As its name suggests, the current structure of the school involves three different education levels and offers the possibilities of learning a trade, of obtaining a technical high-school diploma or an even higher level of technical education with a diploma. These all in association with the construction industry and its three main aspects, i.e. hydro engineering, road engineering and civil engineering.
Currently the following study and vocational fields are taught at the school:
Technical Institute
36 – 41 – N/03 Civil Engineering (Hydro Engineering, Road Engineering)High Technical School
36 – 47 – M/01 The Building Industry (Hydro Engineering, Road Engineering, Civil Engineering - Architecture)
High Vocational School
33 – 56 – H/01 Carpenter
36 – 52 – H/01 Plumber
36 – 67 – H/01 Bricklayer
36 – 65 – H/01 Water technician
36 – 58 – H/01 Fitter of water and sewerage systems and the operation of water systems
We believe that the concept that we sought for so many years is correct. It ensures a high degree of continuity, connectedness and variability in determining the length and the level of the educational paths available to anyone who chooses to study civil engineering. Recent trends in educational policy provide proof of the relevance of these considerations. What I mean is either a lifelong learning programme or recent measures defined as “optimising the network of schools and disciplines” that do not affect us, however. Also the degree of interest in studying with us represents some kind of acknowledgment of our efforts and perhaps also offers hope for the future.
The Technical Institute of Civil Engineering currently provides the highest level of education available in the Vysoké Mýto region. A graduate receives the title of Qualified Specialist (DiS). The system of education is the same as that at a university. Graduates can then continue, under advantageous conditions (shortening the study period), in some of the bachelor degree programmes that are offered by the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Technical University of Ostrava. This cooperation has been developed in connection with the publication of the new Education Act No. 561/2004 Coll., whereby colleges are compulsorily obliged to re-accredit their educational programmes. Our school has taken advantage of this in order to standardise its curriculum with that of the Ostrava Faculty of Civil Engineering. In accordance with this manner of accreditation, also changed at the same time was the method of the evaluation of students from the classic form of evaluation to the credit system that is now commonly used in the EU countries. On the basis of these assumptions cooperation with the university is possible in the manner of the recognition of the tests undertaken and the credits obtained in Vysoké Mýto.
The instigators of the modern manner of teaching in the hydro-technical laboratory at our school were employees of the Institute of Water Structures of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Technical University in Brno. We have also become the owners of a unique teaching technology, which, at that educational level, is without comparison at that educational level either in the Czech Republic or in Europe. The hydrotechnical laboratory was put into trial operation in July 2014. This completed laboratory is another result of the years of cooperation between our school and the Technical University in Brno.
Gone are the days when our school educated students only in the classic manner of full-time study. Due to the current need for practice and also the new Education Act the school provides interested parties with the possibility of taking an individual examination as part of the graduation exam or the final exam. This represents the providing of partial qualifications in relation to the already existing System of Occupations in the Czech Republic. Those who are interested in a specific examination may submit an application for its implementation in some of the professional fields. Because this option is starting to be used intensively at our school, entire groups of candidates are being offered the possibility of completing the preparatory courses prior to undertaking this examination, both its oral and its practical parts. Most of the graduates of this individual examination then apply to undertake the authorisation tests of the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Technicians active in Construction (ČKAIT). The school cooperates with the Chamber in this area and for those who are interested in undertaking authorisation tests it organises three-day preparatory courses.
Both the viability and the standard of any technical or vocational school depend today on their close connection with practice, without which the learning would actually be meaningless; it would be both lifeless and useless. It has been a long-term tradition that the cooperation between our schools and water management and construction companies and institutions is extensive, persistent and intense. A concrete example may be the opening-up of new apprenticeships, e.g. “Fitter for water and sewage systems and for the operation of water systems” for Water and Sewage System Management Companies and “Water technician” for Catchment Management Companies in the Czech Republic. The Curricula were developed in association with these businesses and they are based in full on their needs. Our school is the only one in the Czech Republic that offers these courses.
The school utilises all the means available for introducing new information into the learning process. The introduction of the new European standards for structural design (Eurocodes) in this process is no exception. Lecturers mainly focus in their courses on calculations and on demonstrating practical examples. Since the 1st April 2010 it has been mandatory to design structures in accordance with these standards. The courses therefore also include a process for determining the load and the design of concrete, steel, composite steel and concrete, wood, masonry and geotechnical structures in accordance with the Eurocodes.
Our cooperation in both the professional and the language fields with the allied engineering school in Magdeburg has lasted for years, which is of great benefit for both the students and the teachers on each sides and exchanges and internships have already become a regular aspect of the education provided. We have also established a similar contact with the Engineering School in Žilina.
The famous traditions of our school provide with inspiration and act as a constant source of guidance for us. We are trying to build on them meaningfully and to also continue in them under the current conditions for today’s society. Our greatest wish is that the second century should also be successful for this school and that after another 50 or 100 year our successors will still have good reason to evaluate our work and our achievements only positively.
The School Board
During the 2005/06 School Year, on the basis of § 167 of Act No. 561/2004 Coll., On preschool, primary, secondary, vocational and other education (the Education Act), the School Board of the Technical Institute of Civil Engineering and High School of Civil Engineering in Vysoké Mýto was established. The Deed certifying the School Board was issued by the Council of the Pardubice Region on the 15th December 2005 under Ref. No.: KrÚ 22426/2005 OŠMS/50.
The School Board is a school body that enables the legal guardians of minor pupils, adult pupils and students, the school’s teaching staff, the founder and other persons to participate in the administration of the school.
The School Advisory Board
The School Advisory Board was established at its first meeting which tool place on the 30th January 2003. It is comprised of representatives of major administrative bodies, professional organisations, schools and businesses. The main task of this board is to implement the mutual provision of information concerning the labour market that may have implications in regard to the content of the educational process implemented by the engineering school in Vysoké Mýto and also its other activities, e.g. in the areas of the further education of adults and of preparatory courses for implementing the authorisation tests of the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Technicians active in Construction (ČKAIT), etc. Also discussed are planned changes in regard to the development of education and national economic policy. The relevance of the topics and the informality of these meetings represents a guarantee of their benefits for everybody involved and also provides the foundation for further cooperation.