The program featured lectures by (Texas Tech University), (Florida State University), (Wabash College), (Anglo-American University), (Singapore Management University), and (Singapore Management University). Each lecture was followed by extended group discussions and Q&A sessions, giving participants the opportunity to debate ideas, ask questions, and engage with faculty and fellow students.

Throughout the week, participants explored topics including socialism and economic calculation, capitalism, liberty, the role of the state, the transition from centrally planned economies to free markets, democracy, rights, and immigration and freedom.

Beyond the classroom, students experienced Prague through a walking tour of the city, a history tour on totalitarianism in Prague, and a visit to the Museum of Communism, connecting academic discussions with the Czech Republic’s political and historical development.

By bringing together students and faculty from across the United States and Europe, the program reflected AAU’s commitment to international dialogue, critical inquiry, and experiential learning in the heart of Prague.

As part of the partnership, AAU will host selected Climate Week Prague events on campus, bringing discussions on sustainability and environmental responsibility directly to our university community.

The collaboration will also create new opportunities for AAU students beyond the classroom. Climate Week Prague will offer internship opportunities, allowing students to gain practical experience while contributing to climate action projects, focused on sustainability and social impact. Students and student groups will also have the opportunity to present sustainability-focused projects as part of the Climate Week Prague program. 

The partnership reflects AAU’s commitment to connecting academic learning with real-world challenges. AAU seeks not only to prepare successful professionals, but also to encourage active citizenship and meaningful contributions to society. Through Climate Week Prague, students will have opportunities to engage with professionals from academia, government, business, nonprofits, and local communities and contribute to conversations on sustainability and climate-related issues.

Those interested in learning more can explore , featuring events and workshops focused on climate action leadership and sustainability project ideas. Additional information about specific events, internship opportunities, and student participation at AAU will be announced in the coming months.

Join AAU and Climate Week Prague this September!

The four-day event, held from July 7–10 in Riga, Latvia, brought together young entrepreneurs from more than 40 countries. University teams presented their businesses on stage, exhibited their concepts to participants and industry representatives, and attended workshops, company visits, networking events, and the Gen-E Gala Awards Dinner.  

Representing AAU and Czechia was , a community-driven safety app created to provide safer routes and real-time support for women and members of the queer community in Prague. The team was comprised of AAU students Shania Rodriguez, Neha Pande, Abigail Witbeck, and Liza Potts. 

They were also mentored by Heinrich Homola, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, who guided the team not only throughout the Gen-E finals in Riga, but throughout the entire entrepreneurial journey, from developing their initial concept to representing Czechia on the European stage.

The AAU team presented SOLACE on the Gen-E main stage before an audience of approximately 1,000 students, educators, investors, and entrepreneurship leaders from across Europe. Beyond the stage presentation, the team also showcased SOLACE during the international startup exhibition, where they connected with fellow student entrepreneurs, judges, and industry professionals while exchanging ideas with teams from across Europe.

The experience offered students an opportunity to test their venture in an international environment while gaining valuable feedback and expanding their professional network.

In addition to the competition itself, university participants attended company visits with innovative Latvian businesses, networking events, and professional development sessions designed to expose students to different entrepreneurial ecosystems. The event also allowed students to see how startup ideas from across Europe approach social challenges, emerging technologies, sustainability, and business innovation.

The recent success demonstrates the impact of AAU’s project-based, experiential approach to entrepreneurship. Students with an innovative idea and the ambition to turn it into a real venture can explore the Entrepreneurship and Innovation concentration and take the first step toward developing their own startup.

Read more about AAU’s participation in the JA Czech and JA Europe competitions:

Published in English by the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes (ÚSTR) in cooperation with Karolinum Press, the book examines politically motivated cases of self-immolation across the Soviet bloc between 1966 and 1989. Alongside a broader study of the phenomenon, it presents 21 individual stories of people whose actions were motivated, at least in part, by political protest.

The review, written by political scientist Kieran Williams, praises the book’s precision, extensive research, and sensitive treatment of a complex subject. Blažek also publicly thanked AAU President Jiří Schwarz for supporting the English edition, translated by Cóilín O’Connor. The Ukrainian edition, translated by historian Radomyr Mokryk and published by Duch i Litera in 2025, was produced with AAU as a project partner.

In February 2026, President Schwarz travelled to Ukraine and joined Blažek, Mokryk, and representatives of ÚSTR for a presentation of the Ukrainian edition at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and the Ukrainian Catholic University.

First published in Czech in 2019, Living Torches in the Soviet Bloc has since appeared in Romanian, Ukrainian, and English. Its recognition by the Times Literary Supplement marks an important international milestone and underlines the continuing relevance of research into resistance, freedom, and the legacy of totalitarian regimes.

Read more from the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes (in Czech) , and
read the review in the Times Literary Supplement .

Photo credit:

The agreement was signed by AAU Vice President for Academic Affairs Miroslav Svoboda and Business Leaders Forum Executive Director Michaela Stachová.

The partnership creates a bridge between academia and the business community. Through the collaboration, AAU students will gain access to industry experts, internship opportunities within BLF member organizations, and selected BLF events, including complimentary tickets to the annual Future-Proof Leadership conference. AAU has also become an honorary member of Business Leaders Forum. In turn, AAU faculty members will contribute to BLF seminars, workshops, and conferences as speakers and subject-matter experts.

As part of the agreement, Business Leaders Forum will provide guidance on ESG principles and corporate sustainability while supporting AAU’s sustainability-focused educational initiatives. The partnership reflects AAU’s commitment to connecting academic learning with real-world experience and will help students build professional networks, gain practical industry insights, and explore career opportunities in responsible business and sustainability.

Read the original Czech announcement .

