PhD Research Stays
One of the unique features of CERGE-EI’s PhD in Economics program is that our students are very successful in applying for a mobility stay at a number of prestigious universities in the United States and Western Europe, and in conducting part of their dissertation research there.
CERGE-EI provides partial funding of student mobilities on a competitive basis. Students may also apply for funding from other sources.
Students of the PhD in Economics program who go on mobility benefit not only from the advice and knowledge they receive from the faculty members of the host universities, but also from the general experience of living and studying at a different university. Read about mobility experience of our students on the blog.
“The mobility stay at Columbia University strongly shaped my vision of the future and my research interests. As expected, interacting with people who have a common passion and extremely high motivation helped me to move forward on my research topic, but it also gave me a useful life experience. I had the chance to discuss my topic with some iconic professionals, whose books I used to study (that's unbelievable!). The current challenge is to keep motivation up, continue believing in my research idea, and also to be able to put it aside (or stay a bit underemployed) when needed, as this seems to be the main way to progress (at least that's what the professionals in the field kept advising)."
Geghetsik, PhD in Economics student, visited Columbia University in 2017
"From day one of my mobility stay at the University of Chicago it was amazing. I had the pleasure to work with leading experts in my field, who gave me invaluable feedback on my research. Furthermore, attending research seminars (where several Nobel Prize winners and other prominent economists gave feedback to presenters) and taking the course taught by the Nobel Prize winner was extremely helpful and challenging at the same time."
Daviti, PhD in Economics student, visited University of Chicago in 2017
"Being a visiting research scholar at Columbia University, with close proximity to other great universities such as NYU and Princeton, was an invaluable experience for me. I had an opportunity to meet great professors and students, who provided me with novel points of view on my research, great suggestions for further improvement, and several new connections. Thanks to witnessing first-hand how departments function elsewhere, I have gained several new insights on how to do research, how to teach, and how to supervise students, which I will hopefully utilize in my future career after finishing my PhD studies at CERGE-EI."
Vladimir, PhD in Economics student, visited Columbia University in 2017
“I found both of my research stays - 3 months at Columbia University and 2 months at University of Oxford - extremely useful. Not only did I make substantial progress in my work thanks to numerous presentations and consultations, attended various seminars and engaged in social life in the departments. These stays has also given me a new perspective on how departments can be run. Creating new connections with both the faculty and their students was simply invaluable. Another plus - one gets an inexpensive opportunity to find out how much they like living in places (countries) which could be on their wish list with potential future employers (as well as trying rowing!). So the question is: where to go next?
Ludmila, PhD in Economics student, visited Columbia University and University of Oxford in 2017
“I really enjoyed my stay at WVU. It renewed my motivation and enthusiasm to work on my research. I frequently had the chance to discuss my work with professors and fellow students, who warmly accepted me. This not only helped me to improve my current research, but it also inspired me to specify new research questions. Additionally, the mobility stay enabled me to get to know American culture and the education system, as well as to make international friends and academic contacts.”
Jakub, PhD in Economics student, visited West Virginia University in 2017
“Our stay at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University was both work and pleasure. We spent a lot of time at both universities, visiting various classes and seminars. Our supervisors made us feel very welcome, dedicating plenty of time to us and keeping a watchful eye on us throughout the stay. The many consultations we had with our supervisors greatly helped us to push forward with our research, since they went into depth with our work. We really felt that we could ask about anything and everything. We are so happy that we had this opportunity that nobody should miss out on.”
Jelena and Kamil, PhD in Economics students, visited the Northwestern University
and the University of Chicago in 2017
“Staying at Northwestern University was a great experience for me. While I was there I had the chance to discuss my research with top experts in my field. Beyond this, the whole atmosphere was very encouraging and lively.”
