Exploring and studying in Estonia, Hungary and Scotland
Elodie Phillips, graduate of Erasmus Mundus IntM Central and East European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (CEERES)
The Erasmus Mundus International Master in Central and East European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies gave me an unprecedented opportunity to travel extensively in the region, to build a network of likeminded peers and experts in the field, and to study a diverse array of disciplines, including international relations, history, and languages.
Through the programme, I was able to live in Estonia, Scotland, and Hungary, creating lifelong friendships and many amazing memories along the way. We were given a wide array of modules to choose from, including with world renowned scholars in the CEES department at the University of Glasgow, and the programme provided us with the opportunity to undertake an internship in our field of study.
Now, I work at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw, with my work mainly focused on democratisation and inclusive political participation in the OSCE region, primarily in the Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries, and Central Asia. I use my Russian skills, honed during the programme, on a daily basis as well as other expertise provided to me by my choice of Masters degree.
I would advise all incoming students to truly make the most of all opportunities provided to them by the University of Glasgow, including connecting with lecturers, creating peer networks, and using the wide arrange of resources in the library. One of my best memories of Glasgow is spending Wednesday evenings at the CEES Society social in the Sikorsky Polish Men’s Club. When I later moved to Poland for my work at the OSCE, I was already very familiar with Polish culture thanks to all the evenings spent at Sikorsky with dear friends.