What would you like to tell the next generation of incoming Erasmus students? How should they tackle their problems? Would you like to warn them against anything in particular?

  • Use your ISIC card everywhere you can, it’s very convenient. If you live in an apartment and not in the dormitory, remember to ask to the owner of the house where are the control electrical/gas/water panels in your house. Just to be sure that if something happens, you can fix it without waiting for too much time
  • Have fun, go to as many events as you can, don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone! And always have a public transport ticket
  • you won’t learn anything new/useful but you will learn how to drink beers
  • It’s actually fairly easy here, so not really anything i struggled with – only the exams they are very early in comparison to my university so maybe tell them they already start half may instead of end may
  • I had a bad experience in the dorms 😬
  • Bring a suite/nice dress for the ball if you arrive in the winter -> summer semester. Please, for the love of god, practice speaking english before you arrive, the stay will be a lot more fun and communication problems will not occur. There are two types of ERASMUS experiences you can choose from, one is hanging out with people who speak the same first language as you and the other experience is hanging out with people who dont speak the same first language as you. Try to learn some czech before you arrive and do attend the intensive czech course, you will definitely have some use for it sooner rather than later! Say YES!
  • They don’t have to worry about anything. Erasmus club is active and organizing so many stuff that is impossible to be left out.
  • Try not to do your thesis out of your country, and if you do, look for a good supervisor.
  • Guysss! As someone who has cried through the last days before I left for my Erasmus I can guarantee you that coming to Prague is the easiest part of the exchange. The Erasmus club has warmed my heart in every event, they are super helpful and encouraging. Like friends you never even knew you would need. And as well are the other students there. Remember, we are all the same. Somewhere new, young, feeling a bit lost and overall experiencing a freedom that you could never have had at home. And don’t be afraid to talk about it because little do you know, but we are all struggling with rebuilding our identities. And don’t forget about how amazing you already are and brave for taking this step. A big huggg <3 (and never be afraid to ask cor a hug, I know that Czech people mind seem unwelcoming at first, but they have the most generous hearts, they are just afraid to show them without a beer in their hand first)
  • Time passes very fast in Erasmus have fun!
  • I think next Erasmus students would be well welcomed just like us and if any problem is happening the Erasmus club is always present to solve it.
  • Enjoy the semester and don’t do your reviews too late.

What problems did you experience?

  • SIS ISSUES + boring lectures
  • A light depression and loneliness, but that happens.
  • Na větrníku, building 4. One of the old ladys working there was not nice! Dont recommend living there at all. Got robbed early may, so i recommend that people never go home alone. Late info regarding fieldtrips and exams.
  • Dorms – room was dirty and the lady at the reception didn’t speak English. The maintenance of that place is horrible!!! (Na Větrníku)
  • The class named ” Urban geology – excursion” was shown during my courses selection as tough during the spring semester but it appears that he wasn’t so I had to change my learninf agreement. I was sick during 2 weeks.

Did you discover any place or thing which we should show future Erasmus students?

  • Vyšehrad
  • Dog bar
  • Pilzen ( brewery tour )
  • Kassens Karlin, Minigolf under the Zizkov TV tower
  • A member of the Erasmus club Tereza was super helpful and showed us many places in Czech republic. I think a trip to Karlovy vary would be great
  • Scouts Institute
  • Strecha, vegan restaurant, super recommended. Cheap.
  • baba ruins
  • Places that we can swim near Prague like Divoká šárka

Were you satisfied with the information provided by Erasmus club? Do you have any ideas how we could improve our social media content and information published online?

Yes 4x

I was completely satisfied 1x

I was satisfied 2x

I’m satisfied with the information provided 1x

Everything is really good 1x

Some trips can be announced earlier. But most times it was good organized all!

Yes, they were always ahead of timeline and information was well presented without doubt.

Let people know of the ball straight away! Like, start posting about it now, and when people get the “Welcome to us” email, let them know off other such happenings, its a lot easier to plan those type of events when you have time !

