{"id":5196,"date":"2026-05-26T11:21:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T09:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/?p=5196"},"modified":"2026-05-26T11:29:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T09:29:03","slug":"a-huge-sea-of-research-visiting-cerge-ei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/?p=5196","title":{"rendered":"\u201cA Huge Sea of Research\u201d: Visiting CERGE-EI"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abylay Tursyn<\/span><\/i><\/a>, a PhD student in economics at Narxoz University<\/a> 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<\/a>, examining why some suppliers remain active on Kazakhstan\u2019s national e-procurement platform while others leave the market.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

You combine programming and economics. Could you tell us more about your background?<\/strong><\/p>\n

My formal education is in economics. I studied economics at the bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and PhD levels. After completing my bachelor\u2019s degree, however, I could not find a position as an economist, so I moved into a field that was in demand and that I also enjoyed: IT.<\/p>\n

I am a self-taught programmer. I worked in a web agency developing web systems, websites, social networks, and similar products. I started with small tasks, such as website content management, then moved into frontend development, later backend development, and eventually found myself working as a programmer.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I felt that although I had practical skills for working with data \u2014 collecting, storing, and managing it \u2014 I lacked the analytical tools to fully understand it. Over time, I became increasingly aware of how important that missing part was. That motivated me to apply for a PhD.<\/p>\n

At what stage of your PhD studies are you now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am currently in my third year, which is my sixth and final semester at Narxoz University<\/a> in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Our PhD system lasts three years. During the first year, we take courses and complete pedagogical practice. After that, we follow our individual research plan.<\/p>\n

After this semester, I will have some time to publish my Scopus-indexed paper, and then I should be able to proceed to my defense.<\/p>\n

Finding CERGE-EI at the Right Moment<\/strong><\/h5>\n

You came to CERGE-EI in the final stage of your PhD. Why was that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, I did not know about CERGE-EI last year. Originally, I was supposed to visit my external supervisor in the United States. I prepared everything, but in the end I was not able to obtain the visa.<\/p>\n

Around the same time, representatives of the CERGE-EI<\/a> and CERGE-EI Foundation<\/a> visited the university where I study. They introduced CERGE-EI\u2019s programs and standards, including the CERGE-EI Foundation local Teaching Fellows<\/a> and Distance Learning Program<\/a>. I also work as a lecturer at another university, and they visited that institution as well, so I encountered them in both places.<\/p>\n

I learned more about the program and received a strong recommendation from my supervisor. He told me that CERGE-EI was an excellent place, very strong in economics, and that he would definitely recommend it as a place to improve my skills. So I first applied for the Distance Learning Program, which required me to complete pedagogical training at the beginning.<\/p>\n

That experience was completely new for me. Before that, I had one year of teaching experience, but I was teaching mostly intuitively \u2014 based on how I thought teaching should work and on some basic teacher training. I was searching for the right balance: how demanding and strict I should be, and how to evaluate the quality of my teaching.<\/p>\n

The pedagogical training helped me a lot. I remember one lecturer from the United States especially well. He broke many of the usual rules. He said, in effect, that he did not use slides, that he simply talked, and that teaching should involve genuine human interaction.<\/p>\n

I used many of those tools in my second year of teaching. I felt more confident, and my interactions with students became deeper and of higher quality. Many of my students successfully earned the DLP certificate, even though the course was difficult.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I began to feel that perhaps I should try to come to CERGE-EI in person. With that background, I applied for a one-month external visit \u2014 and here I am.<\/p>\n

Discovering the Depth and Rigor of Economics<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Has your stay met your expectations?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Actually, it has exceeded them. I did not expect the process to be organized so smoothly. I thought I would simply be here, do my own work, and perhaps have one or two more formal meetings.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cI can say that I came here and understood how little I actually know about economics, and how much more I still need to learn. At the same time, I gained a clearer sense of direction.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Instead, I was immediately brought into the community. I was given a room in the office, and I was able to talk to other PhD students. Some of them have been here for five, six, or even seven years, and they explained to me how everything works. I felt invited, welcomed, and warmly included.<\/p>\n

I also attended seminars and had many discussions. Another thing I appreciated is that at my home university, where I am doing my PhD, there are only two students working in economics; others focus on law, public administration, and other fields. Here, the concentration of economists is enormous. I could focus fully on economics and talk about it with many people.<\/p>\n

