• Why have you chosen the Centre for Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast for your stay abroad? In how far was this research important for your PhD-project?

The Centre for Children’s Rights, which is under the direction of Prof. Laura Lundy, is an interdisciplinary research centre with internationally recognised expertise in research, education and training in a) the implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in a variety of contexts, b) children’s participation rights, and c) children’s rights-based research methods. My own research adopts a child-rights-centered perspective, since it concentrates on the consequences for the rights of children when analysing the various provisions of the CRC, as well as a critical approach to the legal discourse by analysing the underlying values which prescribe the formulation and implementation of the CRC. In this respect, the children’s rights-based approach to research employed in the Centre, combined with its character as a centre of excellence and expertise in the field of children’s rights, helped me to a considerably extent to understand, interpret and apply such concepts with respect to my own study.

• What do you remember especially from your stay with the Centre for Children’s Rights? What was especially surprising/exciting?

During my stay with the Centre for Children’s Rights, I participated in a variety of seminars, lectures, reading group meetings, and other academic events, all the while developing links and collaborating with international researchers in the field. Among others, I attended a three-days module on children’s rights by Prof. Laura Lundy and a two days “Early Career Research Writing Retreat”. Furthermore, I presented my research project at the “Annual Doctoral Conference in Education” at the Queen’s University and the “Advancing Children’s Rights Conferences: Use of the Law and Internationalisation” at the University College Cork. In overall, my capacity as a full member of the Queen's University community gave me the opportunity to develop both my critical awareness of the children’s rights discourse and my ability to reflect, analyse and write on the subject. All these possibilities and opportunities would not be feasible if I did not have the unique chance to be supervised, mentored and greatly influenced by the internationally renowned Prof. Laura Lundy, to whom I am personally indebted.

• What will you remember from your time in Belfast?

I will remember its history, culture, food, exciting events, various festivals, friendly people, architecture, and… the rocky road chocolate cake with marshmallows and biscuits! My favorite area was the university campus, with its beautiful botanic garden, the river Lagan, the outstanding library, the queen’s sport center, and the alternative queen’s film theater. My experience with the Centre for Children's Rights and Belfast was one of the most memorable and amazing experiences I have ever had in terms of both research and living.

• How did you prepare your stay abroad – and what would you do differently the next time?

I was in constant contact with Prof. Laura Lundy and the Centre for Children’s Rights, and thanks to their profound and encouraging support everything was perfectly planned and organised. Moreover, of special importance was certainly the funding of my research stay in Belfast, without which I would not be able to conduct my research abroad. I therefore successfully applied for a Marietta-Blau-Fellowship of the Austrian Academic Exchange Service, which covered all expenses of my research trip. Therefore, I could not be more grateful for my wonderful cooperation with both the Austrian Academic Exchange Service and the Centre for Children’s Rights. Of special importance for the preparation of my stay in Belfast was also the precious support of my supervisor Prof. Manfred Nowak, whose internationally acclaimed excellence in human rights renders my very research feasible and to whom I dedicate wholeheartedly my entire PhD journey.

• Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for other PhD-candidates who are planning a stay abroad?

I would highly recommend PhD candidates to plan a research stay abroad. Such an experience in a new international environment would give them a dynamic impetus to reach their research goals and bring their research to a successful outcome.

• Alexandros H. Stylianidis is a PhD candidate in human rights at the University of Vienna, under the supervision of Prof. Manfred Nowak. The title of his dissertation is "The right of a child to cultural identity in international human rights law".