This study analyses the spatio-temporal and institutional patterns of long-term international student mobility in the Czech Republic between 2001 and 2024, with a particular focus on the relationship between numerical growth and nationality diversity. Using data from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, the paper examines changes in the number of degree-seeking international students, their countries of origin, spatial distribution across university cities, and institutional preferences. The results confirm a more than sixfold increase in the number of international students, accompanied by a gradual diversification of source countries and a declining dominance of Slovak students. At the same time, the analysis shows that numerical growth does not necessarily correspond to higher diversity. While Prague represents a highly diversified and globally oriented centre, cities such as Brno or Zl & iacute;n combine high concentrations of international students with relatively low nationality diversity, largely due to the strong presence of Slovak students. Based on the combination of quantitative and diversity indicators, the study identifies distinct types of internationalisation profiles across Czech university cities. These findings highlight the spatially and institutionally uneven character of internationalisation in Czech higher education and point to the importance of language policy, institutional strategies and geopolitical factors. The paper thus contributes to a more nuanced understanding of international student mobility in a Central European context, with implications for higher education policy and regional development.
This article presents the results of a comprehensive investigation into the transport and infrastructural conditions influencing the development of public transportation in the city of Aktobe, Republic of Kazakhstan. The central aim of the study is to conduct an integrated spatial-functional assessment of urban public transport services in a context of rapid demographic growth, increasing motorization, and peripheral urbanization. The rationale arises from the limited availability of empirical research focused on second-tier post-Soviet urban centers where public transport remains under strain. Methodologically, the study employs a mixed-methods approach comprising geographic information systems (GIS)-based spatial analysis, stratified sociological surveying of 501 residents, and a set of statistically derived transport accessibility indices. Two composite indicators-the Public Transport Availability Index (PTCI) and the Integrated Transport Service Index (IPTSI)-were calculated based on service frequency, stop density, population coverage, and average waiting time. The results of the study reveal pronounced spatial asymmetries in transport provision: whereas central districts demonstrate a high level of accessibility and user satisfaction (over 80%), peripheral and suburban territories remain significantly underserved (below 30%). Although certain digital innovations (such as fare card systems and vehicle monitoring) have been introduced, systemic deficiencies persist-namely, insufficient network coverage, irregular service intervals, infrastructural degradation, and weak modal integration. The study argues for the necessity of a strategic reconfiguration of the route network, coupled with the introduction of environmentally sustainable transit solutions. Among the strengths of the study is its synthesis of spatial, perceptual, and infrastructural data into a single analytical framework capable of supporting evidence-based policy recommendations. However, its temporal scope limits dynamic forecasting potential. The findings possess broad applicability for medium-sized urban centers in transition economies and may serve as a reference point for rethinking public transport modernization strategies under conditions of constrained institutional and financial capacity.
Despite being part of the Schengen Area and benefiting from European integration, the Czech-Polish borderland faces challenges in cross-border mobility and regional development. The study aims to analyze the historical evolution, contemporary status, and future potential of cross-border railway transport between Czechia and Poland. It identifies the dismantling of numerous cross-border railway connections in the mid-20th century due to geopolitical tensions. It examines the persistent barriers to their re-establishment despite the removal of physical border controls. Through a multidisciplinary approach rooted in human geography and border studies, the research analyzes timetables, literature, and interviews with regional stakeholders to assess these lost railway links’ socioeconomic and infrastructural impacts. The findings reveal that while cross-border integration has improved in recent decades, cross-border transport remains fragmented, with regional disparities and administrative obstacles limiting integration. The study highlights key areas for potential railway restoration and the importance of European funding. The results contribute to broader discussions on border permeability, regional integration, and transport policy within the European Union. Strengths of the study include methodological diversity, empirical richness, and policy relevance. Limitations arise from significant reliance on secondary data and an emphasis on transport infrastructure and policy, leaving other aspects underexplored. In addition, differences in transport governance between Czechia and Poland resulted in uneven representation in the interviews.