I also realized how broad economics is. Before coming here, I thought of it as something relatively narrow: econometrics, regressions, and similar tools. But here I saw how much the field expands \u2014 microeconomics, macroeconomics, and the depth within each area. There is still a huge sea of research.<\/p>\n

I can say that I came here and understood how little I actually know about economics, and how much more I still need to learn. At the same time, I gained a clearer sense of direction.<\/p>\n

Public Procurement and New Research Directions<\/strong><\/h5>\n

What is the focus of your dissertation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

My topic is public procurement, more specifically, strategic models for economic sustainability in public procurement.<\/p>\n

I am working with data on public procurement in Kazakhstan, which I collected as a programmer. I created an API crawler that collects data from the official portal legally, using a token and proper access procedures. I now have a large database, but before to CERGE-EI, I was still trying to understand exactly what I could do with it.<\/p>\n

I had been trying different approaches: descriptive analysis from different angles, attempts to model something, and attempts to predict something. That was the stage I was at when I arrived.<\/p>\n

Did your stay here help you with your dissertation project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. I came here already prepared: I came here with a first draft of my dissertation and feedback from both my external and local supervisors. At CERGE-EI, I was connected with Michal \u0160olt\u00e9s<\/a>, whose research papers on public procurement I had found.<\/p>\n

Our meeting was very meaningful. In a short period of time, we discussed my data, what it contains, what context I have, and what could be done with it. That discussion quickly turned into a clear plan for next steps.<\/p>\n

Later that same week, we met online with his co-author. We went deeper into the data, including the legal framework and the data structure \u2014 what can be used and what cannot. In the end, we concluded that there is potential to create around five strong papers from the data.<\/p>\n

We now have a clear plan, regular meetings, and specific tasks. I am very happy that I entered this environment.<\/p>\n

So the visit opened the possibility of future collaboration?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. I did not expect that we could go so deep. I thought everyone would be busy with their own work, and I was not sure whether anyone would have time to look at my data or work jointly on it.<\/p>\n

But it worked out very well. The plan is to co-author several papers, and I hope we will manage to do that. That is my goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, we concluded that there is potential to create around five strong papers from the data.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Academic Culture and Rigor<\/h5>\n

You mentioned that the scale of economics at CERGE-EI is different from that at your home university. Did you notice anything else about the academic culture?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first thing I noticed, apart from the higher workload, was the level of difficulty. I spoke with first- and second-year students, and my impression was that they are under a heavy load and a lot of stress. The courses are demanding, and failing a course is not necessarily rare.<\/p>\n

I understood that professors here do not hold back. They give students a full PhD-level cognitive load. If you successfully complete a PhD here<\/a>, you will have a deep understanding of microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, and quantitative methods, from the basics to advanced levels.<\/p>\n

Another difference is the rigor of the research. Professors criticize work in a very informed way. They have deep experience and can clearly identify what is unnecessary.<\/p>\n

At the same time, this creates two sides. On one side, you have very competent people. On the other side, those people are often very stressed. I also spoke with a PhD student from Kazakhstan who is in his fifth year here and has an engineering background. He told me that this background helps, because without strong mathematical and technical skills, it is difficult to survive here. Even he struggled.<\/p>\n

I think students also need professors who are not only demanding, but who motivate and inspire them \u2014 professors who show that economics is not only strict or intimidating. It is not scary; you need to find your own passion inside it. Students should not work only because they are afraid of making mistakes, but also because they want to explore something interesting and share their curiosity.<\/p>\n

So you felt there could be more encouragement or inspiration alongside the rigor?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. For example, at my home university there was a professor who taught research methods. He was teaching there when I applied, and I heard a lot about him. Some students even applied to the PhD program because they knew he would be teaching their courses.<\/p>\n

He was very delicate and soft in his approach, but also clear and rigorous. He explained exactly how he would evaluate students. He was strict, but he always showed the path. He would explain, for example, that a student was investing effort in one area, but that something else was needed, and he would help move the work onto the right track. That was a major source of inspiration for me.<\/p>\n

Did any of the seminars you attended at CERGE-EI contribute to your own research or academic development?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I attended several seminars. One was a Brown Bag Seminar related to research on Kenya, and I could see the quality and level of the student\u2019s work. I also saw what kinds of questions the student received.<\/p>\n

