Introduction
I am Josipa K., a 26-year-old PhD student. I come from Šibenikó, a small Croatian town on the Adriatic coast. I graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb in 2022 with my first Master's degree and from the Faculty of Law of the University of Miskolc in 2024 with my second Master's degree. Before applying for the programme, I worked as a legal trainee in a law firm in Zagreb.
How was the application process?
In March 2023 my supervisor contacted me and informed me about this programme. He provided me with all the necessary information and told me to decide if I want to apply. Since my days at the faculty I knew I wanted to deal with Family Law and to become a university professor, so I said yes without much thought. In a few weeks I collected all the necessary documents and sent it via email. Some of these documents I needed to translate, but it wasn’t a problem at all. In case we needed to provide more information, there was a possibility to contact some of the coordinators of the programme.
How did the move go?
To be honest, I thought it will be very difficult, since I had to do the moving by bus, but it wasn’t bad at all. My mother helped me with moving and my aunt helped me to find the apartment. Everything was solved in a few days, without any problem.
Where do you see yourself in a few years and how will the CEA help you on the way?
I see myself working as a university professor teaching Family Law. I think CEA opened that door for me. Without this lifetime opportunity, I’m not sure if I would be able to manage it. So it’s an understatement to say that CEA has helped me a lot so far. Not only did I got the chance to do what I like, but also to learn more about Family Law legal solutions in other Central Eastern European countries.
Was there anything you worried about before you came?
I was worrying about several things, for instance the fact that I will be living abroad and that I did not know Budapest at all and also the unfamiliarity of the Hungarian language. My biggest concern was that before this programme, I had never lived abroad. But everything turned out to be great and it took me a few weeks to get used to it.
What is everyday life like at the academy?
Days at the academy are never the same. There are some days when we have more commitments, such as exams, conferences, VIP lectures or supervisors’ lectures and there are some days when our schedule is more flexible. During those days we can be more dedicated to our research.
How supportive is CEA professionally?
CEA is providing us with learning materials that are useful for our research. Furthermore, at the conferences we have the opportunity to network with outstanding experts. I would also like to highlight the summer schools and international conferences we can apply to, thanks to the Academy.
How can you also do research?
Besides using articles available online or articles that are published by the CEA, I also visited the Library of the Hungarian Parliament. Moreover, during a study trip in the Hague we had the chance to visit the Peace Palace Library which was more than useful for all of us.
What other opportunities does the CEA offer?
CEA offers us foreing language learning opportunities. Moreover, CEA offers to cover all the costs that are necessary for attending summer schools or conferences connected to our topic.
What is it like to live in Budapest?
I really like Budapest itself and the everyday life here. My first time in Budapest was when we had the open day and the interview at the CEA. To be honest, I was afraid to come here alone, since I didn’t know the city and because of the unfamiliarity of the language, but it turned out really good. Eventually I was very proud of myself for coming here. I didn’t regret it at all. At the beginning it was challenging to adapt to the life here, but it was worth it. Budapest is a city with very rich history and interesting architecture. Its cultural life is vivid, and its public transport is impeccable.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I see myself dealing with Family Law in academia, but I’m still not sure where exactly.
Who would you recommend the CEA Junior Programme to?
I recommend the CEA Junior Programme to young lawyers who see themselves working in academia, who are willing to take a risk and move abroad, and who want to learn new things about other countries, languages, cultures and tradition.
Isn’t it a disadvantage that the Academy is so young?
No, I don’t think so. Even though CEA is a relatively young institute, it is very well organized. In my opinion, the most challenging task was accomplished by its establishment. To gather professors and students from several Central European countries seems like a huge challenge for me. Once established, CEA can only make more progress and improve as time goes on.
What has been the best experience at the CEA for you so far?
The best experience so far was the study trip we had in the Hague. There we had an opportunity to visit the Peace Palace Library and the International Criminal Court. Besides that, we had the opportunity to present our Ph.D. topics in front of distinguished experts at the Hungarian Embassy.
What message do you have for future juniors?
Be courageous and don’t miss this lifetime opportunity!
Josipa (HR)
