E-mail: ireendekker91@gmail.com
Study Program: HR studies
Exchange semester: Spring 2014
Academic year:
2013-2014
Host University: Masaryk University
Country: Czech Republic
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The city where I lived in was Brno. That is the second biggest city of Czech Republic. The
faculty of social sciences is located in the middle of the city center. But the university exist out
of 9 faculties spread out of the whole city. So there is not really one campus. The best place
to have lunch near the faculty of social sciences is Bistro Franz. For dinner Suzies is really
that is also next to the faculty of social sciences. For just a drink Podne is good place, this
located near castle Spilberk and is surrounded by trees. For sports I went to fitness Big one,
this only two stops with tram 1, so close to the dormitory Vinarska.
Nice things to see in Brno are the Spilberk castle. Petrov church, labyrinth beneath the
vegetable market and the caves beneath the white church, Villa Tugendhat and the lake is
also really nice to relax.
The most different thing between Tilburg en Brno is the campus. Brno has not really a
campus if you compare it with Tilburg. It has 9 faculties spread out of the city. This faculties
have a broad focus. There are faculties in law, sport studies, education, art, social studies and
science for example.
There is a really big number of exchange students all over the world. I don’t know exactly how
much, but I lived already with around 300 international students in one building.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
In August I received already information to register to Masaryk University and in MidDecember I received information about accommodation and the orientation week.
There were no difficulties and if you didn’t understand something my student coordinator
answered me in a few hours.
Visa procedure and arrival
There is no visa needed, because it is in Europe.
Before arrival my tutor already contacted me if I needed help. So he/she can pick you up from
the airport and bring you to the dormitory. I came with my parents so I didn’t had a lot of
contact with my tutor. I registered myself at the accommodation a few days later than arrival.
You have to be lucky who is working at the reception. I wasn’t that lucky and I had not a really
nice lady. She wasn’t very helpful but there is always someone else who you can ask and
otherwise your tutor can help you. All the paperwork was fine, they are very good in their
administration.
Orientation/Introduction activities
There was an orientation week were the university organized some things but also the ESN
association. Also there was a buddy system.
Housing
Accommodation was organized by the university. You could choose out of three dormitories,
but Vinarska is recommend for international students. There is also a possibility to arrange
your own accommodation and there is some explanation but it is hard to arrange it from
home. But if you don’t like the dormitory you can arrange a place in city center easier when
you already know some people.
The dormitory you have to book in advance, you get an email from your coordinator when it is
possible. The rooms are double, so you sleep with a roommate. You can register together
with someone in advance if you want or you can wait till someone register to your room. Most
of the times everyone has a roommate.
I was satisfied with my accommodation, because my room was renovated. Otherwise your
bathroom and kitchen look very old and not everything works that well. But if you choose for a
renovated room it is all fine and you pay only 5 euro’s a month more.
Living Costs
Next to the grant I financed everything with my savings. I worked the semester before a lot so
I saved it for my Erasmus time.
If you compare to Tilburg the rent is much lower it is around 140 euro’s. Also going for dinner
or lunch is much cheaper. For 10 euro’s you can get a meal and two drinks. And of course the
public transport is also cheaper. I paid I think 50 euro’s for 4 months traveling in Brno and if
you want to go to another city I recommend Student Agency bus, this is very cheap. The most
of the money went to travelling, because Brno is very central in Europe you can go
everywhere. So I went to a lot of places, but you also spend money there so that makes it
expensive. But I really recommend to go to other places, because in the weekends Brno is
very quiet and it is so easy with Student Agency bus to go everywhere that it is a must.
I spend in a month:
 Housing: 140
 Food and drinks: 200
 Transport: 50
 Books: 0
I spend a lot of money on food and drinks, because going for dinner is fun and easy but it is
more expensive.
Academic Calendar
I arrived on the 5th of February and the orientation week started Monday the 9 th of February,
this took 5 days and after the weekend the semester started. The first two weeks we got the
time to test of if we liked the courses and we could switch courses in this time. The end of
classes were in the end of May and after the exams started. A lot of courses didn’t have an
exam, but I had in the end two exams. During this period there was no holiday only a few
days of at national free days. In the exam period you can do some exams three times, so the
period can take very long. Official it is till the end of June.
The International Office
There is an international office with two coordinator that are responsible for the Erasmus
students. This are Radka and Lenka. They have opening hours and then you can always step
in otherwise you can reach them by email. They are very helpful! I was really satisfied by their
help.
Exchange promotion
There is a country presentation were you can promote you country but also your university if
you want.
Social Activities
Everything is organized by the ESN club, they get a lot of support from the university. They
organize every week board games, pub quiz, party night, some trips in the weekend and sport
activities during the week. Next to that they organize a soccer competition, tram party and
boat party. So it’s not really organized by the university, but by the ESN association. I didn’t
had a lot of contact with the local students, because you don’t really meet them. You have to
go to other places than were all the Erasmus students go. So it is possible but you have to
arrange it yourself more. So I had a lot of contact with exchange students.
