{"id":4814,"date":"2026-01-15T20:17:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T19:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/?p=4814"},"modified":"2026-01-15T20:28:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T19:28:27","slug":"how-successful-has-gohigher-been-we-asked-people-in-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/how-successful-has-gohigher-been-we-asked-people-in-the-field\/","title":{"rendered":"How Successful Has GoHigher Been? We asked people in the field"},"content":{"rendered":"

The aim of the GoHigher project was to create an attractive and inspiring environment for the development of talent, particularly in the natural sciences and technical fields to secure and develop intellectual potential at universities, research centres and companies in the Pilsen Region. We believe that it has achieved much more than that. The GoHigher project has formed a respectful and friendly environment for active secondary school pupils to meet and share their experience. They were introduced to leading workplaces and companies, particularly in the region\u2019s areas of specialization, through excursions and project days. Pupils from different schools got involved in creating and developing the community, networking with each other across the region and across disciplines. They had the opportunity to collaborate with experts and scientists from research organizations. In addition, they were (and still are) offered a comprehensive range of events. How do people in the field and collaborators evaluate the project, which will continue after the pilot testing as part of the Smart Accelerator of the Pilsen Region III project? We asked them.<\/p>\n

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    \n
  1. How do you view the support for talented individuals in the Pilsen Region? <\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. How do you view the GoHigher project? <\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Can you think of where talent support in the region could be taken next? What else could be done in this area?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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     <\/p>\n

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    doc. Mgr. Ji\u0159\u00ed Kohout, Ph.D.,\u00a0Vice-Rector for Educational Planning and Student Affairs, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen<\/strong><\/h4>\n
      \n
    1. I think we are doing very well compared to the rest of the country. This topic has been given long-term attention and is being addressed systematically with the involvement of all relevant actors. Measurable outputs also show that this is bearing fruit. Of course, there is still room for improvement, especially in terms ofthe sustainability of these activities and their transferability between different levels of education.<\/li>\n
    2. \u00a0I highly appreciate this project; I think it is unique in its systematic and meaningful approach to working with gifted pupils. It gives them the opportunity to take part in a range of valuable activities while also meeting peers with similar interests \u2013 the human aspect is very important. It is great that the GoHigher community of talent works in this way, and perhaps thanks to this, it is also possible to develop great projects led by the gifted pupils and students themselves, such as Consider Science!<\/li>\n
    3. find it very important to give active secondary school students the opportunity to develop their talents even after starting university and to continue their existing activities there. This is what we are trying to do at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen as part of building a community of talent. I consider the timely identification of talent to be a major challenge, which may not work as well everywhere as we would like. In my own experience from organizing the Physics Olympiad in the region, I know that there are many schools that do not participate in competitions of this type, and it can easily be that a truly talented student gets lost and does not get the impetus to develop further in an area where they may have enormous potential.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      Bc. Eva Tischlerov\u00e1, Director of the RADOV\u00c1NEK Leisure Centre<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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      1. The Pilsen Region is one of the few regions that strives to promote personal potential and provides teachers and educators with opportunities to actively work with gifted individuals in a stimulating environment, using their ideas and suggestions. Whenever possible, the Pilsen Region contributes not only with support and assistance, but also financially, which is beneficial for innovation in education and individual work with young people, supporting their projects, research, and participation in European and international competitions. For several years now, it has been organizing camps for giftedand talented pupils. This gives them an and talented pupils. This gives them an opportunity to meet experts and scientists as well as like-minded gifted peers.<\/li>\n
      2. This is a great way for secondary school pupils to raise their profile, participate and collaborate on projects and major research, and, as part of a team, share their knowledge, expand their potential, and develop their personal portfolio. To get to know themselves, be able to self-assess, be self-critical, consistent, and achieve planned goals that are important for life and career growth. Pupils feel safe in the GoHigher community, they appreciate the opportunity for self-presentation and hearing criticism or admiration for what they study, what they participate in, and what they are good at. Many of them excel in many fields and can help others with their drive, optimism, and willingness to guide them on the path to further development and realization of their personal potential. RADOV\u00c1NEK cooperates with a group of pupils involved in GoHigher, many of whom are members of our clubs, or whom we know from the Pilsen Region Student Parliament. We also cooperate with them and support them in the Consider Science! and Researchers\u2019 Night projects. They are simply amazing, and although they are still very young, I admire their perseverance, flexibility, commitment, and above all, their incredible knowledge. I would like to thank everyone, especially the Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region and Eva Roj\u00edkov\u00e1 for their engagement and work with pupils in the GoHigher project and for creating a stimulating environment.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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        <\/p>\n

