Education in economics is one of the least reformed areas in the post-communist world. University classrooms across the former Soviet bloc severely lack motivated and professional economic instructors. Poor instruction engenders future thinkers, voters, and leaders with distorted or no understanding of modern economic principles. Young people are robbed of a quality education that can aid them in thinking critically about the problems facing their societies. This subsequently impedes the prospects for greater openness, growth, and prosperity in this important part of the world.

CERGE-EI Teaching Fellowship Program supports dedicated young men and women who enter undergraduate classrooms across the region to teach modern, market-based economics to the next generation. Teaching with novel methods and modern textbooks, fellows introduce new ways of thinking. Beyond their strong impact in the classroom, the fellows demonstrate best practices to other faculty members, raising quality throughout their host institutions.

Tomáš Miklánek, a CERGE-EI PhD Student from Slovakia, wanted to make a contribution to the future prosperity of the region and decided to join the Teaching Fellows Program to teach a course. Teaching in the classroom is never an easy thing, but Tomáš had his mind set on an even bigger challenge. Rather than teach in his native Slovakia (or in the Czech Republic, a close cultural and linguistic cousin), Tomáš decided to teach in Voronezh, Russia, a remote city in Southwestern Russia.

Why did he choose Voronezh? What experiences and impact did he have there? Watch the brief video interview with Tomáš to learn more!