Coming from a business background - an environment of clear mandates, fast decisions and measurable goals - I moved into academia, where formal structures often bear little resemblance to how things actually get done.

What troubled me most was realising that projects here aren't slowed by lack of effort or competence, but by invisible layers: fear of accountability, unspoken authority, unwritten rules and caution about what can be said out loud. Standard project management wasn't enough - and simply "applying the methodology" often met with resistance.

I chose SHINE because I was looking for a partner who understands both projects and the human side of change, and who could help bridge business practice with academic reality.

My biggest "aha" moment came when I realised that in an academic context, project management is far more about negotiation, mandate, roles and boundaries than about templates and tools.

Working with SHINE taught me to translate theory into reality - setting up roles, framing goals in ways acceptable to different stakeholders, holding course in multi-stakeholder projects and communicating firmly without confrontation. A key shift was in self-reflection: I began working on myself as a "management instrument", distinguishing more clearly between activity that looks good and activity that actually moves the needle.

I'd recommend SHINE to anyone who doesn't just want to collect training certificates but genuinely wants to change the way they lead projects. SHINE combines a professional framework, real project work and ongoing reflection - helping a project manager become a true partner in organisational change.

My advice: don't start with templates. Start with your biggest real problem. Seek development that connects methodology, practice and behavioural work - because real progress doesn't come from a single course, but from sustained, focused effort on yourself.

Dagmar Tomková, Project Manager, 1. lékařská fakulta UK

I've been working in project management for several years. I've completed various courses and accumulated plenty of hands-on experience - yet I still felt details were slipping through my fingers. There were gaps, and I was handling many things intuitively, without a clear methodology.

What frustrated me most was that I simply wasn't applying some areas - risk management, decision tolerances - because the organisation wasn't set up for them. On top of that, I tended to take everything on myself just to avoid adding pressure on the team.

I chose Project Expert 5.0 to deepen my knowledge and, above all, discuss it with people who have real-world experience. SHINE delivered on that from day one. The most valuable element was seeing how similar challenges are tackled in completely different industries. That outside perspective is priceless - the best insights often come from looking beyond your own bubble.

My biggest "aha" moment: realising that by definition and scope of work, I'm more of a programme manager than a project manager. That shift in perspective opened my eyes. I want to focus more on leadership and motivating people. Bringing the team into planning early isn't a burden for them - it's a path to better results.

In practice, I used the course to obtain an internal project management licence. It also reminded me to invest more in communication, motivation and people leadership - especially important in an international team, where every word choice and cultural nuance matters.

I'd recommend this course to any project manager - it reminds you where you've quietly let standards slip, and shows you what you can do differently.

My advice: if you're starting out, this course gives you a comprehensive overview that saves years of trial and error. If you're experienced, SHINE helps you sharpen the details and rediscover paths obscured by the daily routine.

Zbyněk Krebs, Project Manager, Škoda Auto a.s.

Before the Project Leader 5.0 and Agile Leader 5.0 courses, I approached both project and agile management in a fairly technical, step-by-step way. I had a simplified view of agility - mainly as a way to divide work, without the broader business and strategic context.

What held me back most was underestimating the importance of internal communication and project PR. I focused on delivering results, but paid little attention to how the project was perceived externally - which came back as misunderstanding and weaker stakeholder support.

What drew me to the course was its well-designed learning system: a coherent methodology, quality materials, the ability to revisit content and homework with targeted feedback that forced me to genuinely think through and apply the concepts. The trainers also played a major role - their professional yet human approach was a guarantee of quality.

My strongest "aha" moment: realising that how I present a project - the way I talk about it and frame it - can sometimes be just as important as the technical content itself.

Today I invest far more in preparation and clear communication. I put significant energy into internal project PR and aligning the team on what an agile approach means in our context. I also see SHINE's AI assistants as a practical partner for structuring projects, milestones and communication strategy.

I'd recommend the course without hesitation - it helps people understand the project management system, its value for managing time, costs and resources, and aligns terminology across teams, making collaboration significantly easier.

My advice: don't hesitate - a more systematic approach will help you understand the real purpose of project management and how to communicate and position projects effectively in practice, rather than relying on intuition alone.

Jaromír Kalenda, Director of Industrial Engineering PLASTIKA a.s.

I was returning to project management after a break. In my new role, I'd taken on a strategic change project and needed to quickly regain confidence and reconnect with a methodology I'd had good experience with through previous SHINE work and my IPMA certification.

What troubled me most was that the organisation wasn't used to managing activities as projects - no clear process, no defined roles or responsibilities. Projects were fragmented and run largely on intuition, leading to misunderstandings and overloading people especially towards the end of delivery. The whole project management process needed to be built from scratch and rolled out across the organisation.

I turned to Project Leader 5.0 and Agile Leader 5.0 as a proven choice. Although initially sceptical about the online format, the high level of interactivity, small-group work, project consultations with trainers and the balance of theory and practice quickly convinced me. The AI assistants were a major asset - they help plan and review projects.

My biggest "aha" moment was realising how essential it is to invest enough time upfront - in shared understanding of the goal, stakeholder conversations and a clear definition of where the project starts and ends. That's where most misunderstandings originate.

The courses helped me establish a project management process and gradually roll it out across teams, including the creation of a dedicated project team within the change programme. Practical tools and a focus on planning made my day-to-day work and cross-organisational coordination significantly easier.

I'd recommend this course because it is systematically structured training enhanced by modern tools and AI. It will meaningfully simplify your daily project work, improve resource planning and reduce stress at critical phases. If more people in an organisation went through a similar course, it would accelerate the adoption of project management and increase its effectiveness across teams.

My advice: try systematic development for yourself - a well-structured course with a clear methodology and AI will likely save you more time than you invest in it, and allow you to focus on what really matters: working with people and creating value.

Hana Hajnová, Strategic Development and Organisational Integration Manager, VIDA! science centrum

I was going through a period of intense workload on a long three-year project, so the timing was demanding.

My biggest challenges were deadlines, priorities and coordinating work and teams across the project.

I chose SHINE's programme because I was looking for a more systematic approach to project management - something to anchor everything in clear rules and structure rather than keeping it all in my head. The course delivered exactly that.

My strongest "aha" moment was learning how to deliberately gather information from a client (e.g. the "7× why" technique), how to define goals precisely using the triple constraint (what, when, how much) and how WBS and the project management cycle gave me a completely new, holistic view of a project.

In practical terms, I now have a much clearer picture of how projects should be managed and what I want to carry into my next project.

I'd recommend this course to anyone who wants better visibility into project status (deadlines, financials, issues, responsibilities) and who wants to give their project management a clear framework rather than relying purely on intuition and experience.

My advice to colleagues: even if you're managing projects from experience today, it's worth discovering a more systematic approach - it will bring fresh inspiration, a broader perspective and the ability to work smarter and with greater confidence.

Marek Kačenák, Project Manager, HBH Project spol. s.r.o.

Project Leader 5.0 was the second course I completed at SHINE.

The biggest takeaway was a better understanding of how vision and company strategy are built - which I see as critical for right project prioritisation and resource management. I was also struck by the concrete methods and tools that help align the entire project management process across an organisation.

We've already put a lot of it into practice: improved project meeting structure (agenda and AI-supported minutes), standard templates for project briefs, TIP documents and Lessons Learned, and a shared space for project reporting with escalation mechanisms in place.

Going forward, I want to focus more on the team - specifically on motivation and effective collaboration based on individual strengths.

Dana Teinerová, Project Manager, Teva Pharmaceuticals