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#MyEUIExperience by Professor Michele Belot, EUI Department of Economics

Michele Belot

The EUI is unique in the intensity of interactions and engagement it offers with Ph.D. candidates and other young researchers. Everything at the EUI is set up to encourage interaction, meaning there are many opportunities to learn, both within and across departments. For example, I very much enjoy attending our weekly departmental presentations. Many of our researchers have interesting and original ideas, which I like engaging with.

Although we have very high demands on our time at the EUI, at the same time, we work in a very peaceful and beautiful environment. It allows me to take periods of rest and let my mind wander, which is great for an academic!

 Professor Michele Belot, Department of Economics

 

#MyEUIExperience by Professor Rainer Bauböck, 
EUI Department of Political and Social Sciences

RainerBauboeck

The EUI is an academic island that does not belong to any particular state but is populated by people from everywhere. They share a commitment to academic excellence, but most are also deeply involved in the public affairs of Europe or their countries of origin. Nearly everybody is a newcomer, which keeps hierarchies flat and creates a desire to blend in and create something new together.

The EUI is place where scholars not only respect each other at a distance but are also curious and eager to engage with each other. (There is a serious risk of overdosing on new ideas and exciting debates). At the EUI I have taught together with historians and lawyers, I have supervised Ph.D. researchers who changed my views and I have been involved in building a global observatory on citizenship. It would not have been like this anywhere else.

Professor Rainer Bauböck, Department of Political and Social Sciences
 

#MyEUIExperience by Professor Joanne Scott, EUI Department of Law

Joanne Scott 2. B&W

I am thoroughly enjoying my return to the EUI which is a very special place (I was a student here in the 1980s and a Jean Monnet Fellow in the 1990s). I am just completing my first term of teaching – a seminar on International and European Climate Change Law – which has been a lot of fun. It’s a privilege to teach such smart and engaged students and I am looking forward to the prospect of co-teaching, in the future, with my colleagues.

My days are undeniably very full with supervision, mentoring, teaching, meetings and research. But I can honestly say they’re never dull. Even the routine tasks are (almost invariably) intellectually engaging. While managing the logistics of moving job and changing country inevitably takes time and can cause some momentary frustration, the EUI offers excellent support. Outside of work, the surrounding environment is fantastic with the most glorious countryside and rich culture within easy reach.

Professor Joanne Scott, Department of Law
 

#MyEUIExperience by Matteo Fiorini, Research Fellow, 
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

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My EUI experience has introduced a rich routine into my professional life. Some of its ingredients are: study, discussion, empirical analysis and programming, theoretical research, policy work, discovering new disciplines and methods thanks to the RSCAS’s interdisciplinary nature, conference/consultancy travels in Europe, Africa and Asia, and an excellent relationship with the director of my research area, my colleagues and all EUI staff members.

Two high points of my EUI experience, so far, have been my first publication in a top journal in international economics and my first personal consultancy (a third party asked specifically for my technical consultancy in services trade policy).

And so I would tell a new research fellow, about to start their own EUI experience, to be ambitious and proactive. As an EUI research fellow, you will find the support, the tools and the space to grow in many directions.

Matteo Fiorini, Research Fellow, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
 

#MyEUIExperience by Ruth Nirere Gbikpi, InterLibrary Loan & User Services, 
Co-ordinator, EUI Library

Working at the EUI gives you the opportunity to expand your field of activity and to map out a diverse professional path rich in new experiences. For instance, over the years, I have held different positions in several services: ICT, the Language Centre, Academic Service, etc.

The Institute supports you if you are willing to develop professionally. As an employee, I benefitted from flexible working hours in order to prepare myself for a competition and become a Librarian Officer.

I have to say that it is truly an enriching experience to be part of a such diverse working environment: I work in a team of 11 different nationalities. As a member of the Harassment Committee and the Emergency Teams, I also have the chance to cooperate with other staff and faculty members. Being part of an international environment has also enabled me to grow personally, especially in learning and improving my fluency in various languages.

Finally, the Institute provides good working conditions. If you are a parent, the EUI crèche offers a formal and structured daycare for your children. The Institute gave me a lot of help in balancing my work and family life.

 Ruth Nirere Gbikpi, InterLibrary Loan & User Services, Co-ordinator, EUI Library
 

#MyEUIExperience by Lorenzo Ghezzi, Admissions Officer, 
Academic Service

Ghezzi Lorenzo - pic R

I joined the EUI in 2011 and have been the Institute's Admissions Officer since 2014. At the EUI, I have found a truly multicultural and international community, and a fair working environment that supports one's drive for excellence. The relatively small size of the institution enables staff to develop fruitful professional relations which feel human and sincere.

The EUI has a research-intense environment and, despite the demanding work schedule, it is easy to benefit from it: attending conferences confronting a wide range of European and world issues or simply discussing with international scholars over lunch. I believe these opportunities are enriching my daily work-life whilst widening my cultural horizons.

Florence and its beautiful hills are charming and the city’s offerings are diverse and attractive. Florence is also strategically connected for exploring the country at large or for weekend getaways in many European cities.

Working at the EUI has exceeded my expectations on many occasions. If I have to say the one thing I like the most about my job, it would be experiencing first-hand the strong motivation of candidates applying for the Ph.D. programme, and their enthusiasm when I can deliver good news.

 Lorenzo Ghezzi, Admissions Officer, Academic Service
 

#MyEUIExperience by Mei Lan Goei, Academic Administrator, 
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

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I joined the EUI in 2002, when the Robert Schuman Centre was much smaller than it is now. At that time, we were no more than 20-30 people. I liked it right away, and I am very pleased to see that over the years we have been able to preserve and strengthen the excellent working atmosphere we have here. Today the Schuman Centre is a large community: more than 150 people, including Schuman chairs, joint chairs, part-time professors, post-doctoral fellows, visiting fellows, research fellows and assistants, and a professional administrative support staff.

The Schuman Centre is focused on both basic and policy research, it is involved in policy dialogue and in executive trainings. It is a wonderful place in terms of inter-disciplinary research and we develop new ideas and projects in beautiful surroundings. I enjoy working in such a stimulating multi-cultural and international academic environment. For me one the nicest moments at the EUI is the start of the academic year with the arrival of many new fellows and visitors who are all excited to have the chance to spend time with us at the Centre.

Mei Lan Goei, Academic Administrator, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
 

#MyEUIExperience by Andreas Zink, Financial Officer, 
Budget and Financial Affairs Service

Andreas Zink

I started as a trainee in 2013 at the EUI. My main motivation for joining the EUI was that I wanted to experience the benefits of working in an international organisation and to improve my Italian. Living in Italy, and especially in Florence, is great. It is a fabulous place to stay, you can easily reach top spots for skiing, or hiking. If you are looking for a beach, there are plenty of options. On top of that, the EUI is a very welcoming place. The people are very open, it is easy to integrate.

It is truly enriching to work within an international team. Working every day in a foreign language is challenging, but you never get bored! In addition, my service has changed a lot over the past years, as have my responsibilities. This dynamism ensures that I enjoy my work, remain motivated and perform to the best of my abilities. Knowing that I have the opportunity to move internally to other units is also interesting: I like the idea that I can increase the breadth of my experience. I enjoy being a part of the European project.

Andreas Zink, Financial Officer, Budget and Financial Affairs Service
 

Page last updated on 13 March 2018