International Cooperation, Projects & Memberships

The Faculty of Physical Culture at Palacký University Olomouc has established a strong and stable position in international cooperation among institutions focusing on kinanthropology (sport and movement sciences) in the Czech Republic.. Since 1998, the faculty has consistently supported the international mobility of students and academic staff. Today, these exchanges take place primarily through the European ERASMUS+ program, with more than 60 partner institutions across over 20 countries. Each year, the faculty welcomes more than 30 incoming international students and sends approximately 70 students abroad for study or internships.

Beyond Europe, the faculty maintains long-standing partnerships with higher education institutions in North America, the Pacific region, Asia, and the Middle East. Key partners include the University of Alberta and Camosun College (Canada), the University of California San Diego (USA), Nippon Sport Science University (Japan), Levinsky-Wingate Academic College (Israel), and Universidad del Rosario (Colombia). These collaborations enable regular exchanges of students and faculty and foster a vibrant international academic community.

Twice a year, during the winter and summer semesters, the faculty hosts the International Teaching Week—a signature event during which international lecturers visit under mobility programs to teach, share expertise, and develop or deepen professional networks.

The faculty is currently developing a master’s degree program in English, focused on three core areas: Physical activity promotion and healthy lifestyle, Adapted physical activity and Sport for development. In addition, the faculty offers a doctoral program in Kinanthropology, supporting high-level academic and research training.

The Faculty of Physical Culture is also actively engaged in prestigious international research initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles across diverse population groups. Examples include the Global Matrix and IPEN projects. Further research areas pursued at the faculty include physiotherapy, motor control and motor learning, gait analysis, physical literacy, exercise physiology, and the philosophy of sport and movement.

The faculty is a proud member of several respected international networks and organizations. These include:

• HEPA Europe (Health-Enhancing Physical Activity), with participation in working groups focused on topics such as environmental approaches to HEPA promotion, physical activity in children and adolescents, active ageing, and sports clubs for health
• ISBNPA (International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)
• ISPAH (International Society for Physical Activity and Health)

All of these networks operate in alignment with the World Health Organization (WHO), specifically through its Regional Office for Europe, which covers 53 countries stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Recently, the faculty has also joined EOSE (European Observatoire of Sport and Employment), an observatory that collects, analyses, and disseminates labor market data for the sport sector. EOSE’s mission is to support the development of the sport and physical activity workforce by aligning education and employment and ensuring that professionals and volunteers in the sector possess the necessary skills and competencies to meet current and future needs.

The Faculty of Physical Culture remains committed to strengthening dynamic, impactful international partnerships, creating transformative opportunities for students and academic staff alike to engage globally, share knowledge, and gain valuable cross-cultural perspectives.