Students' perspective

I have been attending Tischner European University (TEU) for almost two years now; working on my bachelor's degree in International Relations.

I was born and raised in the United States and never thought that I would end up studying in Poland, but I can now say: that it was the best decision of my life thus far!

Before moving, my friends and family warned me of the tough and rigorous schooling system in Poland which caused me to fear what the future had in store for me. And although they were correct about TEU's very high standard of education and extensive academic demands, the school's highly skilled and experienced staff works day and night to steer all the students through the educational program.

It is because of this factor, that in my opinion, the school's greatest asset is the renowned and supportive teaching staff. Throughout my two years I have met professors from all four corners of the world. And when it comes to international relations, there is no better learning environment in class than learning from an international panel of educators.

Aside from the staff, it is an absolute pleasure to study with fellow students who are also mostly from countries other than Poland. In the university's few short years since opening, it has been able to build a student exchange program that is the envy of other universities. Through the school's fantastic Erasmus program, university students have the ability to study in other countries while many new students from other nations come to study at TEU. As a result I have been able to make friends from all over the world and hopefully enrich my future career with other International Relations student from around the planet.

            Another great quality of the school is the small class sizes. During my Erasmus exchange last year in England, I studied at a large university with tens of thousands of students. And although that allowed me to meet many people, the teacher to student ratio was at a huge disadvantage in regards to TEU. (While here), There are about 15 students in our International Relations group and this allows me to have a personal contact with my teachers instead of just being another name on a long list of students.

            An additional positive aspect of the school is the incredibly friendly and helpful faculty. In other bigger universities you may find that when wanting to speak with the dean or even a class coordinator you might have to wait in long lines; sometimes even have to make appointments for weeks later. At TEU this type of problem is nonexistent due to the faculty's ‘open door' policy and determination to help students with any and all problems as quickly as possible.

            Aside from the scholarly perspective the school organizes many social events for the purpose of meeting other TEU students and integrating with other universities in Krakow. The school is located in the heart of the city: right on the border of the beautiful Old Town. During the day students can enjoy a lunch in one of Krakow's many enchanting cafes and in the evenings truly enjoy the student life in the one of the hundreds of pubs and clubs in town.

            Ultimately, I would recommend TEU to any student who wants to spend their college years having fun, meeting new colleagues from around the world, while working hard to get the best education possible.

Thomas Szymanski,

Student, International Relations