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        Mgr. Roman Mu\u017e\u00edk,\u00a0Director of the Youth Centre in St\u0159\u00edbro<\/strong><\/h4>\n
          \n
        1. In my opinion, the Pilsen Region is making a systematic effort to support talented students. Collaboration with the University of West Bohemia and other educational institutions is important, as is supporting students\u2019 participation in competitions, exhibitions, and courses and the GoHigher! Project and others. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive coordination between schools and leisure organizations, of cooperation with parents, of more thorough diagnosis of exceptionally gifted pupils and lack of awareness among teachers and educators in some areas of the region.<\/li>\n
        2. The project is an excellent example of talent promotion. I consider it beneficial mainly because it can inspire further talent development by creating a database of talented pupils and experts and by generating opportunities for them to meet and share their stories. To make the project more effective, I believe that greater awareness among pupils outside Pilsen is needed. In some areas of the region, there is a lack of active promotion, especially in schools.<\/li>\n
        3. It would be beneficial to have better, earlier, and more easily available diagnosis of gifted individuals, better cooperation of schools throughout the Pilsen Region in developing a concept for working with gifted individuals, and better promotion of talent support in primary and secondary schools in all areas of the region and among parents and the public.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          <\/p>\n

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          RNDr. Mgr. Zde\u0148ka Chocholou\u0161kov\u00e1, Ph.D., Guarantor of Talent Support, National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic (NPI)<\/strong><\/h4>\n
            \n
          1. I don’t want to make any judgments, as I feel a bit like I’m part of it. I was involved in the initial assessment of the state of talent support in the Pilsen Region. I currently meet with students from the community during excursions, conferences, and also at informal gatherings, and I try to create opportunities and environments for such encounters. They are certainly an example of inspiring practice for other regions, and sharing this experience can generate similar activities elsewhere. I am proud that in the Pilsen Region we have managed to connect various talent support activities into a functional system, truly focused on supporting young talents. It is not common to achieve such synergy among so many actors who may primarily be focused on their own growth and business development, yet still find the time, energy, and motivation to support the potential of young people and to give them at least a small glimpse into the world of research, innovation, and everything related to it. The Smart Accelerator, NPI, the Pedagogical Centre, the Educational-Psychological Counselling Centre, and many other institutions should take the initiative in fostering and maintaining these connections. The NPI has long been responsible for training the talent support team under the Smart Accelerator of the Pilsen Region.<\/li>\n
          2. The gifted working for the gifted \u2013 a simple phrase, but they are building a real community of mostly secondary school pupils who share their everyday joys and worries, support each other in their development activities, are able to negotiate time off from school for excursions and other things that help them develop, and at the same time fulfil their school duties just like their classmates. They are meeting at the GoHigher Caf\u00e9 in the afternoon and coming up with ideas for what might be rewarding and interesting for like-minded peers, even in different fields, representing their country at competitions and Olympiads, travelling to CERN and Osaka, representing the Czech Republic, and stepping out of their comfort zone\u2014 all this was sparked and sustained by Eva Roj\u00edkov\u00e1, who brought together schools, universities, research organizations, and innovative companies, and through her constant explanations to politicians as well as to the gifted themselves, built trust in this project and created a safe environment \u2014 thanks to her passion for the cause and her ability to advocate for the interests of gifted individuals, often at the expense of her own free time. It might be difficult for the gifted to stay on the same wavelength and not lose their direction, even though the teams that have been formed here organize conferences, communicate in Parliament, or do painstaking, extremely important, and often invisible work in their schools as ambassadors working with other talented students. GoHigher provides a comprehensive range of activities for gifted individuals across the region and beyond. An important component is also a database of experts willing to work with them and, last but not least, psychological support on the talent support project portal (www.podporatalentu.cz), which can also be used by teachers and parents.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            <\/p>\n

