Home>Prepare for post-secondary studies with the Pre-College Programme. Interview with Professor Jan Rovny
28.03.2023
Prepare for post-secondary studies with the Pre-College Programme. Interview with Professor Jan Rovny
How does the Pre-College Programme prepare students for post-secondary studies? Check out this interview with Professor Jan Rovny, the Academic Advisor at the Summer School to find out more!
What makes the Summer School’s Pre-College Programme such a distinctive experience for high school students?
The Pre-College Summer School is a unique opportunity for high school students to experience what university life looks like. It allows you to interact with university professors, to hear university-level lectures, and to discuss with fellow students like you would on a university campus.
How do you facilitate student learning during this programme?
The programme immerses high school students into university study, all the while providing close guidance through a system of tutorials and tutors that follow student groups closely, allowing them to ask questions and clarify any uncertainties very quickly. Students participate in Master Classes, taught by professors, with tutorial sections, which are more informal sessions, led by tutorial instructors. This combination makes for a relaxed learning atmosphere.
Students at the Summer School come from a variety of backgrounds and countries. How does this diversity of perspectives influence interactions during the classes?
Diversity is a great enrichment. Our programme brings together students from all around the globe. You will not only hear different accents, you will also hear different perspectives, ones that you have perhaps not considered before. It is an eye-opener!
How does the academic programme prepare students for post-secondary studies and for their future career aspirations?
The programme gives you two views of university life. It shows you what university lecturing and teaching looks like and how it works. You will hear lectures from leading experts in their areas, and delve into topics you may have only briefly touched upon in your high school studies. The programme also leads you to start preparing for your classes in a more university-like, independent manner. You will be asked to read more complex texts independently, and will be invited to discuss the readings, and share your thoughts with other students.
What do you think will surprise students the most about the Pre-College Programme?
I think they will notice that while university exposes you to many new ideas, fellow students from all over the world, and diverse teachers, it can be quite friendly and personable.
Professor Biography
Jan Rovny is an assistant professor at Sciences Po, at the Center for European Studies (CEE) and the Interdisciplinary Research Center for the Evaluation of Public Policies (LIEPP). He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is also a graduate of McGill University (BA) and the College of Europe (MA). He has previously taught in the United States, the Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden. His research concentrates on political competition in Europe with the aim of uncovering the ideological conflict lines in different countries. He is also one of the principal researchers of the Chapel Hill Expert Survey on party positioning -- the most comprehensive survey assessing ideological placements of political parties in Europe. Jan Rovny has been teaching at the Summer School since 2015.