This study employs the ENVI-met microscale model to assess heat stress in the urban core of Ko & scaron;ice, Slovakia, during a heat wave on 30 June 2022. Utilising high-resolution surface data derived from Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery, LiDAR point clouds, and shapefiles, we quantify the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) to evaluate diurnal heat stress dynamics. The model incorporates detailed urban morphology, including buildings, 3D vegetation, and land cover, with meteorological forcing data from hourly SYNOP observations at the Ko & scaron;ice airport. Results highlight significant heat stress in densely built-up areas, with UTCI peaks in the late afternoon due to high heat accumulation and low wind speeds. The study underscores the effectiveness of ENVI-met for high-resolution urban microclimate simulations and identifies hotspots for potential heat stress mitigation strategies.
The cost-of-living crisis (CoLC) represents a long-standing structural challenge in developed countries that has intensified markedly in recent years, and is increasingly recognized as a global risk. This paper examines the CoLC in EU countries, with an emphasis on Slovakia and its regions (NUTS 3). The study assesses the level and dynamics of CoLC across EU member states and quantifies the impact of income development on changes in the income poverty risk rate (IPRR), with a particular focus on Slovakia and its regions. Using income, price, and poverty indicators at both national and regional levels, the study analyses the relationship between income dynamics and households' ability to cover living costs. The results indicate significant growth in the share of the population unable to cover their cost of living, driven by rapid price growth combined with weak income growth in Slovakia. Slovakia achieved the second worst score in the entire EU for the average annual growth of IPRR. At the regional level, stagnant or low income growth alongside rising prices emerges as the primary driver of worsening living conditions, particularly in economically weaker regions. The findings highlight growing socioeconomic vulnerabilities and underline the need for targeted policy responses to mitigate the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.
Cycling is among the most under-explored transport modes, which does not reflect its importance, especially in meeting the daily mobility needs of a large part of the world's population. One of the most important aspects of research is the safety of cycling, since cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users. This paper studies the temporal variability of bicycle crashes, defining bicycle crash hotspots and their accessibility by emergence medical service vehicles using the Czech Republic as an example. There is a significant concentration of bicycle crashes during specific parts of the year. We identified the main concentrations of cyclist crashes on the Czech road network using the Kernel density estimation+ method. Hotspots based on collective risk are mainly concentrated in urban areas but also rural regions. Although bicycle crash hotspots are generally accessible by emergency medical services, coverage is inadequate in some locations. Poorly accessible hotspots are particularly common in mountain and foothill regions, which are frequent destinations for cyclists seeking adrenaline and scenery.
Global processes influence the course of changes in national education policy, and similar reform trends are observed worldwide. Therefore, the first part of the paper provides a brief overview of the main characteristics of global education policy. The aim of this paper is to examine the attitudes of Croatian teacher education students and primary and policies as well as to assess their self-perceived competence to teach global topics. For this purpose, a special questionnaire was created, and a survey was conducted among 113 students and 86 teachers in 2024. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to identify statistically important differences. The results show that the respondents are aware of the influence of globalization and international organizations, especially the European Union, on national education policy. The influence of the European Union on the Croatian education system is mainly perceived as positive. Teaching foreign languages is one of the main characteristics of global education policy, as well as the fact that globalization has created more possibilities for studying abroad and student exchange. The respondents agree that 'brain drain' is the negative consequence of globalization and that education reforms only partially take national values and interests into account. Regarding the self-assessment of competences in teaching global topics, respondents consider themselves most competent to teach about human rights, global inequalities, democracy, and civil society. A lack of competence is noticeable in teaching on modern migrations, and energy to some extent. The results of this research can be used to modernize the programme for teachers' education. The paper contributes to geographical research on the mobility of educational policies between different spatial scales (from global to national). teachers, teachers, geography of education
