Study Abroad in the Czech Republic: New Media in Prague – City & Daily Life

Prague, Czech Republic

The German philosopher Goethe proclaimed Prague to be “the most precious stone in the crown of the world.” Prague draws its visitors through fairytale-like cobblestone streets, and past a thousand years of artistic history.

Long the capital of Bohemia, and twice the medieval seat of the Holy Roman Empire, Prague has always stood as the forefront of culture and industry. The city emerged from the communist era in 1989 to become one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies.

Today, Prague stands at the crossroads of Europe, where East meets West, and history lives next door to modernity. CET New Media students become a part of Prague’s grand intellectual and artistic tradition as they seek inspiration from, and create art in, one of the world’s most inspiring cities.

FAMU, The Film and Television School of the Academy of Performing Arts

FAMU is one of Europe’s oldest and finest arts academies. In its 60-year history, the school has been hotbed for political resistance and cultural change. It fostered the New Wave of the 1960s. And it served as headquarters for the student-led Velvet Revolution of 1989 that brought down communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

FAMU houses the Center for Audio Visual Studies (CAS), an art school within a film school, where the CET New Media program is based. CAS is a stomping ground for renowned artists and media theorists. The school also provides students state-of-the-art facilities: a Virtual Reality CAVE environment, computers, cameras, projectors, and a black box theater with a 12 channel sound system and the ability to project around the entire room.

CET Center in Prague

The CET center is in the heart of Prague. The neighborhood features excellent public transportation, countless restaurants and cafés, and many museums, movie theaters and stores. The center houses offices for program staff, a library, and a small computer lab with wi-fi access.

CET New Media students take classes on the FAMU campus. Classroom buildings are a 10- to 20-minute walk from the CET center.

New Media Housing & Meals

Students share apartments with other CET students and Czech roommates. Each apartment has a full kitchen. Apartments are centrally located and typically a 20-minute commute to the CET center.

Meals are not included in the program fee. Students dine in Prague’s many cafés and restaurants, or cook for themselves at home.

Czech Roommates

Sharing a room with a local roommate is frequently cited by CET students as “one of the best parts of the program.” Many students become good friends with their roommates and remain close after the program ends.

Czech roommates come from local universities around Prague. Roommates introduce CET students to Prague and Czech culture. They attend program excursions. Some even take classes with their CET peers.

The result? Cross-cultural relationships that move well beyond the host and guest paradigm.