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Charles University (CUNI) is one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. It is the best-performing higher education institution in the Czech Republic according to all research and teaching rankings. The Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV UK) is its the second youngest faculty, established in 1990 by a transformation of the Faculty of Journalism. Shortly after its creation the Faculty became a Central European hub for teaching and research in economics, sociology, public policy, political science, international relations, area studies, media studies and journalism.

Institute of International Studies at the FSV UK is an excellent teaching institution in the areas of modern history and area studies. It hosts study programmes at all three levels in Czech and in English. It is also highly integrated into the European Educational Area through its joint and double degrees with universities throughout Europe (Leiden, Barcelona, Krakow, Regensburg). The Institute uses progressive teaching methods, such as research-oriented seminars, online courses, block courses, and integrates partner institutions into its programmes (such as in its cooperation with the Institute for Contemporary History at the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Institute of International Relations in Prague). The Institute hosted the regular European Teaching and Learning Conference in 2018, which brought to Prague more than 50 professors from all around Europe and beyond to discuss innovation in university teaching. The Institute’s faculty has got an impact beyond the university environment as well through their regular contacts with policy makers, the long-term cooperation with important Czech think tanks Europeum and AMO, as well as through dozens of public events organized independently or with partners among civil society organizations, such as the Scouting Institute and the Václav Havel Library.

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Website: https://ims.fsv.cuni.cz/en
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Dr Tomáš Weiss is Jean Monnet Chair in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies and Deputy Director for Research at the Institute. His research and teaching focuses on the EU’s foreign and security policy, Europeanisation, and small states in the EU. He is the Director of the Master in Area Studies and the Master in European Politics and Society Academic and Research Deputy Director at the Institute. Since 2018, he has been an associated researcher at the European Centre of the Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge, where he was a visiting researcher in 2018-2019, and a life member at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
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Twitter: @tomas_weiss
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Dr Irena Kalhousová is Head of the Herzl Center for Israel Studies and Assistant Professor at Charles University in Prague. She is a member of the management for online teaching at the Institute. Irena focuses on Israel, the Arab-Israeli conflict, security in the Middle East, and the relations between Central European countries and Israel. Before joining Charles University, Irena was lecturing at the London School of Economics and the Anglo-American University in Prague. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate (Associate Level) in Higher Education from London School of Economics (Modules completed: Developing Teaching Practice, Supporting Students Learning, Course Evaluation and Quality Frameworks). Irena holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from London School of Economics, M.Phil. degree in Contemporary European Studies from the University of Cambridge and B.A. degree in Political Science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
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Dr Tomáš Nigrin is Director of the Institute of International Studies and Associate Professor in Modern History. His research focuses on Germany after WWII and economic history of the railway industry during socialism. He pursued research activities at various German universities, including the Free University Berlin and the University of Düsseldorf, and lectured at the University of Cologne, University of Vienna and Tbilisi State University. He has extensive experience with the management of research projects (national and international) and with the management and administration of the Charles University, both at the faculty and university level. Among others, he held the positions of the vice-dean for development, President of the Charles University’s Academic Senate, and member of the Rector’s College. Currently, he serves as the chair of the CUNI Academic Senate’s economic committee and member of the Presidium, and the vice-president of the Czech University Council.
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Dr Jiří Vykoukal is Deputy Director for Teaching at the Institute and Associate Professor in Modern History. He served as the director of the Institute in 2003-2018. He spent one year as a visiting professor at Lawrence University in Wisconsin (USA) in 1991/1992 and since then has visited various European universities to do the research, teach or prepare new cooperation. Since 2007, he has been acting as a director of the Prague affiliation of Erasmus Mundus program International Master’s in Economy, State and State and Society. He has published books and articles dealing with the modern history of Central Europe with emphasis on historiography, political history and political ideologies. He is a member of the Charles University Internal Evaluation Board.
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Zuzana Krulichová is a PhD student at the department of European Studies, Charles University. She holds an MA in International Relations from Leiden University and an undergraduate degree in Area Studies from Charles University. Before starting the PhD programme, she worked in the educational programme of People in Need, focusing on Global Education and Teacher Education.
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Panagiotis Chatizisis an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree student in European Politics and Society at Charles University and Leiden University. He focuses on citizenship education in his MA thesis project. Before enrolling in the programme, he worked at the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. Panagiotis works as an intern on e-NOTE project and focuses on teaching excellence in Greece and Cyprus.