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The Undergraduate Program in Central European Studies (UPCES) is a semester, or academic year, abroad program designed to provide students with a serious academic curriculum focused on issues of importance to Central Europe and also an “immersion-style” experience in the culture and society of the host country, the Czech Republic. The program is located at CERGE-EI (Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education-Economics Institute) at Charles University in Prague.

UPCES is unique in many respects, most especially in being the only program in Prague which allows American students to take classes which integrate Americans, Czechs and other Europeans. This is possible because CERGE-EI partners with School of Humanities (FHS) , also at Charles University, allowing Czech students from the FHS to take UPCES courses, as do Erasmus Program students from other universities all over the world. This exceptional combination gives UPCES courses a very special multi-cultural dimension and it vastly enriches the experience of all the participants. Moreover, it reflects the UPCES commitment to expand students’ study abroad experience beyond the classroom.

Participants of UPCES are welcome to enjoy the added benefit of the many activities taking place in the CERGE-EI building. Seminars on both theoretical and applied economics are presented weekly by a wide array of international scholars and researchers. In addition, regular academic workshops and panel discussions are open to all program participants.

While UPCES insures the highest quality academic standards, it also emphasizes the importance of real exposure to the culture and the people of the region. Day trips and weekend excursions are arranged to such places within the Czech Republic as Cesky Krumlov, Litomerice and Kutna Hora and to regional destinations such as Krakow, Berlin and Budapest as well. In addition, social functions are often arranged which bring together Czech, American and other European students. To facilitate social interaction, American students are assigned a volunteer Czech partner to help provide a realistic picture of life in Prague.

Applicants to the UPCES program should keep two things in mind: 1) this is a serious academic program with the same high standards of performance expected of students at their home institutions; and 2) this is not a program which serves merely as a base for student travel elsewhere on the continent. UPCES encourages students to do the majority of their traveling either before classes begin or at the conclusion of the program. UPCES strongly urges its students to use their living abroad experience to immerse themselves in the life and culture of Central Europe during their semester abroad.

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UPCES is oriented toward offering students a top quality education focused in Central European issues while taking advantage of its surroundings and immersing students within the local culture. In a collaborative effort with the School of Humanities at Charles University, CERGE-EI has designed an academic study abroad program that applies a multidisciplinary approach in teaching students about the region, Czech culture, socio-economic implications of a nation in transition and foreign policy issues concerning the European Union.

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UPCES values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and does not discriminate nor tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origins, age, disability in its admissions and academic policies.