Faculty of Science, Charles University

What Faculty of Science, Charles University does

The Faculty of Science (Přírodovědecká fakulta) is one of the principal faculties of Charles University in Prague, the oldest university in Central Europe (founded 1348). The Faculty of Science itself was formally constituted in 1946 and is headquartered in Prague 2, Czech Republic. It delivers accredited undergraduate, Master's and doctoral programmes across biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and probability, computer science, geography and geoecology, geology, and applied ecology, serving primarily Czech and EU-domiciled students, and supporting postdoctoral researchers and visiting scholars.

Its core activities are teaching, basic and applied research, and graduate training. Research is conducted across department-level groups and in collaboration with the BIOCEV joint research centre (shared with the Czech Academy of Sciences). The faculty participates in European research frameworks, including the 4EU+ European University Alliance and ERC grant programmes, and is investing in a major research-and-teaching consolidation on the Albertov campus (Biocentrum Albertov, CZK 5.5 billion).

As a public institution, its business model is a state-funded budget model: the dominant revenue line is the Czech Ministry of Education higher-education subsidy, supplemented by competitive national research grants (Czech Science Foundation, Technology Agency of the Czech Republic), EU framework funds and ERC grants, capped tuition fees for Czech-language programmes, modest international student fees, and philanthropic income via the Faculty Endowment Fund established in 2017. Technology transfer and contract research with industry exist but are not the primary revenue driver.

Name

Faculty of Science, Charles University

Legal name

Přírodovědecká fakulta Univerzity Karlovy

Website

https://natur.cuni.cz

Company type

Public

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Faculty of Science at Charles University in Prague delivers accredited undergraduate and graduate education, doctoral training, and basic and applied research across the natural sciences, serving Czech and international students and partnering with EU research consortia and the Czech Academy of Sciences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Natural Sciences)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF), Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Natural sciences research
• Doctoral programs
• Lifelong learning
• Academic research

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague 2, Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State Education Funding: Primary funding from Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports based on student enrollments and research performance metrics. This constitutes the core operational budget.
2. Research Grants: External funding from Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR), European Research Council (ERC), European Union operational programs, and other international sources. Funds research projects, equipment, and personnel.
3. Tuition Fees: Fees for programs in foreign languages and for long-term students exceeding standard study duration. State-subsidized education for Czech/EU students in public programs.
4. Technology Transfer and Spin-offs: Commercialization of research outcomes through patents, licensing, and spin-off companies. Faculty supports establishment of start-up companies based on research outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Faculty of Science, Charles University is a public higher education institution offering degree programs (bachelor's, master's, doctoral) and lifelong learning courses across five scientific sections: Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, and Environmental Sciences. It operates specialized research infrastructure including electron microscopy, NMR and mass spectrometry, OMICS laboratories at BIOCEV, a botanical garden, museums, and library services. It also conducts basic and applied research funded by grants and supports technology transfer through spin-offs and licensing.

Product overview

Faculty of Science, Charles University is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes across five scientific sections: Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, and Environmental Sciences. The faculty operates as a unified institution with dedicated research infrastructure including specialized laboratories (electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, cytrometry, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, OMICS facilities), service centres, public-facing facilities (botanical garden, museums, collections), and childcare services. Major infrastructure projects include the Albertov Biocentre (CZK 5.5 billion) and BIOCEV centre. The portfolio includes bachelor's, master's, doctoral programmes, and lifelong learning offerings with microcredentials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biocentrum Albertov: Newly established biotechnology and biomedical research center project worth nearly CZK 5.5 billion - largest infrastructure project in the modern history of Charles University
• Botanical Garden
• Přírodovědná školka Rybička
• BIOCEV

Products and services

• Study Programmes (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral)

Quantifiable outcome

• ERC grants and 'Excellent' ratings from Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) on major research projects
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• 4EU+ AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean University Alliance partnership providing integrated study pathways, joint programs, and mobility opportunities across member universities in Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, and Austria.
• Czech Academy of SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany research teams intensively collaborate with institutes of the Academy of Sciences, including Institute of Botany, Institute of Microbiology, and others, sharing facilities and expertise.
• BIOCEV (Biotechnology and Biomedical Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint biotechnology and biomedical research center with Charles University and Czech Academy of Sciences, housing OMICS laboratories (genomics, proteomics) and imaging methods.
• Biocentrum Albertov (emerging)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest infrastructure project in modern Charles University history (CZK 5.5 billion) providing state-of-the-art facilities for natural sciences and biomedicine. Currently seeking Scientific Director through international search.
• Partner Universities (International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of international university partnerships enabling student and staff exchanges through Erasmus+ and bilateral agreements with leading institutions worldwide.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb: Croatian public Faculty of Science covering biology, chemistry, geology, geography and physics. Comparable regional Central European faculty with similar programme structure and research orientation.
• Faculty of Science, Leiden University: Dutch public Faculty of Science covering biology, chemistry, and earth sciences with strong research profile. Comparable scale, similar mix of doctoral programmes and international student recruitment.
• Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna: Austrian public faculty covering geography, geology, astronomy and environmental sciences. Comparable tier within a neighbouring country's flagship university, with overlapping geography and geology sections.
• Faculty of Science, Masaryk University: Czech public Faculty of Science offering biology, chemistry, geography, geology and environmental studies at Bachelor's through doctoral levels. Closest domestic peer in scale and scope to the subject faculty within the Czech Republic.
• Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki: One of the largest natural sciences faculties in the Nordics, with broad multi-disciplinary coverage from biology and chemistry to geosciences. Comparable comprehensive scope and doctoral research intensity.
• Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc: Czech public Faculty of Science covering biology, chemistry, physics, geography and mathematics with doctoral programmes. Comparable in size, structure and Czech public funding model to the subject faculty.
• Faculty of Sciences, Sorbonne University: French public faculty covering biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences and mathematics at one of Europe's most research-intensive universities. Comparable comprehensive multi-disciplinary natural sciences faculty with strong international standing.
• Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava: Slovak public Faculty of Natural Sciences at the country's flagship university. Closest cross-border peer with very similar disciplinary mix, public funding model, and Central European academic positioning.
• Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia: Czech public Faculty of Science in České Budějovice with strong biology and ecology research. Comparable natural sciences portfolio and public funding model, slightly more research-specialized than teaching-focused.
• Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen: Large Danish public Faculty of Science with comprehensive natural sciences coverage including biology, geosciences and chemistry. Comparable scale and research intensity with European research-alliance participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@prirodovedeckafakultauk1911
• Facebookfacebook.com/prf.uk.praha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/faculty-of-science-charles-university1
• Instagraminstagram.com/prf_unikarlova

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Faculty of Science, Charles University