This question was explored by an international group of students and academics from Central Europe. Representatives of universities from Nitra (Slovakia), Poznań (Poland), Vienna (Austria) and the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) met at the Faculty of Economics and Management to present different approaches to rural development through local specialties and examples of good practice.
The students prepared a tasting of regional products accompanied by presentations focused on rural development in their respective countries. The Austrian participants introduced initiatives from the Vienna region, including community-supported agriculture, a local bakery working with traditional grain varieties, and examples of vegetable fermentation. Polish students presented specialties from the Greater Poland Voivodeship and demonstrated how European support has contributed to the development of traditional products, such as St. Martin’s croissants, small-scale butcher production, and traditional processed cheeses. Slovak students showcased specific examples of how European funds have supported the development of two municipalities.
The Czech students also contributed by presenting local fruit, bread, and pastries alongside examples of successful development projects, including the transformation of a former landfill into a public park, the revitalization of a pond area, and the restoration of a community school building.
All products presented during the event were available for tasting.
To complement the theoretical part of the programme, participants took part in several study visits. These included the Černokostelecký Brewery, the Šembera Trails, the Tismice Agricultural Enterprise, and the Klučov Winery, where they had the opportunity to explore practical examples of rural development in the field.
The event was a great success. Thanks to the support of the CEEPUS programme and the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (DZS), international students were able to cover their travel and accommodation costs. Special thanks also go to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, the State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF), and the National Rural Network, whose support enabled participants to experience the Czech countryside first-hand.
