What an International Classroom Teaches Beyond the Syllabus

Choosing a university with programmes taught in English often comes down to practical considerations: finding the right programme, choosing a city and making sure the degree fits your future career plans. But one part of the experience is much harder to assess in advance — who you will study with, how differently people may approach the same problem, and what you can learn from those differences.

At Unicorn University in Prague, English-taught programmes bring together students with different national, cultural and professional backgrounds. Some international students already live in Czechia, others come to Prague specifically to study, while some are Czech students who choose English with their future careers in mind. English is therefore not the main benefit in itself. It is the common language that allows different experiences and perspectives to meet in the classroom.

English Is Only the Starting Point

Working in an international environment is now a common part of careers in both technology and business. But sharing a language does not automatically mean that people think, communicate or solve problems in the same way.

Jérôme Dumetz, Ph.D., Vice-president for International Affairs at Unicorn University, has spent much of his career studying cross-cultural communication and management. In his view, an international classroom gives students an experience that is difficult to replicate in a more homogeneous environment.

“In a relatively short period of time, you absorb a concentration of different perspectives and opinions that would take years to gather otherwise.”

This matters far beyond university. A software developer may work in an international team, a manager may negotiate with colleagues from several countries, and an entrepreneur may build a product for customers whose expectations differ significantly from their own. Being able to explain your ideas, understand another perspective and adapt the way you communicate therefore becomes a practical professional skill.

Different Teachers, Different Ways of Thinking

International experience is not only about the students. Dumetz points out that lecturers who have studied or worked in different countries often bring different approaches to teaching as well — from case studies and discussions to project-based work or more academic methods.

At Unicorn University, many lecturers also combine academic work with experience from companies and professional projects. Student and alumnus Josef Křenek sums up this aspect simply:

“They have real-world experience and know their field.”

This connection between academia and professional practice allows students to understand not only what they are learning, but also where and how they can apply that knowledge.

Just as important is the ability of study programmes to respond to changes that are reshaping individual professions. Artificial intelligence is a clear example. In software development, knowing how to write code is no longer enough —understanding system architecture, working with data and security, and knowing how to use AI tools effectively while critically evaluating their outputs are becoming increasingly important. Unicorn University reflects these developments in its teaching and also offers a dedicated Bachelor’s programme in Artificial Intelligence, focused on designing, training and applying AI models in practice.

The university focuses primarily on technology, software, data and business. Its English-taught Bachelor’s programmes include Software Development and Business Management; Business Management can also be studied in English as a Double Degree.

When Theory Becomes a Real Project

Students see the practical difference most clearly when the question shifts from “What do you know?” to “What can you do with it?”

Semester projects, workshops and practical experience are an integral part of studying at Unicorn University. Depending on the course, students may prepare a business or marketing strategy, analyse a company problem, design an information system or develop an application prototype.

Student experiences show that these are not always just simulated classroom assignments. During her studies, Adéla Cibulková became involved in project management, completed an internship at Microsoft and discovered through her university experience that web development and design were the areas that interested her most.

Jaromír Tomšů, meanwhile, worked first as a tester and later as a development coordinator on a project connected with CERN. One of the things he valued about university workshops was the opportunity to solve a real assignment for a specific client and then present the outcome to professionals from the field.

Projects like these also give greater meaning to working in diverse teams. Students learn how to divide responsibilities, defend their approach, respond to different opinions and look for solutions in situations where there may be no single correct answer.

Learning the Unwritten Rules of a New Country

Studying abroad also means learning things that never appear in the syllabus.

Dumetz gives examples from Czech working culture: attitudes to punctuality, styles of communication and preferences for structured processes can differ from what international students are used to. None of these approaches is automatically better or worse. What matters is understanding that something one person considers completely normal may be perceived very differently by someone from another background.

The ability to observe, ask questions rather than make assumptions and adapt to a new environment can therefore become one of the most valuable parts of an international study experience.

Prague provides a natural setting for this. International students can study and live in English while gradually becoming familiar with Czech academic and professional culture.

When an International Life Also Requires Flexibility

Studying abroad does not always follow a fixed path. Students may start working, take an internship, travel or move during their degree. For some, flexibility can therefore be just as important as the programme itself.

The experience of Slovak student Alžběta Hurová, who combined her studies with professional experience, illustrates this well:

“I had the opportunity to study at a university in Prague from the comfort of my home in Prešov.”

Unicorn University currently offers fully online study in English in the Bachelor’s programmes Software Development and Business Management. Students can study remotely while remaining connected to lecturers, classmates and digital study materials.

For those who prefer an on-campus experience, Prague remains the centre of university life. But a change in work or personal circumstances does not necessarily have to mean putting university studies on hold.

What Should You Look for in an International University?

The language of instruction matters, but it should not be the only criterion. When choosing a university, it is also worth looking at who teaches and studies there, how much emphasis is placed on teamwork and practical projects, how closely the programme is connected to the professional world, and whether the study format can adapt when a student’s circumstances change.

An international classroom can teach you your subject. But it can also teach you how to work with people who think differently from you — a skill that becomes increasingly valuable once your career begins to cross the boundaries of a single company, industry or country.

Students looking for an English-taught degree in Prague or a flexible online option can apply to Unicorn University online.