Giarelli is the author of The Lands Between: A Central European Journey* about the cultures that took shape across the former Habsburg lands, and it ends with a chapter on Lviv. He specializes in literature scholarship and journalism, bringing unique insight on Ukraine-related reporting that has appeared in U.S., Czech, Slovak, and Moldovan media.

During the interview, Giarelli discussed the suppression of Ukrainian literature, Russian propaganda, mistrust of news, and misinformation.

In a global context, Russian literature has really overshadowed the whole global impression of what Eastern European literature is, according to the interviewer Peeter Helme. Giarelli commented that while choosing course work for a European Literature class, there is a question of whether to include Russian literature because it is not European, but also major figures of literature make it easy to end up with only Western European representation.

Helme mentioned what philosopher Johann Gottfried von Herder said: that there are no small literatures, and, despite what Russian propaganda says, Ukrainian literature is older though less known.

Read the full interview on .

Among AAU’s initiatives and events related to Ukraine this academic year was the with Vasyl Zvarych, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces and more, as well as the President of AAU’s trip to Ukraine which was part of a delegation from the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes that presented the book at Ivan Franko University and the Ukrainian Catholic University.

*The Lands Between: A Central European Journey is available on with a 20% discount for AAU students, faculty, and administration, using the promo code LANDS20.

The AAU Career Expo is the largest networking event held each semester, connecting students with prospective employers from a wide range of industries and professional fields—many of which employ AAU alumni. Companies in attendance included:

This event is especially important because one of AAU’s graduation requirements is the completion of an internship related to your field of study. Students enjoy the opportunity to ask questions and meet representatives from companies, governmental institutions, and career-focused initiatives.

Many companies in attendance also participated in the Fall 2025 Career Expo, giving lectures and workshops. The spring edition was a smaller, more focused event—allowing students to engage in more personal conversations, build meaningful connections, and get career advice.

Learn more about career opportunities or contact AAU’s Career Counselor.

As a Student Ambassador, you become an integral part of the AAU admissions and recruitment team, guiding prospective students from the time of their application through to their arrival in Prague. Five students will be selected for this role per academic year.

Student mentors offer invaluable assistance to new students, easing their transition into university life and helping them overcome academic and social challenges during their first year.  As a student mentor, you will be part of the Student Affairs team. Five students will be selected for this role per academic year.

Both mentor and ambassador roles offer a unique opportunity to contribute to the AAU community while gaining valuable experience and support with tuition.

Read all the details on the Application process here and apply by April 28, 2026 at the latest.

For the selection process, the Dean’s Office will be consulted. Top candidates will be invited for a short interview.

Applications for the Student Mentor Program should be submitted to Marketa Fillingerova at marketa.fillingerova@aauni.edu. Those for the Student Ambassador Program should be submitted to Noelle O’Braitis at n.obraitis@aauni.edu.

Who has made an impact? Who goes above and beyond? Cast your vote and make your voice count for those who deserve it!

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Voting closes on April 15, 2026 at 11:59 am—don’t miss your chance!

Good luck to all the nominees and thank you for helping celebrate the exceptional members of our community.

The study found high rates of computational reproducibility and substantial robustness among recent articles from leading economics and political science journals that require data and code sharing. It offers encouraging evidence about the field’s credibility and highlights the positive impact of open data policies. This is good news for science. For years, there has been concernthat many published studies may be flawed, exaggerated, or impossible to replicate, a problem widely known as the ‘replication crisis.’

Researchers from across the career spectrum, from graduate students to senior professors, and from institutions large and small, all contributed. This achievement highlights AAU’s exceptional faculty and commitment to academic excellence and research.

The research was a large-scale “reproduction” study, meaning independent researchers took the original data and codes from 110 recently published articles in top economics and political science journals to see whether they could reproduce the published results using the papers’ shared data and code.

The researchers also ran “robustness checks” by testing the data using alternative analytical methods to see if the original conclusions would still hold up under scrutiny.

The study found that over 85% of the published claims were computationally reproducible using the original data and codes. Furthermore, 72% of the originally significant findings remained statistically significant and pointed in the same direction, even when researchers changed the testing methods.

The median size of the effects found in the reproduced studies was almost identical (99%) to what the original publications reported. However, there were also points to learn from: some studies had coding errors and there was evidence of publication bias with some results just barely crossing the threshold of statistical significance.

For years, researchers and those in academia feared that many studies were not replicable and, therefore, not accurate or meaningful in their contributions. This mega-study suggests that many findings in this selective sample are reproducible and often robust to reasonable reanalysis.