Hyperspectral (HS) and LiDAR sensing provide complementary information for vineyard monitoring. HS imagery captures detailed spectral signals related to canopy physiology and biochemistry but is often affected by contamination from inter-row soil and weeds. LiDAR offers precise measurements of canopy structure yet lacks biochemical sensitivity. Their integration has the potential to overcome these limitations, and remotely piloted (unpiloted) aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide the flexible platform needed to collect both datasets at very high resolution over vineyards. In this study, UAV-based hyperspectral and laser scanning data were collected in the Slovak part of the Tokaj wine region to evaluate their combined potential for distinguishing vine from non-vine areas, producing dense point clouds with more than 600 points per square metre and hyperspectral imagery consisting of 172 bands at 0.1 m spatial resolution. Four datasets were prepared: hyperspectral imagery alone, hyperspectral imagery combined with canopy height, simulated natural colour imagery alone, and simulated natural colour imagery combined with canopy height. All datasets were transformed using principal component analysis, and the resulting features were classified with a supervised maximum likelihood classifier. Accuracy was evaluated using 1,000 field-validated reference points. The classification based only on the hyperspectral data reached 89% overall accuracy but performed poorly for vine detection, with a producer's accuracy of 48.9% and an F1-score of 0.61. When canopy height information was included, performance improved to 96% overall accuracy, a Kappa coefficient of 0.85, and an F1-score of 0.88. Simulated natural-colour imagery combined with canopy height achieved intermediate results, with 93% overall accuracy and an F1-score of 0.79. These findings confirm that integrating spectral and structural information enhances vineyard mapping and provides a reliable basis for precision viticulture applications.
This paper investigates the territorial and temporal variation in pro-poor growth across 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in four growth sub-episodes between 2001 and 2021. Drawing on the pro-poor growth framework, we examine how changes in income, poverty, and inequality have shaped the extent to which income growth benefited the poor. Using the most recent data from the World Bank's Poverty and Inequality Platform, we calculate pro-poor growth metrics for each country and growth episode. These growth spells are then classified using a novel, standardized typology of pro-poor growth, enabling us to identify spatial and temporal patterns across the region. Our results reveal significant reductions in poverty and inequality, alongside persistent heterogeneity across countries and over time. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of inclusive and pro-poor growth dynamics in the LAC region, and offers potential insights to inform equity-oriented development policies.
The increasing role of rail transport in passenger mobility has become the focal point of transport policy in Poland in recent years. Organisational reforms of the Polish transport system have led to the transfer of responsibility for regional passenger rail transport to provincial governments. In addition to the carrier originating from the PKP group (PolRegio), local railway companies (e.g., Koleje Dolnośląskie, Łódzka Kolej Aglom-eracyjna) are becoming increasingly important and are gaining an increasing share of the rail transport market. The administrative border of a voivodeship should not be a limitation in creating a transport offer. The public transport system should be based on real function-ing connections. The analysis concerns all active inter-voivodeship routes in Poland – adopting a comprehensive approach that includes the whole country, not just selected sec-tions. The main objective of the study is to assess their functioning within passenger con-nections in the context of multilocation travel. A total of 91 routes were identified. The study covers the following characteristics: status in passenger traffic service, categories of trains running, transport offer, road speed, electrification, and date of suspension of passenger traffic. The main conclusions include: [1] there is a strong variation in the number of trains on individual routes, [2] the degree of cooperation between individual provincial govern-ments is uneven, [3] the regionalisation processes carried out in Poland in the passenger transport sector have influenced the emergence of contact connections at internal borders, [4] the regional railway line in many cases constitutes an important transport link (with only a limited role or even absence of bus/coach transport). The study could form the basis for further analysis in terms of network links, assessment of the relevance of reactivating (and operating) defunct rail routes, and strategic planning for the operation of rail routes contained in planning documents. An extended analysis could additionally help mitigate the negative effects of transport exclusion. The analysis aims to demonstrate the impact of administrative and legal changes in rail transportation systems on current transportation links. The study refers to Polish reality as a case study of a Central European country, but the research problem is universal, and the conclusions and recommendations developed can be applied to other transport systems undergoing change and transformation.
