Student Report
Name of the University: University of Economics in Prague
Exchange semester: Fall, 2013
I. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
- When and how did you receive information from the exchange university?
o The International Office at The University of Economics was very helpful with
providing information in advance to our arrival about housing, courses and
activities arranged by the student association for exchange students (Buddy
System).
- Any difficulties in preparing (application, housing, contact, courses, etc)?
o No difficulties regarding this. If choosing to go house-hunting for rental
apartments in Prague it is advisable to consult with your Czech buddy. In
Prague you may notice an attitude towards “tricking” foreigners.
o Preparing courses are done online and is quite easy.
Applying for a visa (if applicable)
o Norwegian students do not need a visa for studying in the Czech Republic.
Travel
- How did you travel to your destination? Any problems?
o Travelling to Prague is quite easy with Norwegian Air Shuttle, or SAS. The
airport in Prague is situated conveniently reachable to the city centre either by
bus or taxi. Be aware of “fake taxis”. The AAA taxi´s have the best prices.
There is also an app available (AAA taxi). You can download an easily order
taxi wherever you are in Prague, good to have when you don’t know the city.
Housing
- Was housing provided by the university, or did you have to find your own housing?
o Housing can be provided by the university. We decided to live off-campus in a
privately apartment in Prague 5, 15 minutes by tram to the University. Be
aware, that in Czech it is normal to share room with another person. When
going on the private market, it is possible to “customize” who you live with
(i.e. share with a friend). But it can be fairly tricky to rent an apartment shortterm, most apartments are only available for one year or more.
- What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
o You will receive information well in advance about student housing from the
International Office at VSE.
- Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
o The housing provided by the international office (if it is house “Jarov”) be
aware that the standard is rather low, but then again it is very cheap compared
to housing in Oslo. This is something you could save a lot on.
Costs
- Approximately how much per month did you spend on rent, books, food,
transportation, and other personal expenses?
o For my courses I did not have to buy any books. Transportation for the
duration of the stay was about 800CZK (student card), which allows you to
travel all through Prague with public transport. This card even allows you to
travel to Prague Airport. Rent is between 200-300 euros monthly.
Culture and language
- Did you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
o Most people in Prague speak fairly well English. However, you might meet
some, even bartenders and waiters that do not wish to speak English. After a
while in Prague you will understand some of their frustration over all the
tourists.
o I had no language problems with faculty or other students at my stay in the
University of Economics.
o Some Czech students chose English courses to improve their English and to
interact with international students. This is a good way to make friends with
Czechs.
o Faculty speaks well English, although with a certain Czech tone.
- How were the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
o After a semester in Prague you will become an expert on all the sights of the
city of Prague – which is an important asset in knowing Czech culture. Further,
the student association offer many trips around Czech, both cultural trips – and
more party trips. This includes trips to Moravia, Berlin, Ski-trips, Sightseeing
in Prague and parachute.
Cultural and social effects from the exchange experience
- How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and social
point of view?
o Being an exchange student gives you the wonderful opportunity to meet
students from the whole world that are in the exact same situation as you – new
to a different country. This is a great opportunity to tie bonds to people and
build your network and to learn different cultures.
o Being an exchange student also forces you to become more secure about your
English skills.
- How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career possibilities?
o By successfully completing a semester abroad as an exchange student you
prove to yourself, and to your future employer that you can deal with
demanding situations, that you are good with languages and that you enjoy
meeting new cultures and people.
II. ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Please describe:
- The school and its surroundings
o The university is conveniently located in Prague, at the hill called Zizkov.
From your lecture rooms you will have an amazing view over Prague
(especially in late afternoons). The University is easily reached by the
excellent public transport by tram, metro and bus from wherever you are in
Prague.
-
-
o The university has three buildings, Nova budova, Rajska Budova and SB. Most
of my lectures were held in Rajska (the newest) and in SB. Be prepared that if
you have lectures in SB and NB that the standard is not the same as at BI, but
this is some of the charm of studying in central Europe.
Approx. number of students (graduate and undergraduate) and number of exchange
students
o 10.000 at campus and approximately 300 are exchange students
Study structure
o The study structure at the University of Economics in Prague is mostly like at
BI. Some professors are quite strict on attendance, and some are quite lenient
on this. Most lectures are over power point presentations and case discussions.
Exams are held during the last lecture, typically in December. The level of
difficulty varies.
Course registration
- Were you able to register for courses before arrival?
o Yes, you will receive a thorough description on how this should be done
through the ISIS-system.
- If the school has a lottery or bidding system, describe this system and your experience
in detail.
o Our experience with this was that we registered as fast as possible for the
courses we wished to take. This proved to be a good strategy. You can unlist
yourself from the courses within a given date – if there are new interesting
courses appearing. Our tip is to stay informed if new courses are added.
- When and how long was the period for adding/dropping courses?
o The deadline for dropping courses was after the first week of school.