I think the Erasmus club helped me to start my erasmus experience better than I woud have done alone. All the activities you organize are very fun and interesting, different from the usual parties in clubs. Keep organizing events and helping foreign students 🙂

SUBJECT FEEDBACK

BIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY

Arachnology
─ There is a lot to study and remember but the teachers were all patient in the explenations, I enjoyed this course and also liked the practical part.
─ Super interesting course, not difficult, but has some amount of information.

Bird ecology
─ Interesting lectures – i hoped for an excursion, but there was none – oral exam but haven’t done it yet

Cancer epidemiology
─ Interesting subject within demography. Really sweet teacher who wants to share her knowledge with pleasure

Clonal Plants
─ Botany is not my primary interst, but all the teachers were very helpful when I had questions. I expecially liked the way the lectures were on a “personal level”, in Italy we do not have that.

Conservation biology
─ Very nice lectures, to many presentations – exam was a presentation as well (so it was kinda nice since it’s a bit easier)

Crustacean diversity
─ Nice lecturer, but not my favorite subject – haven’t done exam on it

Diatomology
─ 3 days, seeing and learning about diatoms with microscopes. really fun

Field course in botany
─ SUPER FUN, I liked it a lot, it was really chill and the exam was to identify some plants, not difficult. Really nice tachers as well.

Chronobiology
─ Interesting topics, maybe presented in a confusing way sometimes but overall good lecturer, always encouraging us to ask questions and participate. Invested in our personal experiences with the topics and respectful communication.

Ichthyological field course
─ Catching fish and identifying them aroudn czechia in 1 day fild excurisons for 4 days. nice teachers

Molecular applications
─ Interesting if you’re interested in molecular biology otherwise a bit difficult – written exam – also semi dificult

Parasitology
─ A lot of things to remember, I find the online exam to be very difficult, for me the time is too little to complete the test and also review your answers.
─ Interesting course. More dificult than the rest.

Plant ecophysiology
─ Very knowledgable lecturers, very helpful, considerate, bright and invested in our personal experiences with the topics and respectful communication. Super kinddd and smarttt! Mikroevoluce a makroevoluce – very knowledgable lecturer, good textbook for studying. Kind and considerate, good correspondence

Plant, fungal and bacterial viruses
─ Didn’t really like this course, found it a bit boring but the teacher is very kind.

Social inequalities in health
─ A bit too much about the health perspective and too less geography related in my opinion. Could also be because of my expectations to the course. Teacher was good!

Specialized field course in zoology
─ Really fun adn interesting. you go for 5 days soemwhere in czechia and do hiking and identify animals

GEOLOGY

4EU+ Grand Challenges in Engineering Geology
─ 3/5 – cool course, recommend all to take it, combines philosophy with geology and other natural sciences, creativity and thinking outside of the box is appreciated and highly rewarded – 5 homework to hand in, if the teacher is satisfied he will pass you/grade you on the 4 works handed in and he will grade you from them.

Applied geophysic
─ 6/10- The teacher was nice but always late. The thematics were interested. – It is usefull for knowing the bases of geophysics. However a pratical exercise outsite or a field trip would have been nice. – We had 1 oral and 1 exam. – It was less complete than the classes that I had in my home university, but I discovered 1 type of geophysic method.
─ Definitely worth it, if you have no previous background in this field, because it introduces you with some geophysical research methods and during winter semester they went on the field to do some geoelectrical exploration! And no, it’s not hard!

Field course from Regional Geology
─ Interesting fiel trips, you get to see some outcrops and also learn about some platform units. We even went fossil and amber hunting. The professor was really nice.
─ 4/5 (Info should arrive earlier when the trip is happening, not in the last 2-3-4 weeks) – attending was enough to pass, no papers to hand in

Fundamentals of Structural Geology
─ Time consuming, but beneficial course!

