Newsletter
On 29 November 2021 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. On this special occasion, we reached out to fellows to ask how the MSCA has benefitted their careers. For Cihan Dizdaroglu, the MSCA adventure was a unique opportunity and freedom to devote time to research.
Cihan Dizdaroglu, in his own words
I am an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey. I am a Turkish scholar interested in critical peace and conflict studies, youth, peacebuilding, critical security studies and Turkish foreign policy, with a focus on Turkish-Greek relations and Cyprus.
Cihan embarked on his MSCA journey thanks to his supervisor and mentor Sinem Akgul Acikmese, a professor of International Relations. It all started when he was just about to complete his PhD at the Kadir Has University in Turkey.
The success of a ‘Dream Team’
For Cihan, the success of his application is due to wonderful teamwork. “I am thankful to Akgul Acikmese and several of my colleagues who had the privilege of being MSCA fellows as well. They took the time to read my proposal, and to share their valuable feedback with me. The excellent match between my research topic and the research interests of my supervisors (Alpaslan Ozerdem and Bahar Baser Ozturk) helped me realise my dream project,” explains Cihan.
But challenges have also been part of the journey. For instance, his application received positive feedback ‘only’ at the third round of review by the supervisor and host institution. Cihan joined his research team at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University, in the United Kingdom, in October 2018. That’s when he started working on his project dedicated to ‘the Role of Youth in Peacebuilding: The Cyprus Case (YOUPEACEBUILDER)’.
Dedicating time to research only
Focusing on the Cypriot youth, Cihan’s project aimed to foster debate among academics, policy experts, civil society organisations and international third-party actors.
For him, winning an MSCA gave him the opportunity to dedicate his time to research only. “During my early career, I worked both in academia and civil society and did not have the chance to solely focus on my academic research. The MSCA fellowship thus allowed me to allocate all my time to focus on my research, to have intense training and to improve my skills. At the end of the day, I got more than I expected from the fellowship,” he explains.
Cihan enjoyed each moment of his fellowship even though he had to spend eight months under lockdown, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I can honestly argue that my MSCA fellowship was like a dream journey. Throughout this journey, I was able to focus on my research, travelled numerous countries, deepened my knowledge, lived in a new country, became acquainted with British bureaucracy, spent a couple of months in Cyprus for my fieldwork, and met wonderful people. I still share my reflections with my students, colleagues and friends, as well as continue to benefit from my research outcomes,” he says.
According to Cihan, the training and knowledge he acquired through the MSCA fellowship opened up new opportunities, networks and roles. “I had the chance to build new academic networks that resulted in new publications and collaborations, to assume roles as contributor and advisory Board member on various research projects, to gain teaching experience in the UK, to act as mentor for both early-stage researchers and potential MSCA fellows, and finally to secure an academic position in my country,” he adds.
Cihan also highlights the freedom that the Action procures. “The MSCA fellowship is a unique opportunity, and it provides a real freedom for the researcher to focus on their dream research project. While the application process might seem complicated, it’s worth it. Never give up from your ideas that you truly believe in,” he says.
Sharing memories
Back in Turkey, after having completed his MSCA fellowship, Cihan started work in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Baskent University, Ankara, as an assistant professor. “Thanks to the MSCA fellowship, I have so many memories and experiences to share with my students,” he concludes.
Aurélia Chaise
MCAA Editorial Team