Ivan Bielik is a member of AEGEE-Brno since 2011 and the current President of the antenna. Most of you know him from the International Politics Working Group (IPWG) and the AEGEEDebate, still he is really interested in non-formal education. He was a member in both AEGEE Identity team and Planning Team, and he is currently one of the candidates for a position in Comité Directeur, willing to focus in the educational policy of AEGEE.
The AEGEEan: When and how did you join AEGEE?
Ivan: I have been a member since 2011. My first event was Summer University (SU) in Brescia and after that I got involved in local activities as a board member.
The AEGEEan: Describe yourself in 5 words.
Ivan: Modesty. Responsibility. Hard work. Punctuality. Tolerance.
The AEGEEan: Our readers want to know, do you consider yourself as a team player?
Ivan: I have had to cooperate with other peoople for my whole life. I have two younger brothers, I played football for 16 years, I was a member of the successful AEGEE Identity Team and Planning Team in 2013 and I rely on the cooperation with other board members in AEGEE-Brno. Therefore, I might say that I have learnt the art of teamwork.
The AEGEEan: What motivates you when working for AEGEE?
Ivan: Firstly, I never say I have been working for AEGEE. All the activities I have done and am involved in are activities I mostly like. I would say that my motivation is grounded in the intrinsic feeling about myself (my activities as ends in themselves, not as means to achieve something else). I am currently involved in the local board of AEGEE-Brno, Eastern Partnership Project (EaP) and my own initiative AEGEEDebate. I do them because I like them and thus I am motivated to conduct them.
The AEGEEan: Which goals do you want to achieve during your term in the CD, if elected?
Ivan: First, I would like to work on the improvement of the knowledge management in AEGEE (trainings, 
knowledge transfer, guidelines and toolkits). I would like to help to preserve the knowledge in AEGEE due to the unstable membership in the association.
Second, to promote the education agenda in AEGEE and to improve the platforms where AEGEE members can educate themselves.
Third, to keep and if it is possible to improve the level of thematic focus in AEGEE. That means to support Working Groups (WGs) and Projects as much as I can.
The AEGEEan: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Ivan: That I moved from my home (not because family issues, I love my family) at the age of 17 to live and study in Czech Republic and I survived.
The AEGEEan: On your candidature, you focus on non-formal education. How do you plan to develop the Online Training System? Is it going to have its own platform or it will be a feature of the new Online Membership System?
Ivan: When I was visiting Comité Directeur (CD) house in Brussels, I was talking about the Online Training System with Beata Matuszka. Without a proper knowledge transfer I cannot say any specific conclusions in this matter right now. However, what I can say is that I will always try to find the most appropriate option for AEGEE with the cooperation with the network. I am not going to impose my opinions. Nevertheless, one thing is obvious. AEGEE needs to find the way how to pass the knowledge to its members by exploiting new, modern technologies.
The AEGEEan: What is your plan for the validation of non-formal education?
Ivan: Basically, to continue in the work of current CD. I know it is not very innovative, but for the good of the association someone has to keep the consistency of the already developed steps. NFE is, in the end, one of the cornerstones of AEGEE.
The AEGEEan: Your second choice of task preference is Projects and Working Groups. Which Working Groups or Projects do you think are in most need of development?
Ivan: I have been involved in AEGEE thematics for two years already, but I do not have an answer to this question. The pace of every project or WG is different. In the case I will be responsible for this area I will support all of them as much as I can. But the development of projects or WGs is not primarily the competence of the CD, it is mainly up to the responsible people inside them. The 
Comité Directeur has a supportive role. And, in general, I would say that I will strive for a clear structure of thematic bodies in AEGEE and the promotion of communication channels between the local level and the thematic structure of AEGEE.
Why people should vote for you?
I present myself as an internally-oriented candidate. I want to keep the pace of the activities already developed by the current CD and ensure consistency of AEGEE-Europe’s activities. The association needs such people as well. And most importantly, I am going to listen to the needs of the Network and its members.
Written by Lia Tuska, AEGEE-Kastoria/AEGEE-Sofia