Radek Šabatka

The year 2015 was a period that has influenced me the most in my life started. After admission to United World College, I joined the international UWC Robert Bosch College in Freiburg, Germany, where I also passed the International Baccalaureate exams in 2017. During my studies at UWC I not only discovered my interest in economics and philosophy but I was also exposed to various ideas thanks to schoolmates from different parts of the world. I started to take an interest in the environment—or, more accurately, in sustainable economic development (an issue that is little discussed in our country, unfortunately) and in many other advanced ideas such as the issue of inequalities in our society, be it inequality in wealth or inequality in law. Thanks to support provided by the school’s management, I organized two trips to conferences on economic policy issues in Strasbourg and in Prague. I also worked for the local chapter of Amnesty International, specifically for a group running projects focused on migration and refugees in Freiburg, where I co-organized events in the local refugee camps.

In March 2017, I was admitted to New York University Shanghai; since August 2018, I have been studying political economy, philosophy, and most recently, Chinese, thanks to support provided by The Kellner Family Foundation. It is a welcome challenge in my life and I firmly believe that over this four-year program I will garner many new ideas and perspectives that I will also use to benefit the Czech Republic in the future.

I believe in the importance of learning about various perspectives and views of the world from different angles, because nothing is black and white. Sometimes people ask me why I am active and seek to change the world at least a little bit. I always answer: Somebody has to!

Secondary

The Mendel Grammar School in Opava (2009–2015)
UWC Robert Bosch College, Germany (2015–2017)

terciary

New York University Shanghai, a four-year Liberal Arts program, started in 2018, expected graduation with a BA in 2022

E-mail:

radek.sabatka@nyu.edu

Goals

I want to become a universally educated person possessing technical knowledge of political economy and philosophy. I aim to take a critical view of the status quo at all times, to discover fresh angles on our society, and to help the world reach a brighter tomorrow.

Interests

I like discovering new ideas and perspectives in reference literature, and also listening to people around me. I enjoy participating in projects with a political or volunteering focus, as well as getting to know the world and other cultures.