Urbex, or urban exploration, is an increasingly prominent term associated with non-conformist leisure activities and an alternative way of exploring specific places. As urbex activities are located in a grey area and authentic urbex is limited by its own rules, it is difficult to quantify it directly in terms of analysing its popularity across countries or regions. This makes it challenging to empirically confirm the general view that urbex is growing in popularity. The aim of this paper is therefore to indirectly assess the interest in urbex in the Visegrad Four countries between January 2014 and July 2024 and to specify it for NUTS3 regions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The methodology combines mul-tiple data sources with the analytical tool Google Trends and the specification and compar-ison of recalculated numerical information related to the term urbex and urban exploration. The findings confirm the assumption of increasing interest in urbex in the V4 countries, with the highest relative popularity of this type of modern exploration in the Czech Republic
Starting from the school year 2026/2027, Slovakia will implement the State edu-cational programme for primary and lower secondary education (Ministry of education, 2023), introducing performance-based and content-related changes in geography educa-tion. For the third educational cycle (6th –9th grades) the curriculum sets learning activities that can be conducted using geoinformation technologies. These activities include geo-graphical inquiry, the use of statistical data for acquiring, processing, presenting the infor-mation, identifying the spatial relationships, creating a map, and drawing conclusions. The achievement of such educational goals may vary depending on the understanding and preparedness of teachers. In this context, it is essential that future geography teachers ac-quire the knowledge and skills to apply inquiry-based teaching strategies effectively. This paper examines inquiry-based learning and teaching with digital mapping tools aimed at pre-service geography teachers by equipping them to design their own inquiry-based tasks. A set of twenty-eight geography tasks was analysed from didactic and subject-specific viewpoints. Findings show pre-service geography teachers cultivated their expertise in un-derstanding and designing the inquiry-based tasks with the use of selected digital mapping tools in topics of school geography. Their most frequent design was a task to create a the-matic map representing a demographic indicator of Slovak population using the ArcGIS Online platform. The study concludes with recommendations for integrating inquiry-based learning with digital mapping tools into geography teacher training programmes.
In an increasingly interconnected world, this study examines how geographical origin influences public sentiment toward transit systems, using social media as a lens. By analyzing a large dataset of tweets related to London's transit system, we explore differ-ences in sentiment between residents and visitors, including temporal patterns, as well as variations among visitors from different continents and countries. The results indicate that residents, who are more familiar with local transit issues, tend to express more negative sentiment than visitors (59.5% of residents vs. 56.8% of non-residents). Among visitors, sig-nificant differences emerge: Europeans exhibit the most negative sentiment, with their tweets being 1.7 times more likely to be negative than those of Asian visitors. Central and South Americans also show heightened negativity, while North Americans are only moder-ately more negative. Regarding temporal distribution, residents exhibit the highest levels of negative sentiment during early morning hours, likely due to commuting stress, while non-residents maintain consistent negativity throughout the day, peaking on weekends as they navigate the city. This highlights distinct temporal patterns in sentiment between these groups. From a continental perspective, North America has the second-highest number of negative tweets; however, it also has one of the lowest shares of complaints. Europeans and Asians primarily express confusion regarding COVID-19 regulations and punctuality is-sues. These findings underscore the importance of considering geographical and cultural contexts when analyzing public sentiment. They also offer actionable insights for policymak-ers and transit planners seeking to improve user satisfaction across diverse populations.
