Broad horizons

Having passed my last exam, and thus de facto completing my studies, I started reflecting on whether my studies abroad had given me what I had expected from them. I expected to get to know other cultures and thus to expand my horizons. I also expected to obtain knowledge that would not be just theoretical and would be applicable in real life.

Thanks to the Educa Foundation and its successor, The Kellner Family Foundation, I was able to study in the most multicultural city and at the most multicultural university of the world. My studies at the London Met allowed me to get to know many different cultures, and thus not be confined to thinking within the narrow limits of my own – domestic Czech – culture. Contact with different opinions influenced by different cultural values helped me to start looking at things from a bevy of possible angles.

My university studies were very practically focused. This stemmed from the fact that my professors were not academics who only knew books and theoretical theses – they were people with many years of real world experience. This may be why teaching was project-based, with both team and individual approach. I believe that I will be able to apply my knowledge easier thanks to this type of teaching.

Looking back at the three years, I see that I have grown both in terms of knowledge as well as personality. My studies gave me what I expected and more. Now the question is, how will I put my experience to use? But that’s a question for the future. For now, I plan to travel and get to know cultures, not just through their representatives, but also personally by visiting places and learning history.

Then I plan on gradually obtaining experience in IT management, which is a field that is close to me given my long-term IT enthusiasm. I want to implement experience with different cultures in the management of development projects. And then I certainly want to get some more training, but always hand in hand with practical experience, so that my knowledge is not just textbook phrases, but applicable theories.