The students went on a field trip to Brussels. In addition to the European Parliament, they also visited the Politico Europe newsroom, among other places

On March 16 and 17, 2026, a group of students from IMS bachelor’s and master’s programs embarked on an intensive field trip to Brussels with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of European politics. On Monday morning, we were welcomed by MEP Markéta Gregorová, who introduced us to her work in the European Parliament and also offered us insight into the agenda she focuses on within the Parliament. In the afternoon, we were welcomed at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, where Ms. Pavla Papírníková, who focuses on strategies to support Czechs in EU institutions, together with Barbora Pláničková, Head of the Internal Operations and Human Resources Section at the Permanent Representation, introduced us to the work of the Permanent Representation and the career opportunities available there. In particular, they highlighted the importance of the work of Czechs in European institutions for the Czech Republic. Following that, a discussion took place at the Permanent Representation with IMS graduates. We met with Tereza O’Brien, who works for the European External Action Service; Pavel Trejbal and Anna Urbanová, who work in the European Parliament on MEP Jan Farský’s team; Lucie Vinařská, who works in DG CLIMA at the European Commission; and Jakub Fišer, who works in DG MOVE at the European Commission through a NEPT internship. The alumni shared their career paths with us, explaining how they reached their current positions and what EU-related internships they had completed. This was followed by an informal get-together.

From the first day, we would definitely highlight the visit to the European Parliament and the personal approach of MEP Gregorová, combined with a tour of the gallery of the plenary hall in Brussels. The visit to the Permanent Representation gave us insight into the activities and advocacy of Czech interests within the EU and revealed the real-world workings of diplomats serving in COREPER. The meeting with the alumni provided inspiration for our future studies or potential internships, and we all certainly took away valuable advice and tips.

On Tuesday, we visited the European Commission, where we were welcomed by Lucie Šestáková, Head of the Cabinet of European Commissioner Jozef Síkela, who introduced us to the work of the Cabinet and the Commissioner himself and provided an interesting insight into the functioning of the Commission. The excursion continued with a discussion at the Brussels office of Politico Europe, where we had the opportunity to talk with journalist Martina Sapio about life in the newsroom, the specifics of journalism in Brussels, and the challenges the profession faces on a daily basis. We also got a chance to take a look inside Politico’s newsroom. We concluded the trip at the Brussels office of the Czech think tank Europeum. There, the office manager and executive director Martin Vokálek introduced us to the institute’s work both in the Czech Republic and in Brussels, the program sections Just, Green, and Global Europe, and internship opportunities within the organization. Finally, Rebeka Hengalová, a researcher and analyst at Europeum, introduced us to the Just Green project from the Green Europe section, which focuses on the decarbonization of housing, transportation, and the labor market in the Visegrad Four countries.

The discussion with Ms. Šestáková was very enriching, as her insights helped us form a clearer picture of European institutions. She also showed us how the Commission actually operates, which does not always correspond to the theory we learn in lectures. The visit to Politica and Europea, in turn, showed us that one does not have to work within European institutions to be able to work in Brussels and pursue a professional interest in the European Union. The program for both days showed us that working in Brussels—whether in the institutions or in organizations dealing with European politics—is very complex, and there are many different paths to getting there.

Matouš Honeš and Romana Kunclová