Alumni Corner: An Interview with Jana Stehlíková
By Jan Philipp Huth
Please introduce yourself to our readers and share something about your academic and professional journey with us!
Hi, my name is Jana Stehlíková, I come from the Czech Republic and I work as a Director of Studies at the European Academy Otzenhausen (EAO) in Germany.
I studied Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in International Relations and Diplomacy at the Prague University of Economics and Business, where I also obtained a PhD degree in International Political Relations in December 2022. My research focuses on the global personal data protection regimes and the EU’s normative power. During my Master’s studies, I spent one semester at Sciences Po Paris, where I also became familiar with European Horizons.
Since April 2022, I have worked as a Director of International Study Programs at the European Academy Otzenhausen (EAO). My work agenda consists of organising and running international short-term study programs for students and young professionals from all around the world in which I also lecture on the EU, current challenges in the European context, international relations, human rights and intercultural communication.
Actually, I got to know the EAO thanks to European Horizons! In November 2017, the Fall Policy Convention for the European chapters representatives took place here, as the EAO was EuH’s cooperation partner. I liked the portfolio of activities the EAO offered, so I came back to Otzenhausen the next summer as a participant in one of the courses and I kept coming back, first as an external lecturer and then I got the permanent job here.
How did you first hear about European Horizons?
I first heard about European Horizons during my Erasmus+ exchange semester at Sciences Po Paris. The first event I attended was on Brexit. What I liked about it was the format: instead of an expert lecture with a guest, a discussion among international students was held, and we shared our opinions on the root causes and foreseen impacts of the referendum that had taken place a couple of months before. That was new for me, and after attending another EUH at the end of the semester, I decided to bring EuH to Prague. A few months later, the EuH Chapter at the Prague University of Economics and Business (VSE Prague) was established.
Which positions did you hold within the organisation?
After establishing the EuH Chapter at VSE Prague together with six fellow founding members, I became its first President in April 2017. I then joined the Executive Board of EuH as a Co-Executive Director at the end of October 2018 for seven months until May 2019. After that, I stayed in close touch with the Prague members, helped them with transition periods at VSE Prague and supported the foundation of the second Czech EuH Chapter at the Charles University Prague.
Do you have a particular highlight from your time with EuH?
Over the years, I collected dozens of memorable moments connected to EuH. In regards to my experience on the Executive Board, the first that crosses my mind is that we were still the pre-COVID generation running a global student think-thank and so we had to figure out many things that are nowadays considered standard: the online communication tools were simply not at the same level as they are now. I remember working as a teaching assistant a year after I had left the EuH Executive Board when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, advising my students which programs to use with reference to my “old EuH times”. What have I learnt from that? One should never underestimate the drive, inventiveness, and readiness to overcome obstacles of young and motivated people.
How has your time with European Horizons shaped your professional career?
As I have mentioned, it was the European Horizons’ Fall Policy Convention in November 2017 that initially brought me to the Academy where I work now. It was definitely an unexpectedly pivotal event for me in many ways. I remember going there in the first year of my PhD. Like many young people, I did not precisely know what I wanted to do in the future. The only thing I was sure about was that I enjoyed the academic and international environment and love being surrounded by young people.
During the second day of the FPC, all participants gathered in the conference room after dinner to discuss the wording of European Horizons’ Constitution. We stayed there for another three hours despite it being our free time, simply because it was important to all of us. There was a moment when I felt the overall presence of inspiring and powerful energy in the room. It was quite similar to the real negotiations I experienced during my internship at the United Nations in Geneva, yet linked to academia. Everything somehow fit and clicked together, and I knew the field of international education was the right path for me.
What advice would you offer to current EuH members to make the most of their time within the organisation?
The great thing about EuH is the possibility of collecting professional experiences in various fields such as research and publications, events organisation, communications etc. during your studies and thus gaining a sense of what you would like to do after graduating. You can get involved in several projects and identify your strengths and weaknesses. That brings me to an important point: although a student organisation, EuH works at a very professional level. This requires dedication but it’s worth the time investment. Having said that, my next point is that EuH is an excellent platform for everyone who would like to actively contribute to societal changes: EuH allows you to think outside the box and, thanks to the network and well-established structures, it helps you to turn your good ideas into actual projects.
To young professionals who aspire to follow a career path similar to yours, what advice would you provide based on your experiences?
Without trying to simply present a cliché, I believe the journey should play a more important role than the goal itself. From my experience, you are on the right path if you generally enjoy where you are heading, if the joy outweighs the struggles so to speak. If you stay flexible, evaluate your experiences, and stay open-minded to detours, maybe completely unexpected yet perfect doors will open. During my IR studies or my internship at the UN, I would have never expected to end up in Otzenhausen, a place you might have never heard of before. But I have never been happier.
Are there any closing thoughts and final remarks you would like to share with our readers?
Looking back now, I recognize how significant EuH was for my personal and career development. I am sure that many alumni can say that, although our paths have been different and unique. My message to everyone would, therefore, be:
- Enjoy the journey. Do not blindly focus only on the goal so you do not miss any opportunity windows.
- Do not be afraid to accept a challenge; feeling respect for the unknown is good, but fear should not prevent you from personal growth.
- At the same time, do not be afraid to say no if you feel that way
- Knowing both your strengths and weaknesses is beneficial. Cultivate your strengths and do not overthink your weaknesses — nobody is perfect.
- Do not base your decisions on others’ expectations and do not seek approval from outside. You know best what is right for you.
Jan Philipp Huth is a PhD student at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)/Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, undertaking research in the field of European constitutional and economic law and European legal theory.
