For my Erasmus exchange, France was my first choice. Indeed, I have been learning French since I was 12 years old. I studied at a French high school in the Czech Republic, which naturally led me to choose France for my Erasmus experience. I am currently studying at the University of Lille. As an international relations student, I know that mastering the French language and understanding French culture will open up many opportunities for me in my future professional life. Through this Erasmus experience, I also wanted to gain an insider’s perspective on how the French university system works. It is helping me to better assess whether I would like to pursue a Master’s degree in France and whether everyday life here matches my personal and professional expectations. For me, studying in France is the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a rich and influential culture, while developing essential skills such as adaptability, open-mindedness, and intercultural communication. Living in...

Where did you study in France? Which field did you study there? I was fortunate to be selected for the Cycle international long (CIL) of the Institut national du service public (INSP), the prestigious school that succeeded the École nationale d’administration (ENA), known for decades as the training ground for French senior civil servants. The INSP was established in 2022 to modernize this legacy and to train a more open, diverse public service oriented toward contemporary challenges. I had the opportunity to study there during this transitional period between the two institutions. From September 2023 to October 2024, I followed this intensive 14-month program as part of the Joséphine Baker cohort. The program is aimed at foreign public sector professionals and includes a shared theoretical curriculum with the French students who enter through competitive exams. It combines a demanding academic phase with hands-on professional immersion within the French administration. Alongside my...

Where did you study in France? How long did you stay there and in which context ? Which field did you study there? I am currently studying in France at the Observatoire de Paris. I am enrolled in the two-year Master’s program in Space Science and Technology at Université PSL, specialising in space physics. Why did you choose to study in France? I chose to study in France because the Paris Observatory and Université PSL offer a master’s program designed for international students and oriented towards research. It matches my goal of pursuing a career in space physics and allows me to work with the researchers at the Observatoire. What was your first reaction when you arrived in France? I was impressed by the beauty of Paris. At the same time, I felt a bit overwhelmed, especially by the language - my French was not fluent at that time, and it is still not fluent today, but I am improving steadily. Did you speak French before coming to France? Since I did not take French classes in high...

Kde a kdy jste studovala ve Francii? Já jsem studovala ve městě Angers, v regionu Pays de la Loire. Klidné městečko se spoustou parků, fajn dostupností a kousek od letiště v Nantes. Ve Francii jsem strávila v rámci programu cotutelle 5 měsíců během jednoho kalendářního roku. Celkem jsem absolvovala tři pětiměsíční pobyty. Během této doby jsem se věnovala studiu vlivu vodivého biomateriálu na chování iontových kanálků v cytoplazmatické membráně eukaryotických buněk. Proč jste se rozhodla studovat ve Francii? Byla to docela náhoda. V posledním ročníku magisterského studia jsem odjela do Francie na Erasmus+ a líbilo se mi tam tak moc, že jsem si pobyt ve Francii prodloužila na následující tři roky doktorského studia. Setkala jste se s potížemi? Začátky jsou těžké všude, ale člověk si zvykne a hodně se naučí. Nejtěžší pro mě zpočátku byla administrativa, ale všichni byli ochotní pomoci, takže nakonec všechno dobře dopadlo. Mluvil jste před příjezdem do Francie francouzsky? Francouzsky...