Introduction
I am a 29-year-old Hungarian from Slovakia; I attended Hungarian-language schools, and my native language is Hungarian.
I completed both my undergraduate and master’s studies in law at Comenius University in Bratislava.
While pursuing my doctoral studies at Pan-European University, the ME KEA Junior Programme came up as an opportunity. As I have always enjoyed both learning and teaching, I was immediately interested. I also had the chance to meet the Dean in Bratislava, who is a researcher in the CEA UM Professors’ Network. She knew about my interest in this field and in comparative law, and it was on her recommendation that I joined the programme.
At the same time, I have maintained my connection with the university in Bratislava: I travel there every Thursday to teach international law and international relations.
How was the application process?
In April, I was contacted by the Dean of the Faculty that such an opportunity existed. She knew that I would be defending my dissertation in August, so she assumed that I would be free and that I would be interested in this fellowship. I was in a hurry to get my papers in, so I quickly chose "vaccination" as my topic, but I was reassured that the option to change was given, so I took it later - I was doing a thesis on war criminal law and wanted to pursue that.
While I was waiting for feedback, the Academy communicated regularly with me and then invited me for a personal interview. In August, there was an open day in Budapest, where I was given a brief insight into the life of the Academy, the training programme and of course a taste of life in Budapest, where the programme is based. In September, we had our first big meeting with the newly admitted junior students in the form of a freshers' camp, where we talked a lot, cooked and got to know the university's location, Miskolc. A week later, the work started.
How did the move go?
When I applied to the programme, I was living with my partner in Bratislava, who was not particularly enthusiastic about the idea of me moving to Budapest for four years. At the same time, she knew that obtaining my habilitation is one of my long-term goals, and for me, the CEA UM represented the next logical step toward achieving it.
In the end, she supported me, and I started looking for a place to rent in Budapest. Currently, I live in Budapest from Monday to Thursday and in Bratislava from Friday to Sunday. It works well – I was a bit concerned at first, but I’ve completely gotten used to it over time. After the four years, we will decide together where to settle down.
The Academy shared several housing options and offers with us, but in the end I did not make use of this support, as I was able to arrange it easily on my own. At the same time, if someone needs assistance in this regard, they can also rely on the support of the CEA UM.
Where do you see yourself in a few years, and how does the CEA UM help you on that path?
I see more opportunities within the CEA UM, as it collaborates with numerous universities. The doctoral programme in Bratislava was also very good, and every programme has its own strengths, but here I have the chance to meet many distinguished academics, constitutional court judges, and professionals working at supreme courts – which I consider a great opportunity.
The research institute itself carries out highly interesting work. I find it so inspiring that, if given the opportunity to stay after the four-year programme, I would definitely continue working with them. Although I would regret leaving the university in Bratislava, I am confident that I could maintain the connection, just as I do now, and I would not mind if my path ultimately led me to Budapest.
Was there anything you worried about before you came?
We were informed when we applied for the programme that we would occasionally have to go to Miskolc for conferences and lectures. That was one of my concerns, whether I could bring together the Budapest-Pozsony-Miskolc triangle. I can say that it has been solved, because we don't have to go to Miskolc very often, so keeping in touch with the university there doesn't take up much time and energy - we often keep in touch online. Thanks to modern technology, almost everything is possible.
Fortunately, the management is also open and willing to compromise, so that even the most difficult situations have been reconciled and managed in a reassuring way.
What is everyday life like at the academy?
We have different kinds of days. There are conference days, when we work within the professorial network or attend a conference at a university, for example. We learn something new, talk to the professors - I really enjoy these days. Other days we do office work. We work together with other colleagues, for example, if there's a conference, we help organise it. Sometimes we help with emails, administrative tasks and organising conferences. We often write articles or prepare for teaching, learning and of course research.
Writing and publishing articles is an essential part of the job, as we try to create as much content as possible on comparative law for as wide a public as possible.
In all cases, we have academic, academic papers and assignments.
How much does the CEA UM support you professionally?
So far, I have been working in the field of international humanitarian law, particularly the law of armed conflict, while my current research focuses on international criminal law, specifically the issue of torture, which has many aspects – including psychological ones – making it especially interesting to me. As for the CEA UM, they support me in everything I can imagine professionally: for example, my dissertation, which I originally wrote in Bratislava, was gladly published in English by the Academy, which was a great opportunity for me. Overall, they support my professional development in every possible way and encourage all initiatives that contribute to it, while also placing strong emphasis on ensuring that I receive valuable professional input – for instance, by organizing conferences on criminal law topics and supporting participation in international programmes such as the international criminal law summer school in Thessaloniki.
How can you also do research?
I am able to conduct my research alongside my responsibilities here, and what is particularly helpful is that the leadership makes an effort to shape tasks and organise work in a way that allows everyone to focus on their own research topics as well. In this way, they actively support my research, as I can work in an environment with a strong professional network and meet highly respected experts in the field—opportunities that would not be possible without the CEA UM Junior Programme. In this sense, the CEA UM is also a real springboard.
What other opportunities does the CEA UM offer?
Unfortunately, I did not take advantage of this opportunity, as I was concerned that it would be too much alongside my work in Bratislava and here. However, for those who would like to learn a language, the CEA UM offers free language courses. Some choose to learn Hungarian, while others study German. I believe that language learning—both in terms of terminology and for other reasons—helps junior researchers achieve their goals and carry out their research successfully.
What is it like to live in Budapest?
I already knew Budapest, because I am Hungarian. I grew up in a big city, so I like the atmosphere. You can go out anytime and find anything you want. There's life, for sure, you can party, have dinner, coffee. The transport is great. I leave my car on the outskirts of town, so it's quick and easy to get around. I feel very comfortable in Budapest and the institute is in a very good location.
Our days are very pleasant. We are not only colleagues but also friends. We organise a lot of activities together, we go on excursions, visit museums and exhibitions together.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I tend to set myself small, immediate goals. When the fellowship ends, I imagine I could be working either within the institute or through the institute, possibly in a ministry here in Budapest. I would like to become an associate professor within the next 5 years and I am confident that this will happen. As a distant goal, I would like to continue on the academic path, doing research. That's what I feel at home in, that's what I want to continue.
Who would you recommend the CEA UM programme to?
I would recommend it to those who feel comfortable in an academic environment, who enjoy this kind of atmosphere, and who like reading, discussing, and learning about law. I also have colleagues who previously worked in law firms, and they feel very comfortable at the CEA UM as well.
Isn’t it a disadvantage that the Academy is so young?
I feel that it is not a handicap, but an advantage. We are new and we are treated like first-born children. Everybody is very flexible, the atmosphere is very good and we work together to find solutions to everything. I feel that the fact that it is a new institution has been good for us so far.
What has been your best experience so far at the CEA UM?
Our participation in the Oxford Debate in Warsaw! There we debated with a small group about the right to privacy. We made new friends who we still keep in touch with to this day.
I also had the opportunity to talk to Péter Kovács, a judge at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, after a conference, which was a really great experience and meant a lot to me.
What message do you have for future juniors?
There is nothing to be afraid of! The CEA UM is a springboard into professional life. You rarely get so many opportunities at once in real life, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of them.
Rebecca (SK)
