The Institute for Politics and Society offered an internship for Slovak students through the program Erasmus +. As a third-year student of International Relations Bc. degree, this opportunity was a clear choice. Currently, graduating with a degree does not guarantee a job, although it does play an important role in the acquisition of appropriate experience and expertise. I decided not to miss this opportunity and applied to take part in the internship as I wanted to find out how things work in real life and not just learn about them from books. This internship has allowed me to gain experience in a political think tank which deals with political and economic issues as well as with foreign policy issues.

During my internship, I have worked on a number of different projects. The largest of these was the organization of an international conference called Challenges for Europe, which was attended by speakers from different European countries, as well as a number of successful and inspiring people. I liked how we all worked together on this project. Everybody contributed towards this successful conference, which was enjoyed by all.

The institute regularly organizes debates, discussions and business breakfasts on various topics. Whitest in my role I  had the opportunity to organize one debate called Traditions of Czech Monetary Policy. This was a great experience to understand and learn about what goes into organizing such a debate. I also attended a business breakfast with Richard Brabec, Minister for the Environment.

There is a wide range of opportunities here including writing reports from events or policy papers, learning to work with online databases, editing the website and publishing content on youtube. There is also the opportunity to talk and take inspiration from the many important people that regularly visit the institute.

The institute has a relaxed atmosphere. The management of the institute is very friendly and professional. They always helped us and taught us new things. There were also Native English speaking trainees. This diverse workforce provided us with the opportunity to develop our English language skills. This was amazing, as we were able to find a lot of new friends.

I also had the opportunity during my internship to explore Prague, the beautiful European metropolis. It’s a magical city full of loving, willing people. I’ll fondly remember the 2 months I’ve lived here and I am glad that I decided to leave my comfort zone and take part in this internship. I recommend it to all. You will not regret it.

Thank you for the great experience.