The Technical University in Zvolen follows very rich and very old tradition of technical university studies in Slovakia. It was founded in 1952 as the University College of Forestry and Wood Technology, and in 1991 the name of the university was changed to the Technical University in Zvolen. The University has a unique position in the higher education system in Slovakia.
It provides higher education in the field of forestry, wood sciences, ecology, manufacturing and environmental technology.
At present, almost 4,000 students study at the University. There are approximately 550 graduates of different study programmes every year. The main mission of the University is to provide higher education in accredited study programmes, as well as to develop scientific research in different fields and to introduce it in practice. The University offers the possibility to study to citizens of the Slovak Republic, as well as to international students.

List of study programmes offered in English or other foreign languages:

Programme: Forestry and Wildlife Management

Degree: Master

Language: English

Faculty: Faculty of Forestry

About the programme: The programme covers topics of ecology, forest protection including wildlife management by approaches of hunting on scientific basis as an inseparable part of forest protection, nature protection including biodiversity, forest growth and production, as wellas forest management planning. It includes also the topics of forest management and forestry policy, as well as the use of renewable resources, especially of forest biomass, wildlife and other forest products and ecosystem services. Programme graduates gain the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for forestry practice in conditions of transition of forestry from the steady‑state conditions to the ones of global changes. The programme includes a transition from the forest age class system to free managed silviculture, to adaptive forest ecosystems by approaches of modelling forest ecosystems in virtual reality on the basis of terrain data and the data of the earth remote sensing. Another significant transition is the one from traditional approaches of hunting to a rational wildlife management and biodiversity based on molecular biology as a significant
condition of sustainable forestry management. Programme graduates are capable of planning and conducting forest management not only at the level of stands and forest units, but also at the level of landscape, which is a unique aspect of this study programme. They obtain necessary knowledge and skills required to be able to ensure not only optimal use of forest resources, but also fully use forest management capacities for protection against natural catastrophes and for the development of ecosystem service at regional, interregional and international level in the area of the temperate zone of Europe.

Tuition fee: 1,750 €/academic year

Programme: Production and Utilisation of Wood Products

Degree: Master

Language: English

Faculty: Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology

About the programme: Programme graduates are prepared on very high professional level in the field of production, placement and use of wood products, and for a wide range of jobs in wood processing and related industries. The programme is focused on complex utilisation of wood as a renewable raw material in the field of projecting and constructing of products, wood constructions, research, project and consultancy and commercial and business activities. It includes wood science courses (Wood Anatomy, Wood Properties), technological courses (e.g. Woodworking, Sawmilling, Wood Based Particle and Fibre Panels) and there is a range of other courses aimed at production management and marketing, and trade with wood products. Due to the unique properties of wood, demand for wood‑based products has grown steadily during the last decades. At the same time, high competitive pressure pushing modern wood‑based industries to specialise and operate more sophisticated production system for higher productivity and added‑value market differentiation, and to introduce innovations. However, the sector faces a number of challenges, including access to raw materials, climate change, innovation, trade and the provision of information on forest‑based products. Many parts of these industries play an essential role in maintaining sustainable employment in rural areas. To face these challenges, one of the most important issues is to have in place a well‑educated management at all levels from the top to floor management, and well‑trained operators and other staff. These requirements can be achieved only by highly qualified specialists in the field of Wood Science and Technology. This study programme meets all these requirements through educating specialists in the field of complex utilisation of wood as a renewable raw material.

Tuition fee: 1,500 €/academic year