Mentoring Stories












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            ‘Mentoring is an endless source of energy and inspiration – for both sides.’



            Jan ExnerMentee
            Jan Exner is an Assistant Professor at the Department of European Law, Faculty of Law, Cha
            Outside academia, he runs a law firm specializing in sports law and serves as an arbitrato

            of Arbitration for Sport. His academic and practical work focuses primarily on the legal a
            doping in sports. In addition, he is currently an avid amateur triathlete.

            Jan KomárekMentor
            Jan Komárek is the Vice-Dean for Science and Research at the Faculty of Law, Charles Unive
            there after twenty years abroad (most recently as a Professor of European Law at the Unive

            Copenhagen). He specializes in constitutional law and theory from a European and comparati
            and is also a passionate rock climber (and occasional faller).
            What expectations did you have when entering the mentoring programme?


            Jan Exner: I wanted to take a step forward in my academic career. My life has always been 
            constant desire to improve in what I enjoy and find meaningful. The mentoring programme fi

            into this. I saw it as a university-backed platform for academic development, in collabora
            experienced mentor who could inspire me.


            Jan Komárek: After returning from abroad, I felt that I did not want to focus solely on my
            but primarily on helping colleagues at my home faculty, which had welcomed me so warmly (a
            idea I would later have the chance to help shape its research activities as Vice-Dean). Th

            mentor Jan, whom I had met as a student at a summer school I co-organised, was a perfect w
            into practice – and still have the chance to meet with him (sometimes over a glass of wine


            Did your expectations change during the programme? If so, how?

            JE: They did not change. I quickly realised that my decision had been correct when my expe

            be fulfilled rapidly. Working with Jan Komárek gave me exactly what I wanted: inspiration,
            future professional development, and critical feedback – all in a very pleasant personal a


            JK: They did not change; rather, they were fully realised – mostly thanks to Jan’s effort 
            only occasionally pointed him in the right direction –towards my colleagues abroad or cert
            discovered how rewarding it is to see the success of someone I could help, even just a lit


            What has the mentoring collaboration brought you? Could you give one concrete outcome or c
            resulted from the mentoring?


            JE: All the benefits of the mentoring collaboration could fill an essay. I don’t want to o
            reader, so I will highlight one specific outcome. Jan Komárek inspired me to step out of m

            pack my bags, and go for a three-month research stay at Oxford. It was the most intense, y
            the best periods of my life, and it sparked many further personal and academic projects.


            JK: Personally, mainly a good feeling – and a desire to continue mentoring.

            What do you think worked best in the collaboration?


            JE: The personal relationship with the mentor. I knew Jan Komárek before the programme beg
            confident that I could discuss academic topics with him at any time in an informal and ple


            JK: I can only agree – and add that Jan’s enthusiasm was also a boost to my own work.


            If you were to describe your mentoring experience in one sentence, what would it be?

            JE: An investment in personal and professional development that pays back with high intere


            JK: Mentoring is an endless source of energy and inspiration – for both sides.


            What should future participants definitely not underestimate?

            JE: The time commitment. How much time you dedicate to the mentoring programme is up to yo

            elsewhere, the rule applies: the more time you invest, the better the feedback. Plan for t
            and make the time.


            JK: I agree – but I also think that even a minimal approach (i.e., a few unstructured meet
            than nothing.




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