New data collected by the AAU Office of Institutional Research shows that 122 out of 176 graduates, nearly 70% of the graduating class, are already working, interning, self-employed, or pursuing advanced degrees immediately upon graduation. Among the 154 graduates who responded to the Graduate Outcomes Survey, this represents 79% of respondents. 

The results point to a graduating class that is entering the next stage of life with confidence. Even more encouraging, 81% of professionally active respondents secured their opportunity before graduation, suggesting that many AAU students are building their professional pathways while still completing their degrees. 

These results were reflected on June 19 as family, friends, faculty, staff, guests, and students gathered at Bethlehem Chapel in the heart of Prague to celebrate 176 graduates during two commencement ceremonies. Representing 38 nationalities and with 86% of graduates coming from outside the Czech Republic, the Class of 2026 included 54 graduates of the School of Business; 69 graduates of the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; and 53 graduates of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy.

The newly released Graduate Outcomes Survey highlights the strong connection between AAU’s education and students’ early professional and academic pathways. Among professionally active respondents, 74.3% reported that their role was directly or somewhat connected to their field of study.  This alignment is led by the School of Business, where 85% of professionally active respondents reported that their roles were connected to their majors.

Furthermore, the data proves the immense marketability of the liberal arts: an astounding 94% of professionally active respondents among Humanities & Social Sciences graduates secured employment prior to graduation day.

AAU graduates also continue to demonstrate a truly global mindset. Of those planning further studies, 31% intend to remain in the Czech Republic, while 69% are taking their skills abroad, targeting elite postgraduate opportunities across Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Jeff Medeiros, Business Lecturer, moderated and introduced the AAU staff and faculty on stage, and President Schwarz gave the opening address. The commencement speaker, political scientist Dr. Tomáš Klvaňa, then congratulated the students for their grand achievement, giving them advice. 

Klvaňa spoke about decision making under uncertainty because that is the reality that the 2026 graduates are walking into. As a student in 1989, Klvaňa was part of a strike committee, making decisions that led up to the Velvet Revolution. Everything that has happened between then and now has never been predictable, yet we live and work through it together.

The 2026 Valedictorians included: Emma Marie Coté, Visual Arts: Art and Curatorial Studies, and Alex John Marincas-Bucy, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Humanities, Society, and Culture.

AAU and its students have continued to earn recognition on both national and international stages this year—from being named the top university in Europe to winning the JA Czech national startup competition for the fourth consecutive year. The university will continue to strive for excellence, building an ever growing community with new programs and degrees.

Congratulations to all of AAU’s 2026 graduates! Watch the live stream of the 2026 AAU Graduation Ceremony for and . Find photos of the Graduation Ceremony on .

Contact the admissions team for more information about current and new programs: admissions@aauni.edu.

Sophia is expected to go on to represent the Czech Republic at the Miss Universe 2026 competition in Puerto Rico, one of the world’s most recognized international pageants.

Born into both Czech and Japanese cultures, Sophia has lived between two countries and cultures throughout her life. In a recent interview with , she shared that she grew up speaking English and Japanese and has been learning Czech for the past four years. Alongside her pageant career, she is currently studying within AAU’s Visual Art Studies program.

Sophia previously represented the Czech Republic at Miss Grand International and brings prior international competition experience to her new role. Speaking to following her victory, she described the title as a long-held dream and expressed her desire to make the Czech Republic proud on the global stage.

Sophia’s achievement reflects the diverse backgrounds and ambitions of AAU students. Through the Visual Art Studies program, she is pursuing her interest in art, culture, and creative expression while balancing opportunities beyond the classroom. Her success highlights the international character of the AAU community and the many different paths students take while pursuing their studies. 

AAU is thrilled to celebrate Sophia’s achievement and wishes her the very best as she prepares to represent the Czech Republic at Miss Universe 2026.

Photo credit: herminapress for Aplausin.cz

The question that students and the younger generation have to grapple with today is: what comes next in a Europe without American certainty? This is a global question that involves international politics and impacts far beyond the next election.

This is a moment when Europe could develop a stronger global pull. This will require a change in how security and policy is thought of on the continent and beyond.

Read the full commentary in Czech here.

Klvaňa is the Executive Director of and a senior international consultant specializing in public affairs and strategic communications. Throughout his distinguished career, he has worked at the highest levels of government, diplomacy, and public communication.

He previously served as Spokesman and Senior Adviser to the President of the Czech Republic and as Czech Government Communications Coordinator for the Missile Defense Program, collaborating directly with the White House, U.S. National Security Council, Congress, and the Pentagon. He was also a founding member of Aspen Institute Central Europe, helping establish the organization more than a decade ago.

Klvaňa holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and an M.A. from Charles University in Prague. He was a Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and received the University of Minnesota’s Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals in 2012. Having lived and worked across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium, he brings extensive international experience and a global perspective to this year’s graduating class.

In addition to his work in public affairs and diplomacy, Klvaňa is the author of several books, including Cuba: A Brief History of the End (2024) and The World According to Trump (2024).

As AAU celebrates the achievements of the Class of 2026, we look forward to welcoming Tomáš Klvaňa to Commencement and hearing his reflections on leadership, international affairs, communication, and public service.

The 2026 Graduation Ceremony is only a few weeks away, and we look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our students, families, faculty, alumni, and the wider AAU community!

Revisit last year’s Commencement here, and view the celebration and graduation addresses below:

Colloredo-Mansfeld, CEO and co-founder of Kollektor and a graduate of AAU’s Visual Arts Studies program, moved to Prague to pursue his interest in art, collections, and cultural heritage.

Today, he is building a platform that connects private collectors with museums and galleries around the world, helping cultural institutions discover, exhibit, and study significant works and artifacts. Reflecting on his family history and the responsibility of preserving cultural heritage, Colloredo-Mansfeld said:

Read the full interview in Czech on .