Anglo-American University

Anglo-American University (AAU) is a private university in Prague, Czech Republic, providing courses in English. Founded in 1990, it was the first private university in the country to use English as the language of instruction.

Anglo-American University
Anglo-americká vysoká škola, z.ú.
Former names
The New Anglo-American College
MottoPrivate university education in the Heart of Europe.
TypePrivate university
Established1990
AccreditationWASC
Academic affiliation
PresidentJiří Schwarz[2]
Students720
Location
Prague
,
Czech Republic

50.090°N 14.409°E / 50.090; 14.409
CampusUrban
Colours    Red and black
Websitewww.aauni.edu

History

Anglo-American University was founded in 1990 as the Anglo-American College by Jansen Raichl and his mother Vlasta Raichlová, shortly after the collapse of communism. Their aim was to create a higher education institution that would combine Central European university traditions with US and British academic principles. The college's name in English was later changed to university instead of college.

In 2010, AAU was the first university outside the United States to be invited to apply for institutional accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This accreditation was approved in 2016, with AAU becoming the first WASC-accredited university in Europe.[3]

Courses at AAU were initially organised under the School of Business Administration, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and School of Law. The university subsequently added a School of International Relations and Diplomacy (2006) and School of Journalism (2010). In late 2008, John H. Carey II, co-founder and lecturer at the school of law, died, and the AAU School of Law was renamed in his honour as the John H. Carey II School of Law.

In 2022, AAU began offering scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies for Ukrainian students fleeing the war.[4]

Academics

The university offers a preparatory Certificate of Higher Education in Common Law (CertHE Common Law). Study is available in five Schools of Study: Business Administration; International Relations & Diplomacy; Humanities & Social Sciences; Journalism, Media & Visual Arts; and Law.[5]

The university runs bachelor programs in Business Administration and International Relations with various possible specialisations, as well as other bachelor programs in: Humanities, Society and Culture; Politics and Society; Journalism and Communications; Visual Art Studies; and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) using University of London International Programmes Courses.[6]

The university runs master's programs in Business Administration; Humanities & Social Sciences; International Relations & Diplomacy; as well as Master of Law (LLM) programs in International Intellectual Property Law, and Law and Development, using University of London International Programmes Courses.[7]

The university offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in cooperation with Chapman University, California

AAU also offers various courses related to Czech culture, including:

  • Czech and Slovak Politics
  • Cities of Central Europe: Prague, Vienna and Budapest
  • Literature of Prague
  • Prague Art and Architecture
  • Czech as a foreign language

Accreditation

Most of AAU's programs are accredited by the National Accreditation Bureau in Czech Republic, except the Certificate of Higher Education in Common Law (CertHE Common Law), LLB, LLM, and the Chapman MBA program, which are offered in cooperation with international partners.

The university is also accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, an American accrediting agency which evaluates public and private senior colleges and universities. The accreditation was granted in June 2016 for a period of six years. AAU is the only university in the Czech Republic with this accreditation.[8]

The MBA program offered in cooperation with Chapman University, California is globally accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The Certificate of Higher Education in Common Law (CertHE Common Law) and the LLB and LLM programs are offered in cooperation with the University of London.[9]

University facilities

Campus
Anglo-American University Campus at Letenská 5

AAU’s main campus is located in the newly restored Thurn-Taxis Palace, a cultural monument dating to the 17th century, previously owned by the German Thurn und Taxis noble family and now under the ownership of the city of Prague. The premises consist of 16 classrooms, a computer lab, and a visual arts studio, along with a cafeteria, courtyard and student lounges.

University library

AAU has a university library with a collection of 19,000 books, predominantly in English. AAU students, staff and faculty also have access to the collections held by the Institute of International Relations Prague,[10] the Institute for Contemporary History, Academy of Sciences, and other libraries in Prague. The library also hosts music and spoken word performances, readings, and discussion groups.

AAU has an exhibition gallery name |art| SPACE, which displays photography, paintings, installations, and sculptures by faculty and students. |art| SPACE operates under the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and is also used to showcase coursework in digital photography, visual arts and other creative courses.

Lennon Wall
Portion of the John Lennon Wall

Lennon Wall is AAU's student magazine, which takes its name from the John Lennon Wall, a monument to freedom of expression located near the university. The magazine describes itself as "a nonpartisan platform for aspiring reporters and future writers", independent from the university.[11]

Sexual harassment allegations

An article published on A2larm.cz on 16 July 2018 detailed accusations from two former students that AAU had failed to properly enforce their sexual harassment policy and failed to protect their students.[12] On 17 July 2018, AAU responded with a statement categorically denying the accusations,[13] stating that an investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment was ongoing, as required by AAU's policy on disciplinary procedures.[14] On 18 July 2018, A2larm announced that they would continue to investigate after being contacted by both students and staff of AAU with additional allegations of abuse and harassment,[15] but has not filed anything since the announcement.

On 20 July 2018 the AAU President issued a press release addressing both cases reported in the article and announced action that would be taken by AAU.[16] AAU pledged to revise the existing procedures and also to re-establish the AAU sexual harassment task force.[17]

In response to A2larm.cz's articles alleging sexual harassment at AAU, WSCUC, the university's American accreditation body, reviewed AAU's rules and procedures in response to a complaint filed by a third party. WSCUC reported a "structured and rigorous process for addressing complaints related to sexual harassment and misconduct", and on 10 August 2018 confirmed that AAU meets WSCUC's standards.[18]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Accreditations & Memberships". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  2. "Doc. Ing. Jiří Schwarz, CSc., MBA". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  3. "Anglo-American college receives US WASC accreditation". Deník. September 2016.
  4. "Odyssey 44 a Anglo-American University vypisují deset nových stipendií". Deník (in Czech). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  5. "Schools of Study". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  6. "Undergraduate Programs". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  7. "Graduate Programs". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  8. "Teaching in English and a double diploma". Lidové noviny. January 2023.
  9. "Accreditations & Memberships". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  10. "IIR - Ústav mezinárodních vztahů - Praha - Institute of International Relations - Prague". Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  11. "About | Lennon Wall". Anglo-American University in Prague. 2 July 2015.
  12. Pehe, Veronika; Rychlíková, Apolena (16 July 2018). "Sexual harassment at Anglo-American University". A2larm. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  13. "Press Release Regarding Article on A2larm.cz". Anglo-American University in Prague. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  14. "Academic Codex". Anglo-American University in Prague.
  15. "Alarm pokračuje ve zkoumání kauzy AAU". A2larm (in Czech). Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  16. "AAU office of the President". Anglo-American University in Prague. July 2018.
  17. "Task Force for Harassment Prevention, Response and Solutions". Anglo-American University in Prague. August 2018.
  18. "Annual Report 2018" (PDF). Anglo-American University in Prague.
  19. Willoughby, Ian (18 June 2007). "Klára Poláčková - The first Czech woman to reach the peak of Mount Everest". Radio Prague. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  20. Stuchlíková, Lucie (15 January 2016). "Fiala na sjezdu ODS obhájil post předsedy. Strana bude mít ve vedení historicky poprvé dvě ženy". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  21. "První místopředsedkyní ODS byla zvolena Udženija, nahradí europoslance Zahradila". Deník (in Czech). 16 January 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  22. Economidou, Marina (13 March 2019). "Γιασεμί: Είμαστε η φωνή κατά του φασισμού της Τουρκίας" [Jasmine: We are the voice against Turkey's fascism]. Kathimerini (in Greek). Greece. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
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