Geochemie odpadů
─ 5/5 – highly useful – exam to pass + one PP of a free subject

Grand Challenge in Engineering Geology
─ 7.5/10 – The teacher was very nice, helpfull when we had questions and gave us the envy to learn about the subject. It was a good thing to create a google class. We had the opportunity to participate to conferences leaded by specialists from others countries. Maybe it would be nice to add a field trip to see concretly the risks – 4 assignements (orals or essays + 1 bonus – interesting for general scientific culture. ─ Sometimes it was a bit boring because the presentations from foreigners experts were too hard to understand.

Groundwater Hydraulic
─ 6/10 – The teacher was nice and helpfull when we had questions. We had sometimes difficult exercises I would say which took time. But at least we had 2 weeks to do them. Maybe do a pratical exercise in a laboratory or a field trip would be nice. – We had 5 exercises and 1 exam – In addition we were suppose to have an oral but I think we should have knew about it at least 2 weeks before. Also it would be nice to put the class earlier in the day because as we finish between 7.40 pm and 8.00 pm, we were stuck inside the building and we had to find someone to open the main door. Plus when there were somebody at the entrance office, the person complained that we are suppose to have a special access to open the door that late.

Ice Sheets and Glaciers in the Warming World
─ 3/5 – Might be a bit borring for Norwegian students simply because we have all ready taken courses on this back home, still recommend – exam to pass

Metallic deposits: geology, mining, and environmental impact
─ 7/10- The teachers were nice. – Showing the samples of rocks is very good to understand the topics. Maybe doing a field trip or a laboratory practice would be good. – We had 1 writting exam. – I understood better here than in my home university because the rythme was slower and the teacher explain the topics in a good way.
─ I had more difficulties in studying this subject, and I didn’t know a lot of basic things, but if you’re studying geology it’s a good course.
─ 3/5 – a bit dry, but its a highly useful course, recommend to all geologist simply because you learn a lot of handy geo.chem. – exam to pass (40%)

Microscopy of rocks
─ If you enjoy mineralogy and rock observation under mincroscope, you’ll enjoy it. Report writing is time consuming, but it should be okay!

Petrologie sedimentárních hornin
─ 3/5 – interesting, but really chaotic – 70% on all course work (its not a total average) + 70% on exam – the exam dates are given criminally late, makes it impossible to plan trips late in the semester

Quaternary Palaeoenvironments
─ 3/5 – Might be a bit borring for Norwegian students simply because we have all ready taken courses on this back home, still recommend – exam to pass

Sedimentary petrology
─ DIFFICULT, I attended a few of its lectures and then dropped out, because it’s definitely for master students, not bachelor student. Report writing is time consuming and tiring, but I didn’t’do that.

Soil Mechanics 2
─ Good lectures, but i was unsure about the exam
─ 7.5/10 The teacher was very nice, helpfull when we had questions and gave us the envy to learn about the subject. – That is a good thing that we can listen again the classes. – We have 1 essay to write – It is better explained that in my home university. Maybe it would be nice to do a laboratory practise or a field trip.

CHEMISTRY

Igneous Processes
─ 3/5 – a bit technical, 3 homework papers that must be handed in to pass , but the teacher goes through these in class, so passing should be no problem – oral exam.

Introduction to Electroanalytical Chemistry
─ oral exam – haven’t taken it yet, but the lectures were interesting and the professors were always there to help and explain some topics further.

Spectral and Diffraction methods
─ written exam – the topics were explained in a complicated way, i had to study mostly on my own and in general I’d consider this to be a harder course that I would expect and not focused on the methods, rather focused on crystalography and physical aspects of the field.

Toxicology
─ Oral and written exam – it was a self study course, and I enjoyed very much, the exam was multiple choice with a conversation about the answers and it was fairly easy to pass.

Traineeship at ReZ
─ Very great and useful experience. Thanks to Prof. Havlíček and Dr.Jiri Plocek

Waste Geochemistry
─ 9/10 – The teacher was very nice and gave us the envy to learn about the subject thanks to the field trip that we had in May. Maybe it would be nice to add an other field trip in Ostrava where there are mines and a old waste treatement area. We had an oral and a writting exam. Better explanation and cool samples of rocks.
─ I found it very interesting, I’m not a geologist but I managed to follow and understand the lectures well.

