Ostrava University wants to build new dormitories for one billion crowns

Ostrava - The University of Ostrava (OU) aims to build additional college dormitories. The construction of new accommodation facilities is expected to more than double the current capacity of the dormitories. The Moravian-Silesian Region and the city of Ostrava will both contribute 90 million crowns to help finance the construction. This was announced today by Adam Soustružník, head of the Marketing, Communication, and Promotion Center at OU, and Nikola Birklenová, spokesperson for the region.

With the development of study programs, the number of students is also increasing, for whom the university does not have adequate capacity, which is the reason behind the preparation of the project for the construction of new dormitories. "As a university, we are continuously growing, and it is natural that the number of students needing to use accommodation facilities in Ostrava is increasing. We realize that we are starting to feel the pressure in this respect, and we must urgently address the need for suitable dormitories with sufficient accommodation capacity," said Rector Petr Kopecký. He stated that the construction will be expensive, and the university welcomes the financial assistance from the region and the city.

The construction is set to take place at the site of the current Jan Opletal College dormitories. In the area, builders will demolish connecting links between buildings and other unused facilities, according to Soustružník. Two buildings with more than 600 places and additional facilities for students will be created on the freed-up area.

The new accommodation capacities for students are expected to cost around one billion crowns. Of this, approximately 575 million will be covered by a grant from the Ministry of Education's program. The region and the city will each contribute 90 million. The rest of the funding will be supplemented by the University of Ostrava through a loan from the National Development Bank, which is also supported by a grant from the European Commission. The actual construction of the new college dormitories is expected to begin in 2025, and the university aims to make them operational two years later.

Currently, the university has approximately 10,000 students and about 500 places available in dormitories, which, according to Soustružník, is one of the lowest accommodation capacities among universities. "The development of higher education is crucial for us. Our ambition is for Ostrava to become an education hub. The offer of interesting and unique study fields can attract talent, but it is also necessary to ensure adequate infrastructure,” said Mayor Jan Dohnal (Together).

According to Deputy Mayor for Education Andrea Hoffmannová (Pirates), accommodation in a dormitory is currently realistically available to only about five percent of students, with approximately half being international students. "The construction of new dormitories is a project with elements of social housing, thus providing housing solutions for students who cannot afford commercial accommodation. The current capacity of dormitories will be increased by more than that amount, offering 663 beds in new facilities,” Hoffmannová stated.

According to Deputy Governor Jaroslav Kania (YES), the region is trying to support not only the secondary schools it establishes but also higher education. "We are striving to create the best possible conditions for students so that they can study and acquire additional skills in peace. By the way, since 2017 we have invested over five billion crowns in education,” Kania stated.