Published: 30.10.2025
The Academic Senate of the University Pardubice has elected Professor Libor Čapek, the incumbent Rector, to head the University in the following four-year term from 2026 to 2030. The incumbent Rector has been the only candidate running for the office this time, and has received support from the majority of the Academic Senate members.
“Let me express my thanks for the trust placed in me by the members of the Academic Senate as well as the entire academic community. For me, the second term as the Rector of the University of Pardubice is a commitment to continue the current policy and develop our university as a modern, open and inspiring institution that puts a strong emphasis on the quality of all of its activities, said Professor Libor Čapek.
The second term will commence in February 2026 and will terminate in January 2030. Professor Libor Čapek has headed the University of Pardubice since February 2022. Before being elected Rector, he served as the Vice-Rector for Research and Development.
In the new term, Professor Čapek plans to focus on the development of the University and strengthening excellence at the University of Pardubice both in education and in research. He also wants to follow up on successful university investments and further enhance the support for students and employees to create good conditions for the development of their talent, skills and performance. For Professor Čapek, open internal and external communication as well as data-based management is an important part of his work.
“Personally, I wish Professor Čapek every success in creating modern, high-quality and interesting learning environment for students, and friendly, creative and safe working environment for the University employees. For the University to work and develop, it is necessary that there is a dialogue between the Academic Senate and the Rector, and I believe that we will not only maintain the good dialogue we are having, but develop it even further. I would also like to express my thanks to the Academic Senate for the constructive course of the vote,” said Ing. Petr Bělina, Ph.D., Chairman of the Academic Senate.
Prof. Ing. Libor Čapek, Ph.D. (50) graduated from the Faculty of Chemical Technology of the University pf Pardubice, where he was awarded the Master’s degree (Ing.) in the field of Technical Analytical and Physical Chemistry. From 2002 to 2005 he was a researcher at the Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry where he worked on his dissertation in the research team lead by Dr. Blanka Wichterlová. In 2009, Libor Čapek was appointed Associate Professor and in 2017 Full Professor in the field of Physical Chemistry at the University of Pardubice.
Since 2023, he has been the Vice-President of the Czech Conference of Rectors for Creative Activities. His long-term research interest lies in the heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis aiming, among other things, to identify the type of active centres responsible for the course of chemical reactions. Professor Čapek has authored or co-authored 100 publications in high-ranking journals, and is a member of several Scholarly or Ph.D. Boards.
During his time at the University of Pardubice, he served as the Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Chemical Technology, later he became the Vice-Rector for Research and Development. In November 2021, Professor Čapek was elected the Rector of the University of Pardubice. When he is out of lab, office or meeting, he goes hiking, e.g. to the Giant Mountains, which he particularly likes.
