Read the latest installment of our series introducing colleagues from across the faculty’s departments. In each edition, we ask one person the same seven questions. This time, we spoke with Michaela Burgetová, the new Head of the Office for Studies.
“The greatest challenge remains being a good leader and creating an environment where my colleagues feel satisfied by their work and comfortable approaching me with any concerns or ideas. Another important challenge is to make sure that each of the students who come to us for advice leave with the sense that there is always a solution—even when it may not seem so at first glance.”
Michaela Burgetová, Head of the Office for Studies
What does your ideal morning look like?
My ideal morning doesn’t begin until around noon, when I get up and prepare breakfast—or perhaps more of a brunch—for the whole family. We share the meal together, talk, and plan the rest of the day. Everything unfolds at a relaxed pace, with no rush at all :-).
Unfortunately, I don’t expect to have such a morning anytime soon—but even the thought of it is wonderful.
What book or books have you read recently, and would you recommend them?
In addition to the many children’s books we read at bedtime, I recently had the chance to read Behind the Curtain of War by Czech journalist and former foreign correspondent for Czech Television, Jakub Szántó. In the book, he reflects on his experiences reporting from conflict zones, describing how far a journalist can go in the field—and what they may encounter along the way. I believe it is particularly compelling reading for aspiring journalists.
What do you look forward to most in your workday?
Although I truly enjoy my work, have wonderful colleagues, and share a very pleasant atmosphere in the Office for Studies, what I look forward to most is the end of the workday—when I can head home to my family and enjoy the time we have together, which is often limited during weekdays.
What has surprised you most in the past six months?
How fleeting time is—and how important it is to cherish the present moment, because you never know whether it might be the last.
What is your favorite place in the faculty?
My favorite place at the faculty is definitely the courtyard, where Semester-End takes place each year. It signals that the academic year is drawing to a close and that a well-deserved period of rest is just ahead—along with the anticipation of what the next year will bring.
What advice would you give to your student self?
Don’t stress yourself out unnecessarily, and really enjoy your time as a student—with all that it entails. No other stage of life will ever be quite the same.
What does a nuclear reactor have in common with a facial recognition camera, a Big Tech algorithm, or a university hiring committee? More than one might expect.
As part of the GACR 2027 call, the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University submitted a total of 50 project proposals across five grant schemes. The highest level of activity was recorded in the Standard Projects category, where 44 proposals were submitted.