Welcome to Pardubice. How a French assists internationals working at the University
Caroline Novák-Jolly is French who has been living in the Czech Republic for 5 years.
She started her Bohemian adventure in the cold and hilly city of Liberec and for several months has been working for the University of Pardubice. She speaks French, Spanish, English and Czech and knows how it feels to be a newcomer in the Czech Republic. Like you, she had to go through similar “epic adventures” to settle down in Czech. If you have time she will be happy to share some of them with you, besides assisting you in the new chapter of your life in Pardubice.
What is your position at the university?
I have been working at the Department of Internal Affairs as coordinator. Part of my job is to assist foreign PhD. Students, postdoctoral researchers and employees to smoothly get past their first steps at the University of Pardubice (UPa), to settle in the city, and to become more familiar with life in the Czech Republic. You are probably wondering why? The first reason is because UPa cares about its students and employees and the second one is that UPa is one of the 7 EURAXESS contact points in the Czech Republic. https://www.euraxess.cz/
Can you explain what EURAXESS is?
EURAXESS - Researchers in Motion is a unique pan-European initiative delivering information and support services to professional researchers, research organisations/universities and businesses. Backed by the European Union and its Member States, it supports researcher mobility and career development, while enhancing scientific collaboration between Europe and the world.
EURAXESS Czech Republic provides information and assistance to researchers who are coming to work in the Czech Republic, or who are moving to work in another European country. The organisation helps researchers and their families to plan and organize their move to a foreign country, providing assistance in all matters related to mobility.
You can get more info on that portal: https://www.euraxess.cz/
Can you describe the most common situations you deal with and maybe some unique ones that you came across?
I mostly assist people in dealing with their Visa, Permit applications and in every task connected to it (First Application to get to the CR, extension, changes…)
I advise them concerning professional and daily life: Tax returns, doctors, Czech language classes, accommodation, how not to not be isolated and meet new people, sometimes I organize intercultural event (Boat trip…) or I inform them about the cultural events in Pardubice. The next intercultural event I would like to organize will be about research in France. It will be in cooperation with The Alliance Francaise of Pardubice.
Where can people see you assisting the foreigners outside of the university?
They can find me:
- At OAMP (Department for Asylum and Migration Policy), usually called Immigration Office, to arrange the extension of Long-term residence permits, registrations…
- At the Foreign Police (i.e. to help European citizens to be registered or to assist third country nationals to get official letter of invitation in case they would like to invite family members to the Czech Republic)
- HR Department if you have to sign a contract, tax return documents…
- At the bank to help you to open a bank account
- Sometimes at the doctors in case of emergency, to be registered…
- In any kind of state office (Town hall, post office…)
Who are typically the people you provide the assistance to?
They are foreign PhD. students, postdoctoral researchers, employees or academics.
They are mostly from non-European countries such as India, Malaysia, Egypt, Brazil, etc.
Nowadays, I provide assistance to people of approximately 24 nationalities.
What is the right time to approach you for help?
- 1st possibility: You are not in Czechia.
You can contact me once you get a firm confirmation that you will work or study at the University of Pardubice.
- 2nd possibility: You are already in Czechia
If you are already in Pardubice, you can contact me anytime during the week by email (caroline.novak-jolly@upce.cz), phone (+420 466 036 133), and if you want to meet me in person, it is better to set up an appointment a bit in advance.
To help you, I have designed a guidebook of which I can send you a PDF version if you wish and soon you will be able to download it directly from Internet/Intranet.
