From February 17 to 19, 2026, Mendel University in Brno hosted the first workshop of the NAWA project. This three-day international program introduces students from various countries to how sustainability works in organizations, businesses, and regions. MENDELU was the first to welcome participating students; in the next phases of the project, they will travel to partner institutions abroad, where further workshops focused on sustainable development await them. The opening stage of the project brought the students to the Faculty of Business and Economics at MENDELU in Brno.
The project is led by its principal coordinator, Sylvie Formánková from the Department of Management. It is implemented in cooperation with the International Office of the Faculty of Business and Economics at MENDELU, represented by Kateřina Prášková. Only students who met several basic requirements were eligible to participate. The program is intended for first- and second-year undergraduate students, or those in the first semester of a follow-up master’s program, who have at least a B1+ level of English and are studying a field focused on business or economics.
A total of 45 students took part in the project, including nine from the Faculty of Business and Economics at MENDELU and the Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies at MENDELU. Throughout the program, students will travel to all partner universities and take part in additional workshops. The aim of the project is to strengthen students’ competitiveness in the job market through sustainability-focused education combined with international experience and teamwork in multicultural environments.
This year’s workshop focused on sustainability in higher education. Students were introduced to how Mendel University in Brno implements sustainable principles. Antonín Schneider and Lenka Křikavová presented the activities of MENDELU’s CSR Centre and showcased how the university integrates sustainability into its day-to-day operations.
Afterwards, the students visited Sonnentor in Čejkovice, one of the most sustainable and socially responsible companies in the Czech Republic. The final project presentations and the certificate award ceremony took place at the premises of the event partner Impact Hub Brno, to whom we would like to express our gratitude for hosting the event.
The following workshops will take place at partner universities across Europe:
April 28–30, 2026
September 1–3, 2026
November 3–5, 2026
February 23–25, 2027
