Centre for Polar Ecology (CPE) is part of the Department of ecosystem biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. The main purpose of CPE is ensuring regular university courses of Polar Ecology and similar science topics. In the detail view we are focused on extreme environment biology including microbiology-algology, botany, zoology-parasitology, physiology and molecular biology. The second group of topics is made by physical geography of polar regions including climatology, glaciology, geology, geomorphology and hydrology. The second equally important purpose is the research itself, which is held in both biological sciences and Earth sciences.

Teaching and research activities of CPE are carried out in cooperation with institutions, that are focused on polar research on the long-term basis. These institutions have signed the common agreement on polar research collaboration in 2008 (Národní centrum výzkumu polárních oblastí). The CPE representatives participate on the activities of  International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and European Polar Board. CPE has an ambition to become a czech representative in　International Arctic Science Committee, that coordinates the arctic research. Research of polar regions takes place in different departments of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia since 1988. The research is carried out in colaboration with Masaryk university, Brno from the very beggining (25 let výzkumu Arktidy / 25 let výzkumu Antarktidy).

Foundation of the Centre for Polar Ecology was a logical consequence of the project supported by Czech ministry of education called: „Biologická a klimatická diverzita centrální části arktického souostroví Svalbard" (INGO LA 341) ("Biological and climatic diversity of the central part of Svalbard archipelago"). This project was carried out by the CPE members in colaboration with Institute of Botany in Třeboň (Czech Academy of Sciences) and Masaryk university, Brno during the years 2007-2010. The project enabled us to establish a small technical base in Petunia - Billefjorden (project description). This facility enabled about 45 research staff and students to participate on the summer field works on Svalbard during 2007-2010. The annual reports from our field activities are are available on the Svalbard Science Forum as well (report 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010). Nowadays, the university courses and research activities in Arctic are supported by funding of Czech ministry of education as a part of project LM2010009 – Projekt CzechPolar – České polární stanice" Stavba a operační náklady (see the "support" section).