How to develop international education was showcased by UWB teams at a conference in Prague

Improving intensive cross-border university cooperation and involving non-EU higher education institutions in European university alliances were the main topics presented by UWB at this year’s CEEDUCON conference. The event brought together hundreds of experts from Czechia and abroad.

As an active member of the international university alliance EUPeace and a long-term partner of Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden (OTH Amberg-Weiden) in cross-border cooperation, the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen presented itself at the CEEDUCON 2025 conference in Prague. Compared to previous years, the conference had a broader European focus this time, which is why the organizers renamed it from CZEDUCON to CEEDUCON.

In November, around nine hundred experts attended one of the most important meetings on the internationalisation of higher education in Central Europe, where they shared current approaches and experiences. The University of West Bohemia was represented by specialists and project coordinators from its International Office (IO).

“Teamwork, the exchange of experience, and intensive cross-border cooperation are at the core of our approach and the reason this format has proven successful over the long term,” said Romana Suchá and Klára Frausová about the joint IO and OTH Amberg-Weiden concept titled Czech-German International Staff Week. Since 2021, the project has connected staff from two countries and three campuses. The Bavarian university was represented by Annabelle Wolff and Marian Mure, who shared experience from the five editions held so far with their Czech colleagues and spoke openly about what works well and what still needs fine-tuning. The interactive workshop From Experience to Action: Co-Creating Cross-Border Staff Weeks then guided participants through the process of co-creating a similar event.

The EUPeace team addressed the question of how to involve non-EU universities in European University Alliances in a way that benefits all parties.The presentation Challenges and Benefits of Partnerships with Non-EU Universities in European University Alliances was delivered by Dagmar Vokounová Franzeová and Magdalena Rousová from UWB together with their colleagues Inja Stojkić and Davorka Topić Stipić from the University of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They openly discussed administrative, financial and legislative barriers while emphasizing the significant benefits for students — such as more international courses, new mobility opportunities, and perspectives that elevate the quality of study. The discussion concluded that for the European Education Area to be truly inclusive, partnerships with non-EU institutions are essential.

According to representatives of the International Office, CEEDUCON 2025 was an opportunity for UWB not only to showcase its projects and good practice examples, but also to strengthen partnerships, gain inspiration, and bring back insights that can be applied in practice, including beyond national borders. As in previous years, the main organiser of the conference was the Czech National Agency for International Education, operating under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. National agencies from Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia also contributed to this year’s programme.