with each other, as well as with speakers and representatives of companies and organisations. The conference concluded with the traditional afterparty, providing an opportunity for informal meetings and the sharing of experiences.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the visitors, organisers and partners – thanks to you, the conference was both inspiring and successful.
Foto: David Damborský and Marcela Damborská
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