Chemists Return to Ústí nad Labem After 20 Years. The 78th Congress Will Bring Together Science, Education, and Industry
From September 7–10, 2026, Ústí nad Labem will host the 78th annual Congress of Chemists, one of the most significant professional gatherings in the field of chemistry in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The event is jointly organized by the Czech Chemical Society and Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, with the support of academic and industrial partners.
The Congress of Chemists is held under the patronage of the Rector of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koutský, Ph.D.; the Governor of the Ústí nad Labem Region, Mgr. Richard Brabec; and the Mayor of the Statutory City of Ústí nad Labem, PhDr. Ing. Petr Nedvědický.
The Congress returns to Ústí nad Labem exactly twenty years later, building on the region’s strong tradition in chemistry, which has long been linked to industry, research, and education.
“The chemists’ congress provides a unique forum for sharing the latest findings and for bringing together experts across disciplines and generations. We view this return to Ústí nad Labem as a significant opportunity to showcase our university, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year and has undergone significant development over the past twenty years. It will also allow us to showcase the potential of the city and the region, as well as their strong position in Czech chemistry,” says Prof. Ing. Zdeňka Kolská, Ph.D., a key member of the organizing committee representing both the Faculty of Science at UJEP and the Czech Chemical Society.
“The Czech Chemical Society has long supported gatherings of the professional community and the sharing of experiences across various fields. The Chemists’ Congress is one of the key activities that contributes to the development of chemistry and cooperation between academia and industry,” adds the chair of the organizing committee, Prof. Ing. Tomáš Navrátil, Ph.D.
The scientific program will offer a wide range of topics, from basic research and applied chemistry to chemical engineering and education. It will include plenary lectures, thematic sessions, and presentations by young scientists.
“We are pleased to host such a significant gathering on our university campus. We see it as an important impetus for the development of science, collaboration, and the entire region,” says Rector Jaroslav Koutský.
“Chemistry has long been closely linked to Ústí nad Labem and has played a fundamental role in its development. I appreciate all the more that the Congress of Chemists is returning here after twenty years. I see this not only as symbolic but also as an opportunity to showcase how far the city has come and what potential it has today in the areas of education, research, and modern industry. I believe the congress will foster further cooperation between the university, businesses, and the public sector,” adds Petr Nedvědický, mayor of the statutory city of Ústí nad Labem.
An integral part of the congress will be meetings with partners from industry and the public sector; by inviting them, the organizers express their gratitude for their cooperation and support.
The general partners of the Chemists’ Congress are Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, together with the statutory city of Ústí nad Labem; SPOLCHEMIE (Association for Chemical and Metallurgical Production, joint-stock company), which is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year; and the Innovation Center of the Ústí nad Labem Region.
Major partners include Euro Support Manufacturing Czechia, s. r. o., SHIMADZU Handels GmbH, Prague Branch, the ČEZ Foundation, and Metrohm Česká republika, s. r. o. We would also like to thank our partners Anton Paar GmbH, Optik Instruments, s. r. o., the Ústí nad Labem Region, Anamet, s. r. o., Pragolab, s. r. o., and P-Lab, a. s., the International Society of Electrochemistry, and SIAD Czech spol. s r. o.
Detailed information about the program, registration, and opportunities for active participation is available on the conference website. This year’s chemists’ conference will once again provide a forum for the professional community to meet and share insights that are shaping the future of chemistry.