GEOGRAPHY

Analysis, mapping and visualization of urban and regional development
─ Really fun and good lectures. They where really helpfull in guiding in the software. However i spend a lot of time on assignments (my impression is that everyone did) should have been more ECTS points compared to the hours maybe.

Applied Geoinformatics
─ The description is SIS did not match what we did. I expected QGIS and more general GIS work but it was mostly remote sensing.

Demografi excursion
─ Amazing opportunity. Took a lot of time and dedication but was worth it and learned so much.

Forest Geography
─ I liked this course, not too difficult if it’s a subject you’re into, I never had to do an essay for an exam in Italy so it was interesting.

Forest geography
─ Nice teachers, interesting subject, a bit boring lectures

Landscape changes
─ all i learnt was ‘how you say’ and no actual content about landscapes

Urban social geography
─ Interesting to learn something about Prague on an urban geography level, most for someone not from a post socialist country it was a really nice course! The research project that needed to be written was a bit much since you need to do your own research and there is not enough time for that if you also have obligations for other courses.
─ Really good lectures, interesting but a lot of stuff to do. Also it is hard doing a research project about Prague when you dont speak Czech.

URMA, Analysing and Mapping
─ Course looked structured but isn’t at all. Since you can do this course with no knowledge of arcgis and also when you’re advanced in it, they say that it doesn’t matter, but actually it does. I’m advanced, so some lectures were useless since I already knew the information and that’s fine. But I noticed with inexperienced people, that they were a bit lost when it came to the project. Their were no clear requirements to the project, as they said ‘everything is possible’ which is of course really fun when you have an idea what to do! But if you don’t, some guidance or example would have helped a lot. Same as explaining things step by step would help with arcgis. Teacher themself were really nice, but could have more knowledge about the course and have straight answers to the questions asked.

ECOLOGY / ENVIROMENTAL STUDIES

Ecology of the cryosphere
─ Interesting, but not my think in the end – nice lecturer – oral exam that was mainly focused on one lecture of your choice

Environmental informatics
─ Pretty easy, do the practicals in class and write an essay in the end. The professor is really friendly and he will assist you at any moment.

Fish ecology
─ Boring lectures, she talked really monotomous and silent, hard to stay attentive – oral exam that was semi dificult

General ecology
─ Lecturers encouraged critical thinking, good correspondents via email and in class, communication with students during lectures and including interesting aspects of evology in their lectures. Invested in our personal experiences and respectful communication. Very good!
─ There were a lot of topics to study so it took a lot of my time, gives all the basics to ecology.

Insect ecology
─ Nice course – lectures were nice – oral exam about the topic, give or take the same difficulty as in my university

Population ecology and species protection
─ Dont know what i expected, a lot of math, made for people who want to know about population dyunamics mathematically.
─ Okay – they were online lectures, not that nice (except you can speed them up) – exam was on a google forms – relatively easy compared to our university.
─ Good course, highlights the important parameters for studies.
We didn’t have lectures in person, we had to watch old recordings of the teacher explaining. I didn’t like this course but I found the exam to be easy if you listen to all of the recordings.

OTHERS

Czech for beginners – was really interesting to learn some Czechs and the teachers were really nice (was at 3rd faculty of medicine)

NOT SPECIFIC

This semester, I had arachnology, insect ecology, crustacean biology, conservation biology, bird ecology, a practical physiology course, plant breeding systems and Spanish. I really appreciated the classes because the subjects are much more specific than in my home university so it’s much more valuable and interesting, especially wanting to be an arachnologist.

Chemometrics, toxicology, organic synthesis, physics, chemistry teaching and laboratory techniques. My only problem was that toxicology wasn’t lectured in English although they were so many students.