Since the period of post-socialist transformation and the establishment of independ-ent Slovakia, limited attention has been paid to comprehensive assessment of its urban hier-archy. This study aims to address this research gap by proposing a hierarchical categorization of urban municipalities in Slovakia, reflecting their population size, transportation potential, availability of selected public amenities, jobs and positions in retail and commercial services. The analysis strives to capture the hierarchy both at a national and regional scale, offering insights into their roles within broader social-economic and spatial systems. The results are presented in two variants: one reflecting national-level accessibility and availability of ser-vices and jobs, and another focusing on regional contexts defined by a 40-minute commuting radius. This dual perspective emphasizes the importance of small towns in peripheral regions while demonstrating the varying positions of regional capitals based on their accessibility and amenities. The findings reveal significant disparities in urban hierarchy across Slovakia, driven by historical, infrastructural, and demographic factors. This research has practical implications for urban planning, regional development, and administrative reform. The cate-gorization provides a framework for identifying natural centres of development and for eval-uating the suitability of current administrative divisions. It also contributes to understanding the processes of urban development and regional transformation in Slovakia. The study also highlights the importance of further research. Significant differences in categorizations based on partial indicators point to the need for careful consideration of input variables, their weighting, and the refinement of threshold values. The study demonstrates differences between the national and regional significance of towns; however, it raises the question of setting spa-tial boundaries in the regional approach, which may vary depending on the indicators used.
Research on spatial polarisation helps to understand the organisation of highly differentiated space. Previous studies have already addressed this topic, and this paper aims to contribute additional insights and findings. This study uses statistical and analytical methods with up to 16 socio-economic indicators derived from the 2021 Census of Popula-tion, Houses and Dwellings, and other socio-economic indicators in a given year, or over the 2011-2020 intercensal period. These methods help identify peripheral municipalities in Slovakia and to point out the causes of this phenomenon. Using methods of formal regional taxonomy, four key factors are introduced that significantly improve identification and spec-ification of socio-economic peripheries. These factors form the foundation for a new typol-ogy of Slovak municipalities based on peripherality. This typology provides a detailed view of individual factors and points out the accumulation of negative values of the factors. These findings are presented within the basic spatial units of Slovakia as municipalities with cu-mulated or partially cumulated peripherality.
Show caves represent significant geotourism sites that provide significant revenue sources, particularly in developing economies. Simultaneously, their fragile underground ecosystems offer unique opportunities for nature conservation, environmental education, and sustainable tourism practices. Slovak and Czech show caves share a common history regarding accessibility, protection, and management. However, the division of Czechoslovakia in 1993 introduced substantial differences in the administration of these sites. Although national organizations with similar principles manage show caves in both countries, a comparative analysis reveals notable differences in visit rates and attractiveness. This study applies a methodological framework combining comparative analysis and a scoring system based on five physical-geographical and five human-geographical attributes to evaluate the attractiveness of caves. The analysis included correlation methods and Likert scale-based point assessments.. The findings indicate that Czechia shows higher absolute visit rates, lower average entrance fees, and better infrastructure. Slovakia, however, achieves higher relative visit rates per 1,000 inhabitants or tourists and offers unique sites such as the Ochtinsk & aacute; Aragonite Cave and Dem & auml;nov & aacute; Cave of Liberty. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted visit rates in both countries, with Czech cave tourism recovering more rapidly. Results emphasize the necessity for effective marketing, sustainable management, and infrastructure investments to enhance attractiveness of caves and their economic viability as tourist destinations.
