Prague College

1. What did you like about studying at Prague College?

Prague College is a fast growing college where young and talented students from around the world meet to discuss and learn about topics in Business, Management, Graphic Design, Interactive media in an international atmosphere. There is no comparison to Prague College in Prague.

2. What are your professional plans for the future?

I just successfully finished my BA (Hons) International Management programme with Teesside University, UK at Prague College and celebrated our fourth year of existence at Inspiro Solutions, a Prague-based internet-marketing web design company I founded. I´m going on to work hard to develop Inspiro Solutions to become one of the leading creative web design companies in the Czech Republic.

3. Would you like to deepen your internet marketing knowledge further through studying or "just" through work experience?

Work experience in internet marketing is inseparable from continuous learning in this extremely fast developing industry. That's why I'm planning to continue learning by myself and also deepen my skills in management by studying the masters degree at Prague College.

4. Do you think people can manage to work and study at Prague College?

Actually, the opportunity to study while working full-time was one of the reasons I chose Prague College as the university I wanted to join. I have not experienced any serious difficulties in time-management or motivation to open up a textbook during evenings or spare half a day for a weekend class. I feel happy about the decision to study at Prague College and now I know that my three-year experience of study with my classmates and with some of the unusually gifted and skilled lecturers gave me a huge portion of knowledge, contacts and motivation to go on to develop my skills.

"I am of Vietnamese origin, although I have lived in the Czech Republic for most of my life. I studied at a Czech Gymnasium before and that was when I realized that a lot of effort had to be sacrificed for little in return, thus I decided to switch to a British educational institution where a diploma is internationally recognized and English language is actively practiced at the same time.
I am currently finishing the third year - BA at Prague College, and at the same time working for two companies; Sales support for Deutsche Lufthansa Airline and as an assistant in a private health clinic. Before coming to Prague College, I studied briefly at the First International School of Ostrava and the English College in Prague.

Even though I have always been very picky in choosing high-quality education, studying there for three years I can say that as an International university in Prague, Prague College was able to meet most of my expectations and demands. Prague College has allowed me to gain knowledge about international business through dynamic lessons with students from all over the world and highly qualified lecturers. The school provides academic lecturers with a wealth of practical experience who bring real life experience to students. I like that there are only lecturers who are native English speakers or are fluent in English.

Moreover, since I believe that knowledge is gained partly at school and partly in real world experience, I have always been successful in achieving this goal. The schedule at Prague College has allowed me to combine studying and working (both part-time and even full-time). With all these above, I can conclude that Prague College has successfully provided me with the professional education by combining academic and practical learning which is a strong base for both my future career and academic development."

As people say, "the best decisions are the ones you enjoy". Without mincing words, I would like to say the best decision I have ever made since I came to the Czech Republic is choosing to study at Prague College. Initially, I was contemplating if college was the right path for me but later decided to give the whole college thing a try, but now the situation is unbelievable considering how receptive the lecturers and students are, and their readiness to help at any given time.

Within a year of studying IT and Computing at Prague College, I have been able to boost my morale in the areas of database design, networking and e-business which are all of paramount importance as far as the nature of my job is concerned. Another plus factor is the environment which is highly conducive to studying, coupled with the multinational background of the school which allows me to meet people from almost all parts of the world.

As far as education is concerned, there is nothing as better than being able to study in such an open and free enviornment which I am sure not all universities can offer, at Prague College this freedom and openness is a culture in itself. Many thanks to the school management.

Venera is an IT & Computing student from Russia. She is involved in developing the History of Computer Languages project for the Research Centre at Prague College and she is a member of the Student Council. Venera also works as a freelance web creator and she is currently involved in the development and promotion of a new international e-store in Prague.

“I’m specifically interested in Prague College’s ITM specialization because I’ve been working in this field for several years, starting as a Web Content Manager. My last position was Web Projects Manager at one of the largest companies in Russia. Therefore I wanted to gain a deeper theoretical knowledge in IT and practical skills.

“Before I came to Prague I had been looking for a long time for universities where the IT subjects are taught in English and luckily I’ve found Prague College.

“The HND in Computing at Prague College, with its international focus, is the best way for me to realize my goals, providing me with a springboard for my future career along with the knowledge, confidence, and contacts to realize my dreams. Furthermore, the courses this program provides match perfectly my professional projects and academic expectations.

I really enjoy studying at Prague College. I have great teachers. In addition, the friendly staff and students create a pleasant environment for studying.”