Find the full research on the reproducibility and robustness of economics and political science .

While the close relationship between the British state and Sultan Qaboos is widely recognised, this article tells the story of his education in Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s which, in a broader scope, helps explain Oman’s position as a moderate regional actor in the Gulf today.

Here is what Power has to say:

What does the article present?

The article explores the British experiences of the future Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who ruled Oman from 1970 to 2020. As a teenager and young man, Qaboos was sent to Britain to be educated and to gain general experience of the world. This period seems to have been really important in his formation as a person and later as a ruler.

I suppose one of the key takeaways from the article is that it is not simply a case of an imperial power like Britain moulding a future client. One of the things I found was that Qaboos’s father, Sultan Said, still had a big influence on his son’s life and educational choices. The story of Qaboos’s education is a very subtle one of interconnected but different interests and motivations.

Why did you decide to do this research?

This period of the Sultan’s life hadn’t been looked at before in any great detail, and I had a hunch that there was an interesting story to tell. I was also attracted to the topic because of the many complex personalities that were involved in the process. Qaboos and his father, Qaboos’s tutor in England Philip Romans—these were eccentric individuals in many ways and their individual ideas and tastes were of major importance in determining what Qaboos was exposed to in Britain. I enjoyed getting to know the personal stories behind the ostensibly impersonal foreign affairs problem.

Does the article tell us anything about contemporary Oman and Britain?

Even though the events I looked at happened in the 1950s and 1960s, I think it does. Under Qaboos’s rule, Oman shifted towards full independence, controlled modernisation, and a foreign policy based on being a friend to all, although definitely more Western-aligned. I think that exposure to Britain gave Qaboos a sense of how the wider world operated, politically, economically, and culturally. He learned to accept and trust foreigners.

For Britain, Qaboos’s story continued. Middle Eastern elites continue to send their sons and daughters to the UK for education and cultural experience. It is an important aspect of the country’s ‘soft power’.

Some criticize Britain for ‘cosying up’ to absolutist regimes, but it is clear that it works for Britain, and they are going to continue to leverage this connection with the Gulf and the Middle East for as long as they can. It is a kind of bridge between the West and the Middle East. Today, Omani foreign policy still revolves around the principles of engagement and flexibility rather than extremism and violence, as we can see in their efforts to mediate in the recent and ongoing Iranian crises. 

Read the full article here.

AAU’s Vice President for Student Affairs Jeta Sahatqija was featured in an article about how Czech families are involved when choosing the perfect university, highlighting that parents want to be part of the decision-making process but also respect their children’s autonomy.

At AAU, students are surrounded by peers from over 80 countries while staying in the heart of Europe. Courses are in English, based on interactive discussion and hands-on learning—all which prepare students for a global work environment. 

Read the whole article in Czech on .

A graduate of AAU with a Comparative Law degree in cooperation with the University of Wales, Erik has built a 25+ year career across leading global firms including Marsh, AIG, and CHUBB, where he served as Country Manager for the Czech Republic.

Macalík’s experience studying law delivers a methodical and systematic approach to complex issues regarding insurance contracts and regulatory compliance.

Today, he leverages his international expertise to support global expansion and cross-border partnerships at OK GROUP. His career is a strong example of how an AAU education can translate into leadership roles in complex, global industries.

Read the whole article in Czech on .

Mr. Kansuke Nagaoka discussed his career as a diplomat and the history of Japan’s relationship with the Czech Republic. AAU student Gvantsa Machitidze interviewed His Excellency to get insight for students looking to follow a diplomatic path.

When asked what skill sets would benefit students who want to be diplomats, Mr. Nagaoka said language is number one in addition to a wide knowledge of history and a good listening ear.

The Japanese Ambassador talked about the difficulty of moving to a new place in regards to culture and adapting to new surroundings. He pointed out that meeting the right people in the ministries and parliament as well as getting settled may take a few months.

Mr. Nagaoka highlighted the importance of inviting diplomats to speak with students as a way of learning more about international relations. He also mentioned that everyone is welcome to visit the as they are always open to fostering dialogue with young people.

Find the photo report from the event .

Pfaus holds doctoral degrees in neuroscience and psychology, specializing in sexual health, sexual medicine, and the neurobiology of sexual behavior, which he studies in rats at his laboratory in the Center for Sexual Health and Interventions at the Czech National Institute of Mental Health. 

This recognition emphasizes the exceptional research AAU Lecturers are conducting and AAU’s goals to further academic research and innovation.