Newsletter August 2025

ACADEMIC EVENT SECTION
#1: 13th International Conference in Honour of the Laureate of the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
The Václav Havel Library, an associate partner of the EPS programme, is organizing a conference focused on Artists in Oppression. The theme of the conference is linking Václav Havel´s personal story of a persecuted dramatist and writer during the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia with the situation of contemporary artists who are subjected to threats, harassment, and persecution amid a global wave of rising authoritarianism. The conference will occur in Prague on October 1, 2025, at the Technology Center of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Mikulandská 5. The conference programme will be finalized during the summer. See the previous editions of the conference to get an idea of the content. If you would like to attend the conference, please express your interest via email by September 15, 2025.

#2: Forum 2000 Conference
Forum 2000 Foundation, the EPS-associated partner, pursuing the legacy of Václav Havel with the value of democracy and human rights at the lead, organizes the 29th edition of the conference, supporting the foundation and development of civil society in a democratic environment. The conference will take place on October 12-14, 2025, in Prague, and all EPS students are more than welcome. Furthermore, EPS students based in Prague in October will be given the opportunity to actively contribute to the conference if they are interested. Keep posted!

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EVENT SECTION
Visit Berlin
Take a walk through the vibrant city of Berlin. Once you are tired, rest in one of Berlin´s beer gardens if the weather is too hot, cool down in the Badeschiff pool. Visit Charlottenburg or take a bike ride along the river Spree!

CALL
#1: EPS Excellence and Leadership Award
The Call for Excellence and Leadership (ELA) has been launched, and all first-year students are invited to apply. See the details of the call on the EPS website.The deadline is August 31, 2025.

#2: Best Thesis Award
The second-year students can apply for the Best Thesis Award. Please visit the EPS website to see all the requirements. The application deadline is September 20, 2025.

#3: Europaeum Brussels Policy Seminar: Strategic Autonomy
The 2025 Policy Seminar explores strategic autonomy through examination of its various dimensions and implications for European institutions and the processes of preparing and implementing EU policies. The seminar programme includes visits to several EU Institutions (including the EU Parliament) and involves talks and discussions with top decision makers and analysts engaged with shaping Europe’s path toward greater strategic independence and resilience. We invite applications from Master’s and PhD students in any discipline, who wish to learn more about EU policy-making and the EU institutions. To find out how to apply for a place, please see the Call for Applications page for this event. Deadline for applications: August 29, 2025.

HINDSIGHT
EPS Grant Results – the reason to celebrate!
The EPS programme was one of the 33 selected projects (out of 195 proposals) for the new funding from the European Commission!

READING TIP: Imagined Communities (author: Benedict Anderson, 1983)
A book about the development of national feeling in different eras and throughout different geographies across the world. It introduced the term “imagined communities” as a descriptor of a social group—specifically nations—and the term has since entered standard usage in myriad political and social science fields. The book is widely considered influential in the social sciences, perhaps the most-read book about nationalism. It is among the most-cited publications in the social sciences.

FREQUENT QUESTION / DO NOT FORGET
Issuing the joint diploma takes a few months. Therefore, it will be ready for the graduation ceremony at Charles University in spring 2026, or you might ask to send it via DHL to your destination (the expected time of the delivery is February-March 2026). The date of the final graduation ceremony at CU will be in March, 2026 (the final date will be confirmed).

Do you have any hints, ideas, or tips for interesting events, calls, books, films, podcasts, etc.? Do not hesitate to reach us at eps@fsv.cuni.cz. Your feedback and contribution are highly appreciated.