Mapping and assessing Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) is crucial for identifying opportunities to enhance urban planning strategies that support ecological health and im-prove the quality of urban living. This study presents a novel methodology for BGI mapping and evaluation, leveraging freely available datasets in Slovakia integrated with advanced GIS tools, including deep learning methods. The proposed approach combines Open-StreetMap (OSM), LiDAR data, and orthophoto mosaics to provide a comprehensive frame-work for assessing urban BGI. The first section evaluates green and blue areas in the study area, highlighting differences in dataset quality. OSM data underrepresented green spaces, while water bodies were reasonably well-represented. Orthophotomosaics, analyzed using deep learning, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), offered more precise results, with deep learning achieving higher ac-curacy but requiring significant computational resources. LiDAR data accurately identified trees and shrubs but was less effective in mapping water bodies. In the second phase, we developed a BGI index by integrating the analyzed datasets and using object extraction techniques from the mentioned datasets. The final BGI index of 0.41 places the study area on the border between "Moderate" and "Good" BGI quality. This result suggests that BGI quality can be enhanced through urban interventions such as green roofs and permeable surfaces. The novelty of this study lies in the creation of a new methodology for BGI mapping in Slovakia using freely accessible datasets, providing a replicable model for similar re-gions. This work contributes to the field by laying the foundation for future research aimed at mapping and evaluating BGI.
This paper examines outdoor education and place-based learning from the perspective of Slovak teachers, focusing on their engagement with these methods, the barriers they face, and the locations they prefer for teaching outside. Through a survey of 303 educators across Slovakia, the study provides insights into the frequency of outdoor teaching, revealing a generally positive stance towards these activational approaches despite challenges, such as adverse weather, student behaviour, and topics identified by teachers as unsuitable. The research identifies key factors that influence outdoor teaching practices, including the support from school administrations and the accessibility of suitable outdoor locations. While the study acknowledges the broad benefits of outdoor education and place-based learning in enhancing student motivation and behaviour, it also points out the need for curriculum adjustments and improved teacher training to overcome the identified barriers. By offering a detailed account of preferred teaching sites and the correlation between teacher participation in outdoor education programs and their outdoor teaching frequency, this paper contributes to the discourse on effective outdoor education. It underscores the importance of structural changes within the educational system and suggests avenues for future research, particularly in evaluating the pedagogical impacts of outdoor education and place-based learning. The findings advocate for policy shifts to better integrate outdoor education into practice, highlighting its potential to enrich educational experiences and prepare students for future challenges.
The main motivation of the paper is to provide an overview of 3D geovisualization capabilities of selected software and present selected methods of visualization of 3D geospa-tial data using horizontal planes. The paper is focused on the evaluation of software and meth-ods for the visualization of thematic geospatial data with an emphasis on visual analysis in 3D. Meteorological data of the ALADIN forecast model were used to create visualizations. The first part focuses on the evaluation of selected software in terms of 3D visualization capa-bilities. The evaluation encompasses software tools such as geographic information systems, web-based solutions, and 3D computer graphics software. The result is a comparison of these software in terms of suitability for visual analysis in 3D, for example in terms of spatial data support, 3D visualizations, or analytical functions. The second part is focused on the presen-tation of four methods of 3D data visualization using horizontal planes for visualizing thematic data, including single plane, multiple planes without transparency, multiple planes with trans-parency, and multiple planes overlay. These methods were evaluated based on graphical var-iables, both the original ones defined by Jacques Bertin and those added later by other car-tographers, to achieve the most optimal visual analysis in 3D. The article concludes by high-lighting the advantages and disadvantages of the different visualization methods, and their specifics in terms of graphical variables. The importance of interactive visualization environ-ments for fully utilizing the potential of these methods is emphasized.
The aim of geographical education is to enhance the level of geographical literacy among pupils, enabling them to acquire, comprehend, analyse, and interpret geographic information so they are able to apply it effectively. One approach to improving this literacy level involves utilizing map skills, through which pupils can read, analyse, interpret map content, and even create maps. This research aimed to assess the level of selected map skills among Slovak pupils at the end of lower secondary education (ISCED 2). A self-constructed research tool was used as the research instrument. Analysis of the acquired data revealed an average level of map skills among the pupils. The highest proficiency was observed in tasks focused on utilizing skills associated with map reading. Conversely, the lowest proficiency was found in tasks requiring the application of skills related to map analysis. The data collected suggest that although pupils at the end of lower secondary education possess skills enabling them to obtain necessary information from a map, they encounter challenges in analysing and subsequently interpreting this information.
