Saniya Malikbayeva is a Ph.D. student at the Autonomous University of Madrid. She graduated from Nazarbayev University with a bachelor degree in Political Science and International Relations. Saniya won an Erasmus + scholarship to study an 18-month-Master in Parliamentary Procedures and Legislative Drafting. She has spent three semesters in LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome Italy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and University of London. She was researcher at the Center of Political and Constitutional studies in Madrid, Spain. During the research stay Saniya was preparing report on Spanish referendums for the Venice Commission and organizing international conference on Fake news and Electoral justice. Her main research interests are challenges of democratization in the Post-Soviet space, legal- rational institutions, informal practices (patronalism, clientelism, patrimonialism), corruption and civil activism in this region.
Chynara Isakeeva works as an expert in the legislative department of the Kyrgyz Parliament. She earned Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Policy Analyses at the International University of Japan. Chynara presented the research paper on democracy and political trust in the Kyrgyz Republic at the research exhibition of the Graduate School of International Relations, in Japan. While doing researches in political science, she actively participates in public and social activities. Chynara became a regional finalist of the Business Competition Hult Prize 2019, one of the most important social entrepreneurship awards in the world. She continues to work on political trust issue in the Kyrgyz Republic, and seeks opportunity to deepen academic findings regarding politics and democracy in general.
Pranvera Tika is a political scientist. Her main academic and research interests include the broad spectrum of the processes of democratization in the Balkans, right-wing extremism in Europe and in the Balkans, populism, comparative politics, Euroscepticism, conspiracy theories, social movements, political parties, human rights and globalization. She is completing her PhD thesis at Panteion University in Athens (Greece) under the supervision of Professor Vassiliki Georgiadou, with emphasis on the political systems of three Balkan countries after the fall of Communism: Albania, Bulgaria and Romania. She has been involved in different European projects concerning the phenomenon, the development of the comparative research, secondary analysis (Socialdatanet) as well as the quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Pranvera is a member of the Hellenic Political Science Association (HPSA) and the Hellenic Leagues of the Human Rights.
Uros Mamic is a PhD student at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Sciences. He obtained MA degree in International Affairs at the University of Belgrade in 2017. He also completed the Regional MA Program in Peace Studies in 2018-obtaining another MA degree in Political Science jointly awarded by the University of Belgrade and the University of Sarajevo. Uros spent multiple semesters abroad at universities in Czech Republic, Latvia and Germany as part of research and exchange programs – following different opportunities of expanding academic and professional horizons. He has gathered professional experience in journalism and international development – currently working as a Regional Program Officer at the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund with the British Embassy in Belgrade. His specific academic interests lie in the field of international development and peace studies.
Tatia Tchkoidze obtains MA Degree in Political Science at the University of Ljubljana. Her research topics include the political development of party systems, democratization, contemporary political polarization problems, and their consequences on governance and decision-making processes. Tatia earned a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in International Relations from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. During her BA studies, she was an exchange student at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Political Science. She holds a Slovenian Master Study scholarship for Georgian Nationals. In the past, she has worked with several organizations specializing in democracy, transparency, and corruption issues. In 2017-2018 she served as a Parliamentary fellow at the Committee of Foreign Affairs at Parliament of Georgia.
Medina Abylkasymova, obtains Erasmus Mundus master’s degree in Women and Gender Studies, to be conferred jointly by Central European University (CEU) and the University of Lodz (UL). She is an alumna of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the American University of Central Asia, majoring in Economics, Economic Governance, and Development. Medina is a fellow of US-CAEF, DAAD, and RAUN programs. She has participated in and led many international conferences such as Europe and Liberty, Model UN and Model OSCE. Medina was an intern in international organizations such as European Delegation to Kyrgyz Republic, IFC, UNHCR, GIZ and UN Women in Kyrgyzstan. She is currently working on a research project with the UN Women office in Bishkek to examine the impact of its projects on women’s agency.
Jemile Bashimova is an MA student in Nationalism, Ethnic and Minority Policy at the Central European University. She recently finished an online course in Conflict Prevention and Resolution through Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation, a joint initiation by the OSCE and UNODA at Vienna. Jemila obtained BA degree at the American University in Central Asia majoring in International and Comparative Politics. During the studies she spent an exchange semester at SciencesPo Paris, with the support of Erasmus+ International. She is an alumna of the 2017 Study of United States Institute For Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership program. Her research interests are Central Asian politics, minority issues in the Post-Soviet territory, gender in peace, and security.
Abira Kuandyk is an M.A. student in International Development and Cooperation at Roma Tre University in Rome, Italy. Her research and practical interest areas are security and gender studies, democratic innovations and development. Abira wants women to have an equal participation in peace and security related issues both on national and international levels.
Karolina Rankovic is a certified lawyer from Serbia who has been practicing law for 9 years, focusing on Roma and Sinti rights in Serbia. In cooperation with the Association of Roma Prosperity Karolina does monitoring and analyze the human rights situation ofRoma and Sinti but also provide legal representation to those in need.
