Greetings from the Czech Republic!

Published: Thursday, 09 March 2017 07:34

The NMSTU students, the participants of the EU Erasmus+ Programme, just returned from their semester-long stay at the University of Technology in České Budějovice. Study abroad helps broaden one’s horizons, meet new friends from all over the world, practice one’s foreign language, learn different cultures, visit various places. Through study abroad one can try oneself in different educational systems, feel a part of the international student community, learn how to make one’s own academic choices. As a result, a student learns to appreciate his or her native university.

Here are some comments made by our students about how they found their time at the Czech university.

Serafima Kurochkina: When we came to the Czech university it was up to us to choose the subjects we would like to follow and we would go for the disciplines that were close to the curriculum at our home university. Besides, we could set our own timetable. The difference in teaching styles was obvious. In the Czech Republic students are given more leeway in shaping their learning path. However, our university can be competitive with its Czech counterpart in the level of teaching.

Evgeniya Pianzina: I really enjoyed studying and dealing with students from other cultural backgrounds. Such programmes help you learn about tolerance and improve your foreign language. In the Czech Republic, the curriculum is more focused on practical studies, i.e. projects. Students are free to decide which subjects to take up. Whereas in Russia it seems to be more systematic and less flexible.

Denis Malyukov: In my class, there were students from Spain, Russia, Kazakhstan, Korea and Latvia. They were all very sociable and friendly. There were no political conflicts or language barriers – everyone would treat the others as equals, and it was great. There was a feeling that I was a part of a single international family. Everyone was supportive.

There were many interesting things we would do in our leisure time. We were taken on sightseeing tours, to play bowling or to the theatre. We also visited other European countries and cities. Our scholarships were sufficient to cover all the expenses.

Anton Bakhtin: In the Czech Republic students work for their success. For me it was a totally captivating experience as most of your time you are engaged in practical studies, i.e. your project, and it stimulates you to try and understand everything you come to deal with making learning a more fulfilling experience.

Czech education is based on an in-depth study. The curriculum won’t include many disciplines, but students are supposed to get a very good understanding of each. And unconventional learning approaches seem to work better there.

Interview by Inessa Kim