Establishing personal contacts and exploring opportunities for cooperation in scientific research and student exchange were the main goals of the visit by the Rector‑Commandant of the University of Defence, Brigadier General Jan Farlík, accompanied by First Lieutenant Radek Tauš, to military schools in Lithuania and Poland. The trip took place during the week of November 3–7, and General Farlík visited partner educational institutions in Vilnius, Warsaw, and Dęblin.
The first stop on Monday, November 3, was the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (LKA) in Vilnius. Its Commandant, Colonel Ričardas Dumbliauskas, introduced the guests to the school’s structure, academic and military training programs. They also discussed cooperation opportunities and evaluated the results of the Erasmus+ program. The visitors met Czech cadets studying at LKA and their instructors. The most important part of the visit was the signing of a cooperation memorandum between LKA and the University of Defence, outlining the main goals and areas of collaboration.
Combating chemical threats, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence are the key topics for future scientific cooperation between the University of Defence and the Military University of Technology in Warsaw (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna, WAT), which General Farlík visited on Wednesday, November 5. He was received by its Rector‑Commandant, Brigadier General Przemysław Wachulak. “Our universities share many similarities, which supports closer cooperation both in education and in joint research projects. Thanks to the expansion and development of our teaching and research infrastructure, we have excellent conditions for academic exchange,” General Wachulak outlined the areas of cooperation. “We aim not only to establish new points of collaboration but also to draw inspiration from Poland’s military education system. Our university places great emphasis on the development of quantum technologies, including through consortium partnerships. We conduct research on quantum computers for training purposes, experiments and research on anti-drone technologies, as well as in robotics, automation, and chemistry,” said Rector‑Commandant Jan Farlík.
During the visit, General Farlík toured selected WAT facilities, including laboratories of the departments of chemistry, explosives, radiometry, and contamination monitoring. He also met with Eliška Jehličková and First Lieutenant Martin Vítek, who are at WAT as part of their doctoral studies.
The second Warsaw stop was a meeting at the War Studies University (Akademia Sztuki Wojennej, ASW), where the hosts, led by the school’s Rector, retired General Mieczysław Gocuł, presented its structure and mission.
The final point of the trip was a visit to the Polish Airforce University (Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa, LAT) in Dęblin. Here, the Rector was represented by his Deputy for Military Affairs, Colonel Wojciech Wróblewski, who, after presenting the school and holding bilateral talks, accompanied the Czech guests to the teaching and training facilities, including a flight simulator at the 41st Air Base.
The foreign trip of Rector‑Commandant Jan Farlík fulfilled its objectives – it helped deepen collegial relations with representatives of the visited institutions, expanded awareness of the University of Defence’s capabilities and offerings, contributed to establishing new contacts, and laid the foundation for further opportunities for international cooperation.
Author: Viktor Sliva, foto: WAT, LAT
