Students of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) CZU Prague recently had the opportunity to participate in the successful Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), which took place both on the FEM campus and at various locations across the Czech Republic. The theme of the program was Exploring the Barley Malt Value Chain in the Czech Republic. The event was organized and led by our colleagues Pavel Kotyza, Jana Melezínková, Bartłomiej Bajan and Tomas Maier.
The aim of the week-long program was to transition theoretical knowledge into practical experience. Students visited key players in the barley value chain. The excursions included a visit to Sladovny Soufflet, one of the largest malt houses in the country, followed by learning about the brewing process at Nymburk Brewery (Pivovar Nymburk) and the university's own Pivovar Jeník at CZU. The itinerary also included a look into the history of brewing at the National Museum of Brewing in Kostelec nad Černými Lesy.
The highlight of the entire week was an intensive analytical exercise where teams mapped the value chain, collected necessary data, and evaluated the economic impact of this industry on the Czech GDP and state budget. In this way, students gained an excellent and comprehensive practical overview of Czech malting and brewing.
Great emphasis was placed on international cooperation. The teams consisted of students from various European partner universities, including EPHEC, Rotterdam Business School RUAS, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu, University College Cork, and UC Leuven-Limburg, working alongside FEM CZU students. This multicultural collaboration, where work was effectively divided based on specializations and competencies, proved to be extremely efficient and inspiring.
