How did the EUI shape your career?
The EUI was very much essential for looking beyond what I had been doing, mainly studying law. Studying and researching law is, of course, a good thing. But what the EUI helped me to do was to put it into context, to go far beyond legal implementation and look at economics and at all other fields which the EUI is providing. It gave me the tools to understand European integration and European policy—how they can be used to improve the lives of European citizens and promote European values.
How did your time at the EUI contribute to building professional skills and networks outside academia?
I think the EUI is a wonderful opportunity to meet a lot of very nice, interesting, and engaged people. It’s not just about research—it’s excellent at that, of course—but when working on EU policy, especially in positions of responsibility within the Commission, you also need deep and critical thinking. The kind of thinking and contextual understanding the EUI fosters helps tremendously in moving forward in policy work.
In what ways did your EUI experience support your research throughout your academic path afterwards?
At the EUI, I focused on corporate law from both a European and a comparative perspective, but I placed it within the broader context of economics. That foundation became the basis for the legal research I carried out in my doctoral thesis. Interdisciplinarity played a role as well. Not to necessarily integrate exchanges with peers from other departments into my research, but really to get a completely different perspective on EU integration and how, in the end, that all has to fit together. Therefore, not only looking at it from a very legal perspective but also from a broader policy perspective, overall, what EU integration and EU policy is about.
Would you give any advice to current or future EUI students and researchers?
What I learned at the EUI is that the principle is really being intellectually curious. Therefore, look beyond your field. Choose a research topic that allows you to take a broader view and connect different disciplines, rather than limiting yourself too narrowly.
Secondly, be open. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow researchers completely in the same situation as you. Make a lot of friends and really have fascinating and interesting debates.
And, finally - don't only spend your time in the library! Go out, enjoy Fiesole, Florence, and Tuscany. When I was at the EUI, I often went on long walks through Tuscany with friends. That was a very special part of the experience.
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The EUI Alumni Testimonials series offers a glimpse into the diverse paths and experiences of our alumni. Through their stories, we revisit meaningful moments from their time at the EUI and discover how these experiences continue to shape their personal and professional journeys.
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Disclaimer: All information reported in this article reflects solely the perspective of EUI alumni and former EUI members. In no case does this article represent the view of the organisations the interviewees are affiliated with.