Rajmond comes originally from the Republic of Kosovo and he came to Prague to deepen his IT knowledge by studying at Prague College.

"I always liked computing, especially programming, and Prague College has helped me a lot in my development of them. The teaching is done very closely with the student, and the relations, starting from the school staff and teachers, continuing with the students, are great.

Prague College has given me the opportunity to work also on the Underground City XXI Project, together with other students of the College. I’m working on the programming part of the project, mainly constructing the multiuser platform, with the use of game engines.

As it seems, I would like to grow in this field and extend my career as a programmer in the future. Prague College and the School of IT & Computing has had a big influence in that, and now my future has better shape."

HND IT & Computing student Marko Puskaric from Croatia.

Marko comes from Zagreb and is not only a student at the college - he is also actively involved in many IT development projects. Marko has been working closely with Stefano Cavagnetto, Head of School of Computing, who is supporting him in his studies through real projects.

"I'm currently involved in the Underground City XXI project as a developer of the multiuser platform. Involvement in that project gave me the chance to work with one of the greatest minds I met.

I could say that moving to Prague was like a leap of faith, moving alone to a different country with not too many expectations of what'scoming. But after a year in Prague College, I made lifetime friends, connections and learned practical skills that will, for sure, help me in life. Although I still don't know where I will 'end up', I'm not afraid for my future."

Klara is a graduate of HND Graphic Design at Prague College, which she successfully completed in June 2009. Klara originally comes from Prague, Czech Republic.

"After studying traditional illustration techniques at High School (specializing in graphics), I decided to switch to Graphic Design. Prague College gave me the opportunity to combine and use the various artistic skills and techniques I have acquired, such as book design, photography, drawing, and broaden my knowledge of typography, editorial design and much more.

I really enjoyed the two-year HND Graphic Design program as I had a chance to participate in real live projects such as: the corporate identity for the National Information Center for Youth (NICM), Magisterartis, Pate du Chef and others. I had an opportunity to communicate with real clients and discuss my ideas on a professional level.

I have chosen to continue with the BA (Hons) Graphic Design program at Prague College for two main reasons: as a mature aged student with certain work experience, it is important to improve the practical skills in design, and also gain substantial theoretical knowledge on graphic design and visual communication.

I work as a freelance designer focusing on medical illustration and associated graphics, which is my preferred field of future endeavors."

Examples of some Klara's graphic design work completed during the program:

Pavel completed HND Business and BA (Hons) International Business Management at Prague College.

"In 2005, after studying languages in Ireland I was at the stage to decide my future educational and professional steps. My idea was to find a school that would provide me with education based not only on theory but also practical experience. Finally, I considered two possible choices – a Czech university and Prague College.

I had an introductory interview at Prague College and afterwards there was no hesitation about my future education – the friendly and informal atmosphere, individual approach towards students, credible and reputable lectors,
the chance to study in English, all of these aspects made me more than sure about my choice.

I have found the multicultural environment which allows students to work with people from various countries, absolutely fantastic for my future career in business as it has given me insight and experience of working and
communicating with people dealing from different cultures.

Another aspect I appreciated was the possibility to study as a part time student because I wanted to simultaneously broaden my professional skills as I got an attractive job in the automotive industry.In the end I completed a HND in Business and currently I am finishing my BA degree in International Business at Prague College.

Prague College has completely met my expectations and also helped me a great deal in my professional career."

Patrick, computing student at Prague College, is currently involved in developing the History of Computer Languages project for the Research Centre at Prague College. He is a member of Student Council and one of the co-founders of Radio R (www.radior.cz),the revolutionary open-radio project in the Czech Republic. In addition he is working as a webcreator and webchef for educational institutions, non-profit organizations and small-size businesses.

“I am working hard to fight against old, useless structures, unnecessary obsolete habits, and corrupt influences and systems. This affects not only the sphere of computers where the market is more powerful than science and improvement themselves - this affects the complete system...

Prague College is a great place to understand how the world functions. Because of its fantastic educational system which allows employment and activities, its flexible learning units and its great international nicely mixed staff and students.”

Patrick plans to connect Prague College's international environment with the Radio R project. It's sure to be revolutionary... and not only for the students of Prague College

As I am a self-taught individual in different graphics software, I was looking for a school where I could round off my knowledge as well as improve my skills in these areas under the supervision of a professional (not only through tutorials found on the internet). Prague College offers all of that and at the same time has a very friendly environment for studying. The teachers are professionals in their fields, they love what they do and they are devoted to their students (I mean really devoted, staying up with you until 5 in the morning to prepare an exhibition!).They treat us as equals in the field, which was for me the best experience.