Academic calendar
Arrival date:
First day of the semester:
Last day of classes:
Examination period:
10.September
17.September
20. December
17-20 December
Arrival
- Was the administration and faculty well-prepared for your arrival?
o The faculty is very helpful and provides excellent information.
- Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
o There will be a reception by the international office for all the international
students in the Rajska Budova (New building in the University). Here there
will be free food and some drinks as well as a traditional Czech show.
- Describe the introduction week?
o During the introduction week you can attend lectures about Czech culture,
history and literature. During this week you will also meet your Czech buddy.
During our first week we attended some of these lectures, as they are not
mandatory as well as a guided trip around Prague – given by a group of Czech
buddies.
The International Office
- Is there an international office?
o Yes there is an international office.
-
As an exchange student, did you receive sufficient and relevant information? In
English?
o Yes, the information you will receive is in English, and if any problems they
will assist you.
Promoting BI and Norway
- What kind of activities were you involved in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
o There were no particular events to promote BI during our semester.
Social activities
- How was your relationship with native students?
o Good. Some Czech students attended our courses, as they wished to practice
their English.
- How was the relationship among the exchange students?
o Very good. Most of the classes are with exchange students, so you will know
each other fairly good.
- Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students a part of it?
o Yes, there is an organisation for exchange students called Buddy System. This
organisation makes events and trips for the exchange students. Here you will
meet Czech students, as well as international students.
- Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
o Many. The first weekend after the introduction week it was the Icebreaking
weekend, which was a great opportunity to meet very many of the other
international students. Every week the The Buddy System hosts Nation2Nation
parties, where every party is themed by a nation. The parties are at nightclubs
in Prague, so this is something you should not miss out on. During the stay we
also had a Scandinavian party.
III. ACADEMICS
In the classroom
- Describe the teaching style.
o The teaching style is somewhat different compared with BI. An example of this
is that you do not need to base your arguments in in-class discussions that
much on theory. Most discussions are on the more practical level.
- Language of instruction? Any problems?
o English. No problems.
- How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
o The level of study, and the level of content is lower.
- Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
o Teaching is more practical. The professors want to hear your opinion on topics
more than the theoretical foundations.
- Did professors use cases, group work or lectures (or a combination)?
o The professors used a combination of this in all classes.
- How is the workload compared to that at BI?
o Less work than at BI. Be prepared that the work may pile up towards the end of
November before the exam.
- Describe the relationship between professors and students.
-
o Moreover good. However, this depends on the professors. Some professors are
more distant to their students, while others are very helpful.
Describe the relationship between the students in the classroom.
o There is a good relationship between the students in the classroom. Naturally
this depends on how much you wish to participate as most of the students in
the classes you can choose are international students.
Course materials
- Describe the course materials used (books/literature, online articles, Powerpoint, etc).
o Course materials for my courses were mainly power-point. In one of the
courses we were asked to buy one book written by the professor.
- In which language were the course materials?
o English
- How do you estimate the level of the course materials in comparison to BI?
o As most material was power-point slides, the level of course material compared
to BI is low.
- Were materials used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview of a subject?
o Power-point slides, and the professors key points in lectures were the key to
success in exams.
Exams
- Was the exam based on the course materials or on the lectures?
o Exams were mostly based on what had been taught by the professors during the
semester. By studying the power point slides you will be well prepared for the
exams.
-
How was the course evaluated?
o Final exam
o Mid-term exam
o In-class quizzes throughout semester
o Small assignments and/or papers
o Presentations
o Group work
o Class attendance
o Class participation/debates
Library and technology
- Do students have easy access to the library and its resources?
o The University of Economics has a small library at its premises, but this is
small and rather old. There are other libraries connected to the Charles
University of Prague in the Starostmestka area in that is recommended also.
o Borrowing books at the University of Economics library is no hassle.
- Were computers provided around campus/in the library?
o There are a few computers available for students, but taking your own would
be recommended.
- How is technology used in teaching or to distribute information?
o During teaching most professors make use of power point or white-board.
Description of courses
Course code & name
Master/
Bachelor
Master
Exam form
Prerequisites
Cases,
Home exam
None
Approved
as
Elective
The history of Czech
Lands. From Kafka to
Havel
Management of
Knowledge Workers
Master/ba
chelor
None
Elective
None
Elective
Rather easy
course.
Management of
workers in an
Multicultural
Environment
Joint-Venture and
MNCs
Master
Midterm,
participation,
Final exam
Written exam,
presentations,
attendance
Presentation,
attendance
None
Elective
Cases,
Presentations,
Oral final exam
None
Elective
Practical
course,
good
professor.
Our
toughest
course.
Practical
perspective.
International Business
Master
Master
Comments
Interesting
course,
good
teacher
Fairly easy
course.
If any questions regarding our stay at the University of Economics in Prague (VSE), do
not hesitate to contact us through the International Office at BI.
Enjoy your stay.