Vera, PhD in Economics student, visited Northwestern University in 2017
“The NBER NY branch is a small unit that consists of top world health economists, and communicating with them on a daily basis and being able to consult almost any time meant a lot for my research. Professors, researchers and fellow PhD students were extremely helpful, always ready to provide feedback and suggestions. I was especially lucky to be in the last cohort attending Professor Michael Grossmann's lectures before he retires from teaching. In general, my mobility at the NBER has been extremely productive in terms of the progress of my research, sparking new ideas, and extending my professional contacts. I am very thankful to CERGE-EI for this amazing opportunity.”
Iryna, PhD in Economics student, visited the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2016
“My stay at the University of Chicago has been academically stimulating, enlightening, and challenging. I have attended over 100 seminars, workshops, and conferences at the Economics Department, Booth School of Business and Harris School of Public Policy. I have been honored to meet some of the world’s preeminent economists, and I am very grateful for the interaction and friendship of fellow students. I have also had several opportunities to present my research to highly professional and critical audiences.
The broad range of experiences I have had at the University of Chicago have allowed me to think about economics in ways that no other program could have. During my stay, I have completed my first paper and developed two more, thanks to quality feedback from the faculty and post-doctoral fellows who have warmly welcomed me to the windy city. The insights and expertise from the faculty and fellows have been invaluable. I have especially enjoyed seeing the real impact of the research projects stemming from initiated policy changes.”
Nikoloz, PhD in Economics student, visited the University of Chicago in 2016
“Overall, I believe the mobility stay was extremely useful for me as a PhD student. The semester spent at West Virginia University allowed me to consult on my research with top economists in my field. Moreover, meeting PhD students at another institution was very beneficial in terms of future cooperation on joint research projects.”
Radek, PhD in Economics student, visited West Virginia University in 2016
“Overall, I believe this trip had a significant impact on my career and these were the most productive months during my PhD study. I became acquainted with the American research environment, communicated with the top researchers in my field, and made contacts with several PhD students. Mobility trip is undeniably a very useful experience for any PhD student."
Sasha, PhD in Economics graduate, visited the University of California, San Diego in 2015
“Ultimately, my stay at the University of Edinburgh contributed enormously to the development of my general idea of the importance of labor sorting into a paper… The stay helped me to develop my ideas and to progress on my paper. It also fostered my integration into global community of economic researchers."
Maxim, PhD in Economics graduate, visited the University of Edinburgh in 2015
“I spent three months at NYU … the research stay helped me to make a substantial progress with my dissertation, and also helped me to establish or strengthen important contacts with both faculty members and students not just from NYU, but also from other universities located in New York and New Jersey. I also had a chance to present my work in several seminars where I received invaluable comments. My stay was very fruitful and I only wished that it could be longer."
Vojtěch, PhD in Economics graduate, visited New York University in 2014
“I was pleasantly surprised by the very personal and friendly approach that characterizes the faculty, graduate students and other people at UIC. This helpful approach not only supported my progress in my research, but it also opened for me a new view on research work itself... An international environment together with enriching discussions during classes, research seminars and consultations with the top professors in my research field were great enhancements for my professional and personal life upon which I will draw throughout my life."
Miroslava, PhD in Economics graduate, visited The University of Illinois at Chicago in 2014
“Overall, my mobility trip was rewarding in many aspects. The state-of-the art facilities made life easier. The faculties were humble and down-to-earth enough to lend their attention and provide insightful comments. The positive nature of their feedbacks is something that particularly stands out.... It is, however, the overall environment and scholarly culture that I found most rewarding. I have had a chance to attend occasional high table dinners at the graduate dinning room where we have had a dinner table conversation with distinguished guests. I was lucky to listen to His Holiness the Dalai Lama sharing his thoughts with the campus community."
Liyousew, PhD in Economics student, visited Princeton University in 2014
A selected list of institutions where CERGE-EI students have visited on mobility in the past few years includes:
Northern American Universities: Princeton University, Harvard University, Columbia University, the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, Boston University, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania and others
European Universities: Cambridge University, the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) - Vienna, Tinbergen Institute - Amsterdam, Università Luigi Bocconi - Milan, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University College London, University of Essex, University of Paris I, Pantheon-Sorbonne, University of Tilburg - Center for Economic Research
