"The academic community with fellow PhD students and faculty during my years at CEU simultaneously provided extensive support and challenged me to develop as a scholar and teacher. Close interaction with my supervisor and a tight knit research group provided a strong foundation for becoming a specialist in the field and provided an academic family that now extends across Europe and beyond. Additionally, engagement with scholars from a wide range of approaches, disciplines, and methodologies within the program encouraged us to question our underlying assumptions and preferred approaches, which enhanced our ability to engage in broader academic and policy circles. I experienced substantial space for exploration to discover the topic and approach to take in my research, which distinguishes the DSPS program from project-oriented PhD programs. The DSPS offers an academic community that balances providing guidance, inspiring excellence, and encouraging independence. I am very thankful that this community was were I built my academic foundation."
Kristin Makszin, alumna, PhD in Political Economy (2013), currently Assistant Professor of Political Economy, Leiden University College The Hague