Internationalisation

The Adam Smith Business School, in collaboration with Prague University of Economics and Business (PUEB), successfully held the Glasgow-Prague Summer School in Economics from 24 to 29 June 2024 in Prague. The joint summer school was developed by Professor Sai Ding (Co-Head of Economics, Internationalisation) and Dr Wenya Cheng (Senior Programme Lead in Economics) from the Adam Smith Business School, along with Dr Helena Chytilova (Vice-Dean for International Relations at Faculty of Economics) from PUEB. This event brought together students and faculty from both institutions, including ten postgraduate students and three academics from the Adam Smith Business School, for a week of enriching lectures, social activities, and cultural exchanges.

On the first day, the summer school commenced with an official opening, followed by an insightful lecture by Dr Pavel Potužák from PUEB on ‘The Taylor Rule in the Context of Optimal Monetary Policy’. In the afternoon, students took part in a sightseeing tour to Prague Castle and Petrin Hill, guided by Czech student representatives.

On the second day, Dr Vojtěch Kotrba from PUEB presented ‘Beyond Homo Economicus: Unveiling the Veil of Mainstream Economics and Exploring Economic Realities through Experiments’ and conducted practical experiments with students. The afternoon featured an excursion to the Czech National Bank, where students were welcomed by Dr Karina Kubelková, a member of the Bank Board, and Dr Lucia Bartůsková from PUEB. Students learnt about the central banking system, monetary policy, and the economic history of the Czech Republic, and saw the second-largest gold coin in the world.  

Third day’s lecture focused on labour market dynamics, with Prof Michele Battisti from the Adam Smith Business School delivering a compelling lecture on ‘Labour Market Polarisation in the Era of Generative AI’.

Dr Geethanjali Selvaretnam also from the Adam Smith Business School, engaged students on the fourth day with her talk on ‘The Stability of Unions’. The day ended with a visit to the DRFG Investment Group, where students gained insights into the firm's diverse activities.

The lecture series concluded with Dr Mridula Duggal’s presentation on the fifth day, ‘Tell Me Something You Know: Beliefs about the Macroeconomy’. In the evening, students were congratulated for their successful completion of the summer school by Dr Adéla Zubíková (Dean of the Faculty of Economics of PUEB), Dr Helena Chytilová, Dr Wenya Cheng and Dr Geethanjali Selvaretnam at a banquet at the Vencovsky Club.

Beyond the academic sessions, the summer school fostered international camaraderie and cultural exchange. Students participated in a voluntary trip to Karlštejn Castle on the last day, further enriching their experience in the Czech Republic.

The success of the Glasgow-Prague Summer School in Economics underscores the value of international collaboration in higher education. We look forward to future partnerships on academic activities, continuing to provide transformative learning experiences for students and facilitate student mobility.

---

Further information: business-international@glasgow.ac.uk 

First published: 8 August 2024