One of the leading universities in the Czech Republic, Mendel University in Brno (MENDELU), has announced a major reform of its education system. Several faculties at the university will no longer require students to write traditional bachelor's and diploma theses. The reasons include not only changing job market demands but also the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI).
The development of neural networks has made long, theoretical texts less relevant. Students are increasingly using chatbots to write theoretical parts and literature reviews, which devalues the traditional final paper. In response, the university's management has decided to shift the focus from theory to practice and critical thinking skills.
What will replace theses?
Instead of pages of text, students will prepare practical projects and reports on solving real-world cases. The approach will differ depending on the faculty:
Regional Development and International Relations. Students will defend "expert research" as part of new practical subjects. The defense will be in the form of a discussion panel with practicing experts and other students.
Faculty of Economics. Instead of a thesis, students will complete an applied project. The evaluation will focus not on the ability to cite textbooks, but on the quality of the proposed solution to a specific business problem and its real-world applicability.
Faculty of Agronomy and Horticulture. These faculties are also moving to practical projects. For some programs, the bachelor's degree will be completed with only a comprehensive state exam and a professional discussion, without a written paper.
Management's Opinion
The deans of the faculties unanimously state that the job market needs graduates who can present their work and lead discussions, not just copy information.
"The difference is in what the evaluation focuses on. It's not about theoretical foundations, but about the quality of the proposed solution to a specific task. The defense will resemble a presentation of a real work assignment," explained the dean of the Faculty of Economics.
Who will be affected by the changes?
The reform will be implemented in stages. For most faculties, the changes will affect first-year students who enroll in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 academic years. Thus, in three years, the format of final exams in Brno will change permanently.
Mendel University has become one of the first universities in the Czech Republic to recognize that in the age of AI, old methods of testing knowledge no longer work. It is time to prepare specialists for the real world, not for library archives.
