CERGE-EI welcomed Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion as part of its Distinguished Speakers Series and on the occasion of the institution’s 35th anniversary. During his visit, Charles University awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Economic Sciences, honoris causa, and he delivered a public lecture titled The Power of Creative Destruction: Rethinking Capitalism. He also met with students, alumni, faculty, and decision makers for academic discussions and exchanges. In this student interview, Professor Aghion reflects on his own path from mathematics to economics, the social motivations behind his research, and the areas he believes will offer the most meaningful opportunities for young economists and PhD students today. Continue reading Philippe Aghion on Growth, Poverty, and Meaningful Research
“A Huge Sea of Research”: Visiting CERGE-EI
Abylay Tursyn, a PhD student in economics at Narxoz University and a visiting student at CERGE-EI, combines economic research with a background in IT and data-driven system development. His work focuses on public procurement, particularly the behaviour and long-term sustainability of suppliers in electronic procurement markets. During his stay at CERGE-EI, he presented his research at a Brown Bag Seminar, examining why some suppliers remain active on Kazakhstan’s national e-procurement platform while others leave the market. Continue reading “A Huge Sea of Research”: Visiting CERGE-EI
Finding Confidence and Community at UC Berkeley
As part of the Places You’ll Go series, CERGE-EI spoke with PhD student Winnie Njoroge about her research stay at UC Berkeley, where she joined a vibrant academic environment shaped by development seminars, Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) meetings, research discussions, and exchanges with leading scholars. During her stay, she refined her job market paper, engaged with the broader U.S. academic community, and found that mobility can be both intellectually demanding and deeply encouraging. Continue reading Finding Confidence and Community at UC Berkeley
When Geopolitics Becomes Macroeconomics: Shocks, Scenarios, and Uncertain Outlook
In the new episode of Talking Economics, CERGE-EI alum Kamil Kovář, Director at Moody’s Analytics, joins us to discuss how geopolitical and economic shocks are reshaping the real economy. The conversation looks at what has changed most fundamentally in macroeconomic forecasting, why scenarios are becoming more important than single-point predictions, and what current risks mean for the global economy, Europe, and the Czech Republic.
Continue reading When Geopolitics Becomes Macroeconomics: Shocks, Scenarios, and Uncertain Outlook
Researching Migration Through Economics
How do migrants integrate, and what happens when policy does not just regulate but stigmatizes? In this interview, CERGE-EI’s new faculty member Teresa Freitas-Monteiro discusses her current research on migration, cultural backlash, administrative data, and why discriminatory policies can have effects far beyond economics. Continue reading Researching Migration Through Economics
How Economic Shocks Shape Careers. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Margarita Pavlova
In the latest episode of Talking Economics Emerging Scholars, we speak with Margarita Pavlova, a CERGE-EI PhD candidate and an applied microeconomist specializing in labor and gender economics. Margarita studies how macroeconomic conditions, labor market policies, and institutional settings shape labor market outcomes over time. Continue reading How Economic Shocks Shape Careers. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Margarita Pavlova
At the Harris School: A Research Stay at the Frontier of Political Economy
As part of our Places You’ll Go series, we spoke with Vladimir Shchukin a CERGE-EI student about his research stay at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, one of the leading centers for political economy. In this interview, Vladimir reflects on how he chose his destination, what he gained from presenting his work in a new academic environment, and how discussions with leading scholars and fellow students helped sharpen his research interests and strengthen his motivation to pursue an academic career. Continue reading At the Harris School: A Research Stay at the Frontier of Political Economy
Research, Risk, and Growth: My Time at Yale
As part of the Places You’ll Go series, this interview with Margarita Pavlova follows a CERGE-EI student’s research stay at Yale University — a journey shaped by academic ambition, unexpected confidence, and the search for the right intellectual environment. What began as a strategic step to advance a Job Market Paper became a much broader experience of growth: from engaging with leading scholars in labor economics to discovering that top academic spaces are not only demanding, but also deeply energizing. In this conversation, she reflects on choosing Yale, navigating the road to the US, and what the experience taught her about research, collaboration, and believing in her own ideas. Continue reading Research, Risk, and Growth: My Time at Yale
Meet our alumni: Coming home to build impact
After graduating from CERGE-EI, Mária Valachyová returned to Slovakia and built a career in private banking that led her to her current role as Head of Strategy at Slovenská sporiteľňa (Erste Group). In this interview, she reflects on the key turning points that shaped her path, the real-world impact of research and strategy on households and businesses, and the innovations her team is delivering. Continue reading Meet our alumni: Coming home to build impact
When delayed retirement reshapes the workplace. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Sona Badalyan
Most research on retirement asks a simple question: when do people choose to stop working, and why? In the newest episode of Talking Economics Emerging Scholars, CERGE-EI job market candidate Sona Badalyan takes a different angle. She looks at raised retirement age as something that also happens to firms and coworkers—a change that can ripple through promotions, hiring, and peer effects. Continue reading When delayed retirement reshapes the workplace. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Sona Badalyan