The Only Turkish Student Admitted in the Last Five Years

Kerem Kavruk, a graduate of the Department of Economics at the Faculty of Business, İzmir University of Economics (IUE), has been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Economics of Globalisation and European Integration (EGEI), which is funded by the European Union and regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious graduate programmes.

Kavruk ranked 13th among only 30 students admitted worldwide and became the only Turkish student selected for the programme in the last five years. Stating that he had long aimed to study at EGEI, Kavruk said, “I am very happy and proud to have been selected for such an important programme, which closely aligns with my academic work and career goals.”

Coordinated by the University of Bari in Italy and directly connected with institutions such as the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the European Parliament, EGEI is conducted entirely in English and lasts two years. Students have the opportunity to complete their compulsory internships at institutions such as the European Commission, the World Trade Organization, the OECD and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). Kerem Kavruk, who graduated this year as the top-ranking student from the Department of Economics at IUE’s Faculty of Business, will study at the University of Bari, Ghent University in Belgium and the University of Tartu in Estonia during the programme.

“I HAD WANTED THIS FOR A LONG TIME”

Kavruk said that he had wanted to join the EGEI programme for a long time. “This programme had been on my mind since November last year. During the application process, my professors in the department supported me in every way, particularly with reference letters. The interview process was quite challenging. They tested me on economics and econometrics. They were very impressed by my thesis titled ‘The Relationship Between Income Inequality and Political Polarisation in the European Union’, which I wrote as part of our compulsory ‘Seminar in Economics’ course and which received the award for the best undergraduate thesis in political economy. They also asked me questions about it. They assessed my ability to think like a researcher and the depth of my knowledge of economics,” Kavruk said.

“MY EFFORTS PAID OFF”

Kavruk said he was delighted when he first learned that he had been selected for EGEI. “I succeeded in ranking 13th among the 30 students admitted from thousands of applicants from different countries around the world. Among all the programmes available globally, this is the one that most closely matches the work I have carried out. It is a programme that has trained many specialists for the European Union and has a strong alumni network whose members support one another. I knew that gaining admission would be difficult, so I worked very hard. I prepared thoroughly for the interview and was ultimately accepted into the programme. I am proud and happy that my efforts have paid off,” he said. Kavruk stated that, as part of the two-year programme, he would first study at the University of Bari in Italy, followed by Ghent University in Belgium and the University of Tartu in Estonia, and that he would complete his compulsory internship at CEPS. “I believe the programme will provide me with an environment in which I can observe different cultures and economic policies, particularly within the European Union,” Kavruk said.