Appointment of Peter Howe as Executive Director

We are delighted to announce a strengthening of our leadership team with the appointment of Peter T. Howe as Executive Director of Prague City University.

Future Growth for PCU

The role of Executive Director at PCU is a culmination of a decade of work as we emerge as a European university with a global reach. The realisation of our new campuses project, which will see us move into our new City Centre Campus in February 2023 and our large second Pragovka Campus in 2024, signals the start of a new phase in PCU's history and an appropriate time to introduce this position.

An Experienced Educational Leader

Peter’s background as an educational leader, along with his values of international cooperation and a mission to promote sustainability through education, is ideally suited to PCU’s mission, vision and goals. He has demonstrated a deep commitment to ensuring students are at the heart of the educational experience, while building a cohesive faculty and staff. Our students, alumni and staff often say the PCU community is like a family and Peter’s experience and achievements reflect that very same culture of inclusion and support.

Peter has spent the last twenty years in leadership positions within the United World Colleges network of influential and highly-esteemed international schools. He started with the United World College (UWC) of the Adriatic in Italy in 2005 as Head of Economics and IB Coordinator, before assuming the roles of Director of Studies and Deputy Head in 2007, and ultimately Head or Rettore of the College in 2008. He was appointed Head of College at UWC Maastricht in the Netherlands when this well-established international school joined the UWC network in 2012. Finally, Peter moved to Wales in 2017 to serve as Principal of UWC Atlantic. Atlantic College is the founding college of the UWC movement, itself established in 1962, and one of the three international schools that created the original International Baccalaureate program in 1968.

Peter has a Bachelor’s of Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Canada, as well as a Master’s in Art History and doctoral studies in Architectural History from the University of Toronto. He started his working life with several years at Procter and Gamble in sales and marketing before moving to his passion and vocation in a career in education, first as a teacher of Economics, History, and World Arts and Cultures at Upper Canada College and later as Head of Colleges around the world. Peter has also served the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Council of International Schools (CIS) as an examiner, team leader, workshop leader, and working group member. He is member of the Council of International Schools Summit and University Leaders Working Group.

Executive Director Role

Reporting directly to the President of PCU, Peter will be part of our shared governance structure, further developing the collegial and consensual leadership style of PCU, while coordinating with the President and Rector, and stewarding the Academic Leadership and Senior Executive teams as we evolve as a specialist university in the centre of Europe with a global reach.

“It is easy to see why Peter is a great fit for a leadership role at PCU at this time. His background in business, as well as his studies and interest in art matches our own Schools and is at the core of the PCU educational mission. His leadership of renowned international Colleges demonstrates an ability to combine the needs of day-to-day operations and planning while remaining true to the values and ideals that drive our educational philosophy. And crucially, his strongly-held belief that students, faculty and staff are the centre and core of an educational institution matches my own firmly-held beliefs,” says Douglas Hajek, President of Prague City University.

Regarding his upcoming role at PCU and the contribution he hopes to make, Peter says “It is my absolute honour to be named Executive Director of Prague City University. I am inspired by the work of Doug and his team in establishing such a progressive, student-centred university which allows students to discover and explore their unique promise, potential and purpose.  I cannot wait to join the PCU community and to play my part in supporting the university’s aspiration to deliver world-class transformational education in the heart of Europe.”

Commencement in 2023

Peter is expected to take up his post as Executive Director of PCU in the first half of 2023 and we welcome him now as Executive Director Designate and future colleague of PCU, as we eagerly anticipate his arrival on campus.

We believe PCU is perfectly placed to thrive as an international university with a Czech and global student body. Our research activities aligned to, and embedded in the educational experience, alongside our dedication and focus on student well-being and outcomes make PCU an excellent choice for students from all over the world.

We look forward to working with Peter as we provide an excellent university education to our students, share an outstanding workplace for academics and operational staff, and make a meaningful contribution to research and collaboration with the businesses and communities around us.

You can see a full description of Prague City University’s organisational structure here.