The European University Institute (EUI) and Charles University are strengthening their academic partnership following the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding at the European University Institute Forum, held at Charles University’s historic Carolinum in Prague on 22 October 2026.
“In many ways, today marks the formalisation of a partnership that has existed for years,” said Charles University Rector Professor Jiří Zima. “Our institutions have long been connected through numerous academic collaborations, research projects and personal ties between scholars. Today, we are giving these relationships a durable institutional framework and creating new opportunities for future cooperation.”
The event brought together institutional representatives, academics, alumni and researchers to explore the EUI’s mission, its opportunities for the Czech academic community and the potential for deeper collaboration across Europe. It was supported by Professor Filip Kostelka, Professor of Political Science, Chair in Political and Social Change, and Director of Graduate Studies in the EUI’s Department of Political and Social Sciences, whose efforts have helped strengthen ties between the two institutions.
A shared commitment to European research and society
The Forum opened with remarks by Rector Zima, Sébastien Huber, Director of the EUI’s Development and External Relations Service, and Italian Ambassador Alessandro Gaudiano. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was followed by a presentation of the EUI and its Widening Europe Programme, delivered by Huber and Professor Jelena Džankić, Academic Director of the EUI’s Widening Europe Programme and CIVICA.
Huber highlighted the Institute’s European mission and its responsibility to contribute knowledge and expertise to society: “We were created at the EUI 50 years ago to also provide a service to Europe, and that service is to be the university of the European Union and to try and provide guidance, knowledge for the construction of Europe and to European societies,” he said. “We are a university with a mission, but every university has this mission towards society, and I think that's what brings us here today and in the future in our work together.”
Ambassador Gaudiano emphasised the importance of cooperation in addressing the challenges facing Europe: “War, again, in European continent, multiple challenges from the economic, political, environmental dimensions, and moments where all these challenges seem to come together to threaten our European values and our way of life. So, my wish is that this cooperation agreement can bring learning research together to face together in Europe those challenges.”
The Forum also built on the signature of an Erasmus agreement earlier in the same week, adding a further dimension to the institutions’ developing relationship.
The Widening Europe Programme: connecting academic communities
In her presentation of the EUI’s Widening Europe Programme, Professor Jelena Džankić highlighted opportunities for researchers, academics and professional staff in Czechia to engage with the Institute and its international academic community.
The programme aims to strengthen research capacity and build connections between the EUI and higher education institutions across designated Widening countries. Its activities include doctoral scholarships, postdoctoral fellowships, mobility grants, summer schools, fieldwork opportunities, seminars and workshops, supporting academic development and the exchange of knowledge across Europe.
The programme reflects the EUI’s broader commitment to fostering a more connected European higher education and eesearch area, expanding access to international research networks and supporting the development of excellent research and policy expertise.
Alumni experiences
A central moment of the Forum were the contributions by Czech EUI alumni, featuring Professor Veronika Čapská, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Charles University; Professor Jan Komárek, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law at Charles University; and Michael Weiss, Doctoral Researcher at Charles University.
Drawing on her experience as a former visiting scholar and fellow at the EUI, Čapská reflected on the lasting impact of her time at the Institute: “My time at the EUI was crucial for forging valuable research collaborations and for bridging career gaps. There's always something going on at the EUI, conferences, workshops, invited lectures, etc. (…) I have benefited immensely from the academic community at the EUI, and at the same time, I was always keen and very ready to give back.”
European politics in focus
The afternoon programme concluded with a keynote lecture on European Union politics by Professor Simon Hix of the EUI’s Department of Political and Social Sciences, followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by Professor Filip Kostelka. A reception provided a further opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and discuss future cooperation.
The Forum took place against the backdrop of the EUI’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its relationships across Europe. As an EU member state with a strong and developing research community, Czechia is an important partner in the Institute’s ambition to bring together expertise in the social sciences and humanities from across Europe.
The EUI combines its role as an international research university with that of an intergovernmental organisation. Its work addresses major European policy challenges, and its research contributes to debates and policymaking at national, European and international levels. Closer collaboration with Czech universities and researchers offers opportunities to connect this expertise with the questions facing Czech society and public institutions.
A PhD workshop in Comparative Politics
The Forum was followed on 23 October by a PhD Workshop in Comparative Politics at Charles University’s Faculty of Philisophy. Jointly organised by the EUI’s Widening Europe Programme, the Department of Political Science at Charles University and the Czech Political Science Association, the workshop brought together doctoral researchers and senior academics for research discussion and feedback.
The programme included a training session on publishing in peer-reviewed journals led by Professor Filip Kostelka. Czech doctoral candidates also had the opportunity to present their research papers and receive feedback from the convenors, who represented the EUI, Charles University, Masaryk University and other European institutions.