I also attended a seminar about an African country and how internal regional divisions can affect voting patterns. I was able to follow the theoretical background, history, storytelling, consequences, and results. Thanks to AI, I was also able to ask questions in real time, such as what a certain concept meant, and that helped me follow the presentation. After some time, it moved to another level, and I could not fully keep up, but it helped me understand the level of work expected here.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents should not work only because they are afraid of making mistakes, but also because they want to explore something interesting and share their curiosity.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I also attend seminars at my home university, but they cover many different topics. Because our PhD program has only one year of coursework, student seminars are not as rigorous. Professors also cannot go as deeply into a topic, because they know the audience may not be able to follow everything. Here, I saw the difference in levels, and it gave me a general direction for what I need to improve. I hope to get closer to the level of professors\u2019 seminars.<\/p>\n

You also attended a presentation of the Spring World Economic Outlook of the International Monetary Fund, correct?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, there was an event with the IMF. Having guest lectures from institutions like that is a great experience and opportunity. The discussions were very valuable, and the comments and questions from professors were already a learning experience in themselves.<\/p>\n

I think the live experience of participating in such seminars is very important. You just need to be able to digest a lot of information in a short period of time.<\/p>\n

For Determined Students <\/strong><\/h5>\n

Who would you recommend CERGE-EI to \u2014 either as a place to study or as a place to visit?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would definitely tell my students about this environment and how it works. For those who are very hardworking and strong in quantitative skills, I would recommend applying here.<\/p>\n

At the same time, when you consider the length of the program and the amount of time and energy it requires, you need to be quite confident about what you want to do in the long term. Young people often change their minds, the job market is changing, and the world is changing because of AI. It is difficult to predict what you will be doing in five years.<\/p>\n

So you need to be deeply invested in your topic, and you should be careful in choosing the professor you would like to ask to be your supervisor. In that sense, it is comparable to becoming a medical doctor. A surgeon also spends many years training, and the stakes are high.<\/p>\n

For most people, this is a very serious commitment. To work at a national bank or in another highly responsible position, you need to understand your topic very deeply and be able to comprehend what is happening in your country\u2019s economy. It is understandable that such high requirements exist.<\/p>\n

So I would recommend CERGE-EI carefully. It is a very good place for determined young people.<\/p>\n

Would you say it is easier to come as a visiting student than as a regular student?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, I think so. Coming as a visiting student is different. Regular students may have financial and other forms of support, but they still need to commit fully to a very demanding path.<\/p>\n

My earlier view of economics was that at the bachelor\u2019s level, you gain a general theoretical understanding of how the economy works. You know the mechanisms, but you lack practical experience. After that, I thought a person should either start a business or work somewhere where their actions have an impact \u2014 for example, at a national bank or a ministry of finance \u2014 and where they can receive feedback on what is happening.<\/p>\n

Only after that, in my view, should they continue to a deeper level, such as a master\u2019s program. If you go on to a PhD, you should already have a very deep understanding.<\/p>\n

I also think that doing a fintech startup and doing a PhD can be similarly challenging. Perhaps the theoretical and practical sides could be more connected. If students were more active in the practical part, it might help them develop a different point of view \u2014 not only becoming theoretically competent, but also gaining practical experience.<\/p>\n

You also mentioned experimental economics as an example of a more practical research path.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. I liked the path of one student, Theodore Kuoro<\/a>, who sits next to me. He told me about his research, which involves randomized controlled trials and experimental economics. That approach gives practical feedback on what you are doing.<\/p>\n

If research leaned more toward testing ideas in practice, it might be more interactive and enjoyable, and students might feel more confident in their results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 … Continue reading \u201cA Huge Sea of Research\u201d: Visiting CERGE-EI<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,59,176,11,13,51,278],"tags":[16,20,73,281,280,247,242,279],"class_list":["post-5196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-interview","category-mobility","category-phd","category-research","category-seminarstrips","category-visiting-students","tag-cerge-ei","tag-economics","tag-interview-2","tag-phd-student","tag-public-procurement","tag-research","tag-student-experience","tag-visiting-student"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5196"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5198,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196\/revisions\/5198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cerge-ei.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}