Arzuu Sheranova is currently PhD student at the Corvinus University of Budapest and a junior researcher at the Center for Central Asia Research. Arzuu holds MA degree from the OSCE Academy in Bishkek Master’s programme in Politics and Security (2015). Arzuu has more than seven years of work experience in international organizations, working on conflict mitigation, conflict prevention, community-security, good governance and development. Her research interests include Nationalism, Clan Politics, Security, Elections and Gender.
Alban Nako is a research analyst at the Civil Alliance Toward Integrity Foundation. He pursues PhD in Political Science and International Relations at Epoka University. Alban holds MA in Criminal Law from the University of Tirana. Prior he served as specialist at the Water Recourses Management Agency and the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Nosirkhon Qodirov is pursuing Master’s degree in Politics and Security (Central Asia) at the OSCE Academy. He holds an honorary bachelor’s diploma from the Tajik State University of Law, Business and Politics. Norsirkhon completed three-month internship in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan in 2019. He has actively participated in the scientific conferences, social activities, and Olympiads at the University. In 2018 he participated in the Republican Olympiad at the Academy of the Science of the Republic of Tajikistan, and was awarded thefirst place. In the same year his article took “the best academic article” title at the annual university conference.
Mila Moshelova is a PHD candidate in Political Science at Sofia University.Her research focus is the impact of radical right discourse on mainstream party competition. Mila’s background in the think-tank and NGO sector includes Sofia Platform, the European Council on Foreign Relations and Centre for Liberal Strategies. She has worked on topics in the fields of foreign policy, state capture, illiberal democratic trends, and civic education. Mila holds MA from University College London and MA from the University of Aberdeen.
Roman Hlatky is a Ph.D. candidate in the Government Department at the University of Texas at Austin. He researches why majorities form grievances against outgroups, and the ways in which these grievances affect political behavior. His work has appeared in Political Research Quarterly.
Silvia Hudáčková is both an academic and a political practitioner. She is one of the founding members of political party TOGETHER – Civic Democracy in Slovakia where she has co- established it’s women’s organisation. She had been working as a spokesperson to the political party in number of campaigns. Currently, she is also International Secretary at TOGETHER. Silvia has graduated from Political Science at CEU in Budapest and also from Masaryk University in Brno. Currently, she is pursuing her doctoral degree in Political Science at Comenius University in Bratislava. Her research focuses on female representation in Slovak executive branch.
Nino Petriashvili is graduating MA student in Political Science Department at Central European University. During the studies she focused on researching several topics from political economy, political representation and electoral systems. Before joining CEU she worked in the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia as an assistant to the Deputy Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia as an intern in Press and Information Center. Nino has a BA degree with honors in International Relations and Economics from International Black Sea University.
Antonio Karlović is currently a PhD student in European Politics at the University of Zagreb with his broad research interests including (bottom-up) Europeanisation, European Foreign Policy and Democratization. In 2018 he graduated from the University of Copenhagen, earning MSc in Political Science, with his thesis (under the supervision of Professor Ben Rosamond) dealing with the democratization of CEE EU member states. During my first year as a PhD student he actively participated in an international COST Project on EU Foreign Policy.
Yana Derkach holds MA in Political Science (European Studies). She was trainee at the non-governmental organization, focusing on the visa-free regime and migration issues in Ukraine. Yana served at the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Verkhovana Rada. In the capacity of a junior analyst she worked on anti-corruption project and examined political parties finance in Ukraine. Currently Yana is involved in the development of the first parliamentary research center in Ukraine.
Yuliia Holopoteliuk is a student of the LL.M. Program at Kyiv- Mohyla Academy (Kyiv, Ukraine). Her research interests lie within the scope of the issue of political parties public funding. Yuliia also works flexible hours as a legislative assistant to the Member of Parliament of Ukraine. Previously she interned in the Parliament of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada) and the Parliament of Canada. Yuliia is an active participant of numerous student conferences, summer schools, and moot courts. Yuliia is a committed member of Ukraine’s civil society having volunteer experience in several NGOs including Professional Government Association and Ukrainian Centre for Independent Political Research.
Daniel Gheorghe is a PhD. student at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest, Romania. He also works for the „Theodor Herzl” Centre of Israeli Studies at the same university, since November 2017. Between March-August 2019, Daniel was a trainee at the European Commission where he worked in DG JUST under the supervision of the European Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism where he was involved in organising the EU Commission High Level Working Group on Combating Antisemitism. His research interests cover topics like EU-Israel relations, anti-Semitism in Europe, political parties and populism.
Katarzyna Templin-Ukleja graduated from sociology at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. She had an opportunity to complete part of her Master’s studies in Göttingen and Prague. Additionally, Katarzyna graduated from post-diploma studies in her two main fields of private and professional interests, that is urban studies and migration. For the past 10 years Katarzyna has been dealing with projects co-funded by the EU and Switzerland, representing the donor institutions. Currently she work as an analyst at the Swiss Embassy in Warsaw.