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How did you establish cooperation with PhD Marta

Pachocka (How did it start)?

I met PhD Pachocka during the EUMedEA Crash Course “Managing crises at the EU Med borders” at the University of Catania (July 2018) where she was invited to be a speaker by Professor Stefania Panebianco and I was one of the participants in the event. I was at the very start of my PhD track, so I was still developing my research scope. I was very impressed with PhD Pachocka’s knowledge and expertise on EU migration and asylum policy. Accordingly, I came up with the idea of considering Poland as a case study for my project and asked PhD Pachocka if she would become my PhD co-supervisor. Her expertise on migration, asylum, and economics helped me to develop the initial research scope, and later, its methodology.

What was the role of PhD Pachocka as your co-supervisor in the preparation of your doctoral dissertation? How do you evaluate this cooperation? Would you encourage young scientists and doctoral students to write doctoral dissertations in cooperation with a foreign co-supervisor from outside their home university?

PhD Pachocka’s support in my PhD thesis was of incredible value. I will never be able to fully express it in words. She always has been able to motivate me, even in times of stress, keeping me focused on my research idea. She has provided me with the opportunity to present my PhD work at numerous seminars and conferences. In addition, she has supported me with the methodological part by suggesting people I might interview for my research. I strongly encourage doctoral students to look for co-supervisors from outside their home university. This research method is widely implemented in Northern and Western European countries and not only provides the student with a broader range of acquisition of knowledge but also expands their academic network, which may be useful for future endeavours.

How did your cooperation with SGH Warsaw School of Economics and the Department of Political Studies look like?

I was surprised about the high degree of competence from the academics and professors at the Department of Political Studies of SGH Warsaw School of Economics. Many of them are not just specialised in one research area but in many. This provides the department with a unique environment for the exchange of knowledge, mixing different methods and theoretical frameworks and being on top of innovative research ideas. Apart from this, I had the good fortune to cooperate with PhD Pachocka on some publications, including an article in a journal with impact factor, as well as a book chapter (see: 1. Caballero Vélez D., Pachocka M., Understanding EU Member State cooperation within the asylum regime during the migration and refugee crisis from an IR perspective, in: Promoting values, stability and economic prosperity in the changing world in the global context. EU facing current challenges, opportunities, crisis and conflicts, eds. A. Adamczyk, M. Dziembała, A. Kłos, M. Pachocka, Elipsa, Warsaw 2019, pp. 139-154 and 2. Caballero Vélez D., Pachocka M., Producing public goods in the EU: European integration processes in the fields of refugee protection and climate stability, “European Politics and Society” 2021, Vol. 22, Issue 1, pp.

1-18, doi: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1080/23745118.2020.1791458). Currently, I am working with PhD Jan Misiuna on a publication for International Migration, another impact-factor journal in migration studies. Last but not least, I have appreciated the SGH scholars’ human approach, kindness, and availability.

In July 2021 you defended your doctoral dissertation.

What are your career plans for the coming years? Do you want to stay in academia or change fields? Where do you want to work?

I would like to remain in academia. The academic world is tough and competitive, but it is what I like to do the most. I would like to do a postdoc to develop further my PhD thesis and publish it as a monograph. I think the first years after PhD completion are crucial to the development of one’s academic career, so it is important to publish. I would like to work at a high-level university with a good work environment.

Are you going to research Poland further? In what context/approach, and why?

I certainly will. I am becoming highly interested in CEE politics. My interest is not just limited to migration issues but also nation-building processes, the concept of identity, enlargement, etc. I am keenly interested in investigating Poland and other CEE countries in all these topics in the context of the EU.

Are you planning to maintain contacts and cooperate with SGH Warsaw School of Economics and the Department of Political Studies?

Yes, absolutely. I expect to keep on collaborating with SGH even on professional terms. I will keep my door open for professional collaboration with SGH, as I think I could benefit from it; in addition, I would try to put all my efforts in maintaining SGH’s high standards by incorporating my experience and knowledge from other top universities.

Would you like to share any thoughts, opinions, or pass on something to foreign doctoral students interested in Poland?

Poland is an amazing country. Polish academia is of great relevance in Europe, and new generations of Polish scholars have a very high level of conducting research. Most young Poles are proficient in English, which makes it easier for foreign doctoral students to integrate. The growing economic, geopolitical, and educational potential of Poland makes it a unique place to spend a research period as a PhD student. 

Diego Caballero Vélez's profile and publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diego-Caballero-Velez