Extraordinary support of Faculty of International Relations concerning current situation

Faculty of International Relations and Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) unequivocally condemns the military aggression against Ukraine, which is in conflict with international law and with the basic values ​​that the University has long professed.

“We are also considering concrete steps. Above all, we will strive to ensure that the situation has the least impact on all our students who may be affected. We will approach each student and their life situation individually. We will set aside a budget in the scholarship fund, which will be available to affected students in the Czech Republic and on their study abroad. We will ask the school to increase the capacity of the Psychological Counseling Center. As I was assured today in the Academic Senate of the Faculty, our students will also be happy to help their colleagues within their means. Students from Ukraine and the Russian Federation make up more than 10% of all our students. Therefore, they are an important part of the Faculty, and we will do our utmost to ensure that everyone can continue to study properly in a collegial academic environment without disadvantage or discrimination,”

doc. Ing. Josef Taušer, Ph.D., Dean of FIR (link to full statement here)

In accordance with the statement of the Dean of Faculty of International Relations and in collaboration with the Prague University of Economics and Business, Faculty of International Relations has prepared a set of extraordinary and aimed measures:

1) Scholarship for students from Ukraine

Starting March, Ukrainian students can apply for an extra scholarship to cover any additional costs or cover the regular costs they would have difficulties with due to the situation in Ukraine. The application is submitted via the InSIS Contact Centre.

2) Support to students in a difficult situation

FIR will actively connect students affected by the current situation with mentors, alumni, student associations, and other students to help them cope with the problems they may be facing now. Because at a large Faculty as ours, one is never alone! Information about the project will be available on the FIR intranet. For more information, you can contact Ing. Markéta Lipavská (marketa.lipavska@vse.cz) or Student PR Team (studentifmv@vse.cz)

3) Concerns & Complaints box

In reaction to the current crisis, FIR has speeded up the launching of the Concerns & Complaints box, where members of the academic community can share their incentives and complaints: It can also be done anonymously through the FIR intranet. The Box can be used for communication directed towards the management of the faculty about issues worth their attention.

4) Important information, asylum information, and humanitarian aid

The intranet page about the possibilities of current help, asylum updates, and other important information connected to the ongoing situation is frequently updated. For instance:

5) Another form of help organized by the Prague University of Economics and Business

  1. Prague University of Economics and Business will provide migrants from Ukraine who are dependents of the university students accommodation in Točná. The capacity of this accommodation is 25 persons. Please, direct your requests to the office of doc. Mgr. Andrej Tóth, Ph.D. (kancler@vse.cz).
  2. The university is ready to accept into Czech- or English-taught study programmes up to 30 students from Ukraine (5 for each faculty) who are unable to continue their studies in universities in Ukraine due to the ongoing situation. Also, they will be offered a scholarship to cover study and living expenses in the Czech Republic. The scholarship of 15 000 CZK/month will be paid to migrants from the moment of acceptance to the Prague University of Economics and Business until August 2022. After that, the university will provide a solution for such students to be able to continue their studies in the upcoming academic year as well. Contact: kancler@vse.cz.
  3. Students who suffer traumas caused by the war and are in need of psychological help can reach Academic and Psychological Councelling. Students can write to ac@vse.cz to get a specific date, hour, and coach’s name who will take care of them.

We will keep all FIR students updated about any additional information. More information can be found on the FIR Intranet.

Extraordinary support of Faculty of International Relations concerning current situation