Read the latest installment of our series introducing colleagues from various departments across the faculty. In each edition, one colleague answers the same set of seven questions. This time, we spoke with Roman Bureš, the new Head of the Office for International Relations.
“At the Office for International Relations, you never quite know what might come your way, so the biggest challenge will be handling whatever unexpectedly lands on my desk over the course of the year. Of the tasks already planned, the main one will likely be completing the English version of our website.”
Roman Bureš, Head of the Office for International Relations
What does your ideal morning look like?
An ideal morning for me is one in which I’m able to keep myself grounded as I wake up and tune in to the feeling that it’s going to be a good day. One where I wake without a specific thought or to-do list in mind, and my head feels genuinely rested after the night—open to whatever may come. For me, an ideal morning isn’t about what’s happening around me, but about what’s happening inside—and I hope I’ll get closer to that ideal someday.
What book or books have you read recently, and would you recommend them?
I worked in publishing for a long time, which can really take the joy out of reading books. Not only because reading becomes part of the job, but also because you know what texts look like before they ever reach an editor. Lately, I’ve been reading two books: Technofeudalism by Yanis Varoufakis, and the Korean cookbook Umma by Sarah Ahn, which is full of beautiful stories about food and family, woven together with Korean history.
What do you look forward to most in your workday?
I look forward to the moment when someone new from a completely different part of the world arrives, and I can help them find their way, put them at ease, or perhaps open up new opportunities for them. And to hearing, once again, how much they enjoy Brno and how good they feel here.
What has surprised you most in the past six months?
Over the past six months, almost everything has surprised me. After a long time, I’ve stepped into a completely new work environment, and it’s refreshing to experience so many new and unexpected situations.
What is your favorite place in the faculty?
Definitely the 6th floor. :) That was already something of a magic incantation back when I was a student. :)
What advice would you give to your student self?
Travel—go abroad as much as possible and take advantage of all the opportunities student life has to offer you. Later on, there may not be as many.
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.
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