Currently I am trying to push forward our little graphics studio that my two friends and I started. We form a nice triangle of different skills. One is talented in beautiful illustrations, the other in ideas generation and a great eye for composition and the third (me) for animation and moving graphics. We're a strong trio.

Although our website isstill under construction, (we're still missing the animated graphics) we are happy to show our work to as many people as possible.

www.dqdesign.net

As I am currently devoted to looking for clients and commissions, I don't really have time for large challenging projects. For now it is mostly about marketing and building a regular clientele. Otherwise in my free time, I am trying to learn the tricks of After Effects, so that in the future I will be able to create powerful motion graphics for TV and film.

Vit graduated from BA (Hons) International Business Management in the year 2009.

“For my professional path I need practical knowledge and experience. There is a need and a strong will for me being a capable manager for my team with the knowledge of trade, marketing and communications. Prague College was not only able to satisfy these needs and wishes but during only three years of studying gave me much more. The evening and weekend classes did not affect my working arrangements in any way. Exceptionally high-quality lecturers with a personal passion for teaching helped me with the theory and its practical usage in today's international marketplace. And what is even most important for me, Prague College made me bold and no longer afraid to pursue my own opinions in a professional way.”

Vit is the CEO and founder of Inspiro Solutions (www.inspiro-solutions.cz) – an innovative internet marketing web design company, focused on providing A-class services to demanding clients in the Czech republic and internationally. Vit was elected executive officer of the Young Professionals Forum (www.youngprofessionalsforum.cz), the international Prague-based networking organisation, in 2008.

Natalya is a graduate of HND Graphic Design at Prague College, which she successfully completed in the spring of 2008. Natalya originally comes from Almaty, Kazachstan from where she left exactly four years ago for the Czech Republic.

Natalya is now working in Prague as a graphic designer for the renowned advertising company Ogilvy. She is fond of fashion and likes designing her own clothing collections. Natalya's passions include literature and traveling.

When describing her experience at the college, she says, "I really enjoyed the fact that while we were studying we had the great chance to take part in existing, real projects with real clients, which was an unforgettable opportunity."

And her teachers? "I am very proud and honored by the quality of the great professors that led us. They not only passed their knowledge to us, but they were interested in listening to our own opinions on the topic. We would discuss and analyze our projects together, which was crucial to our development."

Natalya loves her job and she is hoping to work in graphic design her whole life. She is also planning to continue her studies this fall by enrolling in the final year BA (Hons) program to compete her bachelors degree.

Examples of Natalya's graphic design work completed during the program:

Jamba is a student of Interactive Media HND at Prague College. At the moment he is preparing his work for the final show of graduates. Like Natalya, Jamba is also planning on doing his final BA year at the college.

Jamba is a devoted dancer and enjoys giving dance classes in his free time.

As far as his experience at Prague College is concerned, Jamba says: "Apart from the high quality of the lectures, I found new friends which I'm happy about. We studied animation techniques in 3DS Max, basic techniques of 2D animation and we learnt how to produce and direct short movies, how to create new web pages, interesting things in sound production and how to present our own achievements to the public."

Jamba originally comes from Angola and he's been living in the Czech Republic for six years.

His career goal is to become a film director inthe future! He would like to shoot documentaries on African culture and become a producer of cultural events.

Studying at Prague College has changed my life and I would recommend it to anyone.

When I was choosing a university I wanted to stay close to my family. Luckily living in Manchester I had a good of great number of choices available. Then I found Prague College.

When I applied to study here, I wasn’t completely serious about the idea. The school replied to me immediately and offered me an interview over the phone or at the school. I decided to visit the school in person as I had been to Prague before and it gave me an excuse to visit the city again. I was met by friendly staff and I had the opportunity to meet some of the students, many of whom were a long way from home.

I was offered a place at the school and I took it without thinking twice. I’m at the end of my first year here and I don’t regret it for a moment.

I study business here and I recommend the school to anyone else thinking about studying business. In the UK I once had a business teacher who read from a book for hours on end with the occasional sarcastic quip thrown in as a dire attempt to keep the class interested in the material and not the monotone sounds coming from his mouth. Here at Prague College I have teachers that explain the material using their own real life experiences and keep the material interesting. The class sizes are small — I have not had a class with more than 20 students in it. The teacher knows who I am and is always around when I have questions, whether they are about the material or a project that I am working on outside of the school.

