Its pages feature interviews with inspiring personalities, stories of scientific and research achievements, and reports from events across the university.
What many may not know, however, is that the magazine has carried its current name only since 2001. Its predecessor was the Informátor akademické obce VŠB-TU Ostrava (Bulletin of the VSB-TU Ostrava Academic Community), a publication issued every two weeks.
Over time, it became clear that a university magazine could serve a much broader purpose than simply informing staff and students. The publication gradually expanded its focus to cover university life, introduce notable members of the academic community, and report on collaboration with external partners. Looking back, it may bring a smile to readers’ faces that the Informátor once even featured horoscopes among its regular content.
At the same time, the magazine also fulfilled an important promotional role. It was distributed not only among members of the academic community but also to secondary schools, universities, the City of Ostrava administration, the city information centre, companies cooperating with the university, and the leadership of the Czech Rectors Conference. The publication also found a growing audience through the university website, which was becoming an increasingly important communication channel.
As the Informátor evolved, the question of a new title naturally arose. The aim was to find a name firmly connected to the academic environment, dignified in tone, and easy to remember. Thus, in 2001, Akademik was born.
Over the years, the magazine has covered topics reflecting everyday life at the university. Readers have learned about meetings of scientific councils, student organizations, new projects, the work and interests of faculty deans, and cooperation with major partners. Annual reviews and cultural recommendations became regular features, while sections such as “We Noted” and “Looking Ahead” provided concise overviews of key events.
How Akademik Has Changed
The evolution of the magazine’s content was accompanied by changes in its visual identity.
In 2002, Akademik acquired one of its most recognizable design elements: stylized letter “A” motifs. Each issue featured a different cover colour, and from 2003, the university logo also appeared on the front page.
One thing, however, remained constant: every cover featured a person.
In the early 2000s, Akademik was published six to eight times a year and typically contained around 24 pages. Another major redesign followed in 2008, and in 2010 the publication frequency was reduced from eight to four issues annually.
Two years later, the magazine received a fresh and more youthful visual style. A further redesign came in 2019 in connection with the introduction of the university’s new visual identity. Since 2020, Akademik has been published in the format readers know today.
Its publication schedule has also evolved over the years. While several issues were once produced annually, three issues were published in 2023, two issues in 2024, and one regular issue plus two special editions for first-year students and graduates in 2025.
This year, Akademik was published as a representative overview of the most significant achievements of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava during the past academic year.
Print Still Has Its Place
In an age of social media, online news, and an endless stream of digital content, it may seem that printed publications are losing their relevance. Yet the opposite remains true.
A printed magazine does not disappear with a page refresh or get lost among hundreds of other posts. It remains on library shelves, in study rooms, offices, and home book collections. It becomes a record of its time and a lasting account of what mattered to the university in a particular year, where it was heading, and what achievements it celebrated. That is precisely where its greatest value lies. Akademik is more than a magazine. It is a chronicle of life at VSB-TUO.
Did You Know?
- The Erasmus Programme celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2017? (Akademik 4/2017)
- An interview with the designers of the new VSB-TUO logo was published in 2019? (Akademik 1/2019)
- VSB-TUO helped combat the COVID-19 pandemic by producing face shields and disinfectants? (Akademik 2/2020)
- Formula TU Ostrava was riding a wave of success in 2022? (Akademik 3/2022)
What about you? Do you prefer reading news on your phone or computer screen, or do you enjoy sitting down with a cup of coffee and a book, newspaper, or magazine? And can you recall an article, feature story, or interview from Akademik that has stayed with you over the years?
Text: Barbora Urbanovská