ANNA PILKOVÁ// PROFESSOR // COMENIUS UNIVERSITY BRATISLAVA

»Take advantage of the opportunities offered by ENLIGHT!«

Professor Anna Pilková, head of the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Comenius University Bratislava, combines academic curiosity with managerial expertise and a passion for teaching. After years in top banking roles, she returned to academia with fresh insights into entrepreneurship and regulation. Through ENLIGHT, she drives international collaborations and inspires colleagues to engage in cross-border cooperation.

Professor Anna Pilková

Why did you choose your field of teaching/research?

ANNA: Since my childhood, I have been engaged in teaching. However, due to personal reasons (health issues), I couldn't go to study pedagogy, but I went to study secondary commercial school and then the University of Economics.  I realised, and my professors assured me that I also like research. During my university studies, I have participated in students' science activities and won national and international awards. In the last year of my university studies, I received an offer to work as an assistant professor and do my PhD studies at the University of Economics. I accepted this offer and started to work on different research projects related to managing companies and industries.  I interrupted my teaching and research career for 15 years, working in top managerial banking positions. However, after returning to Comenius University, Faculty of Management, I discovered that many managerial practice topics deserve in-depth research. This was a good inspiration for me to start researching issues related to banking regulations and entrepreneurship.

What do you like the most about your current occupation?

ANNA: I like teaching very much, particularly sharing my practical experiences with young students. I also like to develop new teaching and learning approaches during which students can obtain practical experiences and skills. Of course, working on research topics either in interdisciplinary teams or international teams is very challenging and interesting for me, too. 

How did you hear about ENLIGHT?

ANNA: We got this information from the rectorate when they looked for partners from topics we are involved in our research and teaching areas..

What motivated you to participate in ENLIGHT?

ANNA: I like to work in international teams and gain new knowledge from my colleagues, which we can then apply here and thus get even closer to the international level

Did participating in ENLIGHT grow your professional network?

ANNA: Definitely, yes. I found exciting and good contacts and friends in the ENLIGHT arena.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience with ENLIGHT?

ANNA: That our knowledge, but also what we do is competitive and we can contribute to the development of the ENLIGHT club.

ENLIGHT is an association of very interesting and highly professional European higher education institutions.

How do you feel participation in ENLIGHT has changed your perception of collaboration/research/education?

ANNA: Participation in ENLIGHT has reinforced my experience so far that the international dimension, both in the field of collaborative research and teaching, significantly multiplies the creation of added value in these areas, which would require several times more effort and time to achieve if handled by a single institution. And much of the knowledge would not even be available in such a short time.

How would you describe ENLIGHT in two sentences?

ANNA: ENLIGHT is an association of very interesting and highly professional European higher education institutions. It provides a great opportunity for students and teachers to take advantage of the European knowledge potential for the acquisition of knowledge, but also for further research.

If you were to recommend ENLIGHT to a colleague, what would you say?

ANNA: Take advantage of the opportunities offered by ENLIGHT, in particular to find partners for your research topics, to learn about new methods and approaches to teaching, and last but not least to visit major European universities as part of the collaboration.

What is the best book you read/listened to in the past year?

ANNA: Unfortunately, I don't have much time to read novels, fiction etc., but I have friends who I admire for being able to find time to follow the "news" on this book market in addition to their workload. And they give me tips, which I usually ask them for twice a year: before Christmas and before the holidays. However, last year, off the recommended list, I read with interest Lee Kuan Yew's “From the Third World to the Elite. The Success Story of Singapore”. It is admirable where Singapore has come from and where it has gone in a generation thanks to the leader Lee Kuan Yew.