Another great experience that can be associated with the school is living in Prague. Prague is a beautiful city is in the heart of Europe. There always seems to be something going on around here, beer festivals, food festivals there was even a fringe festival similar to Edinburgh’s (and that one might have been a little smaller!) And of course Prague is famous for its beer! The city is full of bars and clubs that go on until the following afternoon!

If you are looking for quality education, life experience, culture, a rich social life and skills that can help you succeed in the real world then I recommend Prague College to you

Mathew Butler
HND Business student
United Kingdom

My name is Gergana Dukova and I recently completed my studies at Prague College.

I found the college two years ago when I was looking for an alternative to my previous education at a state university. That university gave me great theoretical knowledge, but how much does theory help once you go out in the real world?

I knew I was looking for a different academic environment and I was very excited to come across the Prague College web site. The program the college offered in Graphic Design was very practically oriented and appealed to me right away.

Over the two-year course of studies my classmates and I learned a lot about professional design software and major areas of design such as typography, desktop publishing, corporate identity and image manipulation. We had various projects and the opportunity to put our knowledge to practice by working with real clients.

The experience I gained over the past two years was both useful and enjoyable. Towards the end of our studies my fellow students and I all got jobs, and that was definitely the greatest benefit I can expect from higher education.

Gergana Dukova
HND graduate - June 2008
Bulgarian
Currently employed with Ogilvy Group, Prague

Ever since I was able to hold a pencil I was drawing small dolls and a lot of clothing for them

Time passed and I am mother now. As I was planning to go back to work, I was looking for something that would really make me happy. My decision was to study Graphic Design, something bothg practical and creative.

Researching my possibilities, I came across Prague College. It was interesting and challenging for me that all study is in English. Now after two years I will get my Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design.

I have met many great people and fellow students. I have to thank to Prague College and the best teacher I have ever come accross - Simon Gray.

I am now working professionally. The best thing about Graphic Design as a career is that you need only a PC and the right programs, so as a mother I am able to work from home.

I am very busy, and very happy working for international clients.

Jana Maleckova
HND graduate - April 2008
Czech

Oliver Dewey is an HND Computing graduate from Prague College. He wants his programming project to be used by anyone and everyone with an interest in using HTML, XHTML and CSS. He sent us the following update on his work:

http://www.htmlsoup.net/

When I needed specific HTML and CSS information I found out that many websites offering this kind of information were complicated, and not very user friendly. I wanted to make a better one; simple, clean and easy to use.

html Soup is a simple HTML and CSS reference guide for anyone who is learning or does web design. It provides web standard, useful information about tags, attributes, properties, and values though a clean and simple interface. For people new to web design there are quick introduction guides to both HTML and CSS. In addition, the forum section is meant to be a good place for asking questions, sharing tips, and just learning new things from others.

While doing this project I applied what I had learned in several classes, and at the same time I gained new practical knowledge. I just hope html Soup is useful to people looking for a quick HTML and CSS reference guide. I would also like to get feedback from real users and continue with this project.

Oliver

“At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.” -Salvador Dali

Four years ago I had my mind set to get higher education and I was in crisis of what to pursue as a career path. Between art which was my passion and hobby or what I had set in mind business, which I used to enjoy studying and always had in my mind that I will pursue this career. However I started researching graphic design, and what were the options. This is when I came across the Prague College web site. Moving away from Bahrain was a big step however it was my next step as i applied and got accepted and started attending the courses.

The more I went through the course the more I enjoyed it and started growing a passion towards design. I always knew how to do designs but I never understood the fundamentals the rules and the history behind it all. I started covering more aspects of design such as typography, Corporate identity, and it all began to make more sense to me. Thanks to the great teachers and mentors I had in Prague College today I have reached to understand design and enjoy it more.

After 2 years of doing my degree in Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design, me and my fellow student are finally going to have our final diploma show to show our work. 7˚of Separation, is our final show which is going to be held in La Scene on April 11 till the 14. The show will consist of the best works we did though out our 2 years of the HND course in Prague College.

I have not reached my ultimate goal yet, but I have been set on the right track with the thanks to Prague College and its teachers, and last not least my great mentor in design which I owe on being in the track I’m on today, Simon Gray.