            <\/h4>\n

            Mgr. Ludmila Novotn\u00e1, Department of Education, Youth and Sports, Pilsen Region<\/strong><\/h4>\n
              \n
            1. Support for talented individuals in the Pilsen Region has improved significantly in recent years, mainly thanks to the activities of the Regional Authority, regional institutions, schools, and non-profit organizations. Technical summer camps, now in their 15th year, are continuing. The range of activities offered has expanded. Specialized activities for gifted children are being developed, technical and artistic fields are being supported, and there is growing interest in extracurricular activities that foster creativity and skills in young people. Supporting gifted students is an important investment in the future of the region.<\/li>\n
            2. I see it as a very positive thing. Thanks to the GoHigher project, secondary school pupils have the opportunity to take part in internships, consultations, excursions, project days, and shadowing experts. This helps them better understand their possibilities and motivates them to purposefully develop their potential. The project establishes a solid foundation for systematic work with talented individuals throughout the region. The revamped website www.podporatalentu.cz provides a clear overview of opportunities for gifted and active students, teachers, and parents\u2014from competitions, workshops, and field trips to internships and educational and developmental opportunities. The website emphasizes practicality and accessibility \u2013 it offers an up-to-date listing of events and experts, newsletters tailored to the interests of subscribers, a photo gallery of events, and downloadable materials. Expanding the website was a step in the right direction. Thanks to this, it is becoming a platform that connects active students, schools, experts, and those interested in talent development in the region. As such, it can significantly contribute to raising awareness of opportunities and to effective networking among individual actors in the field of education.<\/li>\n
            3. I see room for improvement particularly in the area of talent identification and in the equal access to support. Outside larger cities such as Pilsen, opportunities for the development of gifted children are often limited. Overall, however, the trend is positive and the region has the potential to become an example of efficient care for talented individuals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              <\/p>\n

              <\/h4>\n

              Ing. Ji\u0159\u00ed Kr\u00e1lovec, CEO, Techmania Science Center<\/strong><\/h4>\n
                \n
              1. Talent support in the Pilsen Region has made significant progress in recent years. Thanks to the networking of gifted children, it has been possible to cultivate an environment where they can develop their abilities and discover new opportunities. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on connecting education with leisure activities.<\/li>\n
              2. I see the GoHigher! project as an inspiring platform that connects talented people, experts, and the wider community. Its contribution lies not only in supporting individuals, but also in building a culture that appreciates ideas and innovation. This is very valuable for our region.<\/li>\n
              3. Talent support should start as early as possible. Brain capacity (i.e., the ability to learn, think, and remember) is formed from birth. However, this capacity peaks at the age of twelve. This means that the more stimuli children receive, the more their brain capacity grows. That is why we have come up with a comprehensive system called Techmania Talent, which has been working with smart children since around the age of two. An example of our work with preschool and younger school children is our “Playrooms for the Curious”, which, since January 2025, has been offering an interesting programme for children once a month, while also helping parents to understand the issue of giftedness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                The aim of the GoHigher project was to create an attractive and inspiring environment for the development of talent, particularly in the natural sciences and technical fields to secure and develop intellectual potential at universities, research centres and companies in the Pilsen Region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,38],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4814"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4814\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmart.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}