New Mayor of Telč Vladimír Brtník looks forward to joint projects with the University of Applied Sciences

For the práci at the mezinándá department of highé šcols you had a great preparation – máThese pedagogicalé educationá and beforeá yourá degree at VšPJ you have gatheredá valuableá lifeá experienceá in foreigná. Where inšude did you work and how do you remember that time?

When I paraphrase Jan Neruda, I can say that I was rád in thešíwhere I was, and I really enjoyed thešíude I was in. After mém crátkém pedagogicalém at ZŠ Hradecká in Telc (three and a half years) I went to the USA, where for one and a half years I worked with mentallyál and physicallyál people in aénéné organization. This work has influenced me a lot. Afteré I woné aé position as a teacher in the Czeché section of the Europeané š school in Luxembourg. After 3 years, I was selected as a candidate of the Czech Republic for the post of Director of the European š š School in Brussels. I was successful in theýordinaryérowé and I served in this post for 10 years. Although the days of the changes in my job were not easy, I remember them all with very fond feelings. I met many báy people from differentýcountries´ and cultures, it enriched me immensely.

My colleagues will certainly bring only the best to your continued action. However, he will lose his leader and long-time colleague. What do you think of your elected director?

You should ask spíše them! 😊 But inár: The quality of anyáinstitution is not created byárá building, threeádays or equipment, but byá – people&andá I have metá many greatá colleagues at VšPJ. I have always felt the support and trust from the šcolleges' management as well as from myýcolleagues from otherýdepartments& or chairs. The academicý world was something úfully newéto me, but I dare to say that we always found a common ground with allšm colleagues and it wasám fine together.

What do you consider to be the greatest hurries that Vý managed to accomplish during your tenure at the inter family department with your colleagues ?"

With colleaguesí Iveta and colleague David we have managed to build a´ well functioning separation in which we are comfortable together. We have managed to increase step by step the number of outgoing students of VŠPJ abroad as well as the number of incoming international students at VŠPJ. We have managed to secure sufficient funding from the Erasmus+ programme for all students from the VŠPJ staff. We are very pleased that VŠPJ has received the ECHE (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education) for the period 2021-2027, which will allow us to benefit from the Erasmus+ grants throughout theé changeé period.

The coronavirus pandemic hit the activities of the international department last year and you had to deal with different situations that you probably could not have imagined before. What has changed for you since you separated?

Unfortunately, therešs been a major devaluation´ onší forší several&yearé prá ce regarding students' motivation to vý rides. The changeé gradually increasedšcí the numbers of exécí students suddenly „fell“ té measurably to zero. In the firstá fá of the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to deal with the situation ofá students abroad on a daily basis, such as who would return in whatá way, who would stay, etc. Similarly, we were in regular contact with foreign students studying at VŠPJ. Otherwise, atše departmentá stále communicates with students, those stále going outá to foreigná (i when in lessším numbers), unfortunately onše communication probíhá (as inše sectors) online. Unfortunately, international employee mobility has completely stopped, not in the whole of Europe.

The pandemicá situation remainsá iná overá veryá important. Still, do you have any idea when someáeasingá might occur, and students might once again startáing to travel abroadá?

As I have already mentioned, even in thisé difficulté time, we haveé students whoé travel for studyé stay. Theseá were two students in Belgium and three students in Španeland. The situation in both countries is monitored very closely by colleaguesé, they are in contact with the students´ and the interá department´ provides them with allškerý necessaryý service. Iávám afraid that no one isá able to tell in the presentá time when anyámuleá looseningá will occur. Iá hopeá and believeá that with the 2021/2022 winterá semester, we could beginá to return to a normalá situation iná studentá ridership and staff.

Myákerán´ job, which Iáel foráme, is toápráci with people. Working with people is theá most but also theá most difficult to work with. Iá have always tried to act in a decent and friendly manner and I mustá say that it has always paid off. Personally and personally, I have not changed any more, so I intend to continue this approach in my new position.

Socialý life and economy in Telc are inseparably linked with tourism which is the focus of one of the study programs at VŠPJ. Do you think that there is room for more cooperation between the town of Telc and VŠPJ in this area?

When Iém leaving VŠPJ, Rector Bácha and I said that we believe that we will be able to work together on other ú I would be very rád for them. I have no doubt that we will agree on some projects, even for the reason that the head of the Department of Tourism at VŠPJ is Dr. Eva Janoušková, a fellow councillor of Telc and a great patriot. It is a pleasure to work with her.