Or: Building Community Through Scholarship and Schnitzel

The Competence Centre is pleased to announce the launch of the Second Hub for PhD Students—an initiative dedicated to fostering academic exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue, and peer support among doctoral candidates who conduct research on emerging economies and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), or who themselves originate from these regions.

The Hub complements the guidance students receive from their supervisors within WU departments by offering a dedicated platform for networking, informal knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Through regular meet-ups and community-building activities, the Hub aims to cultivate a dynamic, inclusive space where early-career scholars can connect and thrive.

To mark the beginning of this exciting journey, the Hub’s opening was celebrated in true Austrian fashion—with a cozy lunch at Schweizerhaus restaurant in the Wiener Prater. The event set the tone for the spirit of the initiative: academic enrichment paired with cultural exchange and camaraderie.

We look forward to supporting our PhD community as it continues to grow—one conversation (and one Stelze) at a time.

Read more about the initiative and its activities here.

Get in touch:

If you are a PhD student and would like get involved in the Second Hub or simply learn more about the initiative, please contact us at emcee@wu.ac.at.

A heartfelt thanks to our founding group!

Sidan Raeskyesa; Toan The Dinh; Tuyen Nguyen Thanh; Yen Luu; Rangga Almahendra (postdoctoral researcher and mentor)