And like a pointed out before Brno is really nice for travelling, so I did that too. It’s really nice
experience to explore a new country with your new friends!
Culture and Language
In the beginning I didn’t feel welcomed inmediatly, because Czech people speak most of the
times no English. So in that way I felt somehow a culture shock. But not a really heavy one.
It’s hard to describe the Czech culture, because they are only for 20 years a country. So they
are not that nationalistic and therefore I think it’s hard to really point out what their culture is.
But if I have to compare, they are also punctual and have a good administration. A real
difference is that Czech Republic is more poor than Netherlands. That is what you really good
can see. There for example more homeless people and the trams look old. But everything
works, the trams are even more in time than in Netherlands.
When I travelled sometimes I felt a new culture shock like to go to Vienna but also a lot of
times not like in Croatia, Poland and Slovakia. They felt a little bit the same as Czech
Republic.
I didn’t have any language problems in university, because in university everyone can speak
English and also everyone want to help you. I followed only a English language course, to be
better in academic English. But I didn’t follow the Erasmus Intensive Language Course.
Personal Development
In a cultural view of point this exchange will affect me that I have a broader look now and that
Netherlands is not perfect. I got to now so much cultural experience because I was with 300
people in one building with their culture and habits. So I got more flexible.
I think this experience is good for my CV, because it’s easier to speak English now. Also I
more confident with new situations, because I know now that I can handle them.
I didn’t learn like one specific thing, but I got to know myself better and I know now that I can
make friends all over the world. I can reflect myself better. One of the best experiences I had
was going on trips with the friends a made their. One specific journey was to Croatia and that
was awesome!
There was also down moments and that was during exams, because everyone has exam on
another time so I felt really alone.
I will never forget the friends that I made there and how much fun we had.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Academic level at a host university
The courses are offered in English. I didn’t follow any course in the language of the host
university, because Czech language is too difficult. There are many options to follow Czech
language courses.
The courses that I took were: Czech Politics, Conflict Management, Intercultural
Communication and Youth Development. The first two courses are political science and the
other social science. I choose these courses to know more from the country where I lived in
and the other courses I found really interesting when I read the summary. I would recommend
Intercultural Communication, because you can adapt what you learn immediately to the
situation and it works also the other way around.
The level education is a bit lower than in Tilburg. Sometimes you have to write a lot of papers,
but you get always a good mark. The teaching style dependent on the course. Intercultural
communication was theoretical but conflict management was more practical. Most of the
teachings methods are lectures, but the groups are much smaller than in Tilburg. Sometimes I
was only with 10 people.
The relationship between students and staff is really informal, you can ask everything.
I was very happy with the achievements I made, because I passed everything without always
knowing what was expected from me. Next to that I had two courses in political science
without knowing something in advance and I passed these courses.
Exams
I had only two exams, the other courses had other requirement in the form of papers. The
exams that I had were both written. One was multiple choice and the other open questions.
Other
Yes, in the orientation week you get information about the library from you faculty. If you don’t
know it anymore there are very friendly to answer your questions.
In the faculty of social sciences are not that many computers. Almost everyone takes is own
laptop with them.
Course
Prerequisites
Exam
ECTS
Comments
FSS:BSS456 Conflict Managment
FSS:EUP406 Czech Politics
FSS:PSY273 Youth Development
CST:CZS50 Intercultural Communication
None
None
None
None
No exam
Written
Written
No exam
7 Grade by participation and papers
6
5
6 Grade by participation and papers
If you enroll to courses most of the time you cannot enroll, because it doesn’t fit to the faculty.
This is a really weird comment, but you can contact the teacher and most of the times they
led you into the course that you find interesting. So you can enroll to everything in the end.
Tips for the future students:
I really recommend and exchange period and also this university. I was very insecure to this
and this university is very helpful and Brno is not that big city so easy to make friends.
If you are going on exchange to this destination than you have to remind yourself that it will be
maybe though in the beginning, because you can read or say anything in Czech. Czech is
really difficult language so you have get used that you don’t understand anything what is
happening around you. It didn’t bother me, but it could be though maybe.
There is not really something special that you have to arrange to go to this destination.
A picture is worth a thousand words
If you took any pictures or made any videos that you would like to share with future exchange
students, please include them (or e-mail them separately). Pictures that show your daily life or
symbolize your exchange period are especially interesting for future exchange students.
Blog
If you kept a (photo) blog during your exchange that you would like to share (e.g.:
www.waarbenjijnu.nl, www.blipfoto.com) with future exchange students, please let us know
the URL.
http://ireendekker.waarbenjij.nu/
Contact details:
Can the International Relations Office share your e-mail address with prospective exchange
students, so that other students can contact you for more information? If yes, make sure to
write down you e-mail address on the first page of this report.
Yes that is possible.