My name is Oliver Reschreiter, I’m originally Austrian and Puerto Rican. I completed my bachelor's degree in European Studies in the Netherlands. Already back then, I had an interest in Central Asian affairs and the South Caucasus, having travelled quite a bit in the region. To pursue this interest further, the University of Helsinki and the Master’s Programme in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies (MAREEES) seemed like a great fit.
At the time I applied, Russian and Eurasian studies were undergoing changes due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many universities were shifting their focus away from Russia and limiting cooperation with Russian institutions. When I compared MAREEES with other master's programmes, I noticed that most were either focused solely on Russian studies or narrowly on Eastern Europe, neither of which fully matched my interests.
I was particularly drawn to focusing on the South Caucasus and Central Asia, which often fall outside the scope of traditional Russian or Eastern European studies programmes. The University of Helsinki’s MAREEES programme stood out as one of the few that explicitly mentioned a broader Eurasian focus, which was a key factor in my decision. And here I am two years later, having completed the degree.
I would say the programme is on the right track in terms of its Central Asian and broader Eurasian focus: we’ve had some strong lecturers and courses on Central Asian affairs, and I hope those continue and expand for future students. Since we were the first cohort of this expanded master's Programme, which previously focused more on Russian Studies, it's understandable that some elements are still developing. In my view, there still should be more inclusion of regions like Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Additionally, the Baltics don’t seem to be covered much either, even though they’re geographically close to Finland. Same with the Balkans, although the Institute does have expertise in that area. I think it would be great to integrate more courses on these regions into the programme for students who are interested in them.
The curriculum flexibility was a highlight. My first term was quite exciting: I could choose almost any course at the university level. I probably went a bit overboard and took eight courses in my first term. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it shows how much freedom you have to shape your studies! Of course, there are core required courses, but beyond that, I had the freedom to specialise. I’m glad I could chose to focus on Central Asia by selecting related courses. Even in the core courses, most assignments were flexible, which allowed me to tailor them to my interests. Additionally, what also stood out early on was that it was quite clear the lecturers were established and knowledgeable in their fields.
Additionally, I would say the organised excursions were also a nice experience: I had the chance to go to Tallinn twice. Once through a short Erasmus+ mobility exchange, and once as part of the programme’s excursion. Another great opportunity was participating in the annual Aleksanteri Conference, where we could present our master's thesis plans in a poster session. I also got to volunteer as a conference assistant during my first year, which I really enjoyed.
As I was juggling my studies at the same time, time management was challenging now and then, but overall, it was quite interesting, and I learned a lot during the traineeship!
It was also nice to get the chance to work within the actual Aleksanteri Institute for a while. You get to see how things function behind the scenes. As a student participating in lectures delivered by the staff, you don’t always see what’s happening internally, so that perspective was valuable. And being part of the conference organisation was a really rewarding experience.
It wasn’t straightforward. I think I changed my topic at least three times. I had always planned to pursue a PhD after my Master’s, so that was in the back of my mind throughout the process.
When I spoke with the then programme director Sari Autio-Sarasmo, she gave me very helpful advice: if you're planning to continue with a PhD, it’s best to choose a thesis topic that you can build on later. So that’s what I did: I decided to gear in the direction of energy studies.
In fact, it was a topic I was already somewhat familiar with, since my bachelor’s thesis was on energy relations between the EU and Azerbaijan: a topic I hated at the time! It’s kind of funny that I ended up continuing with it for my Master’s. But in hindsight, it was probably the best advice I received.
I managed to combine my main interest, Central Asia, with energy, and it has really paid off. Given the current global context, topics like Central Asia and critical raw materials are very relevant. It’s a growing but still understudied field, so there’s increasing academic demand for this kind of research. In that sense, I feel quite lucky.
I will start my PhD fellowship in Krakow Poland at Jagiellonian University, within the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network: Contested EU Foreign Policy in an Era of Geopolitics (EUFOG). As part of my PhD, I’ll also be working on my dissertation during secondments at the University of Bristol and in Brussels at the EGMONT Institute.
What I’ve submitted so far is still quite broad: my proposed PhD project will focus on the European Union’s external renewable energy relations within Central Asia and the South Caucasus, encompassing the wider Caspian region.
When it comes to energy affairs, the big topic now is the EU’s push for energy independence and how to move away from Russian energy and gas. The logical solution is to look for alternative suppliers, for example, in Central Asia.
At the same time, the EU is also focused on renewable energy and pushing forward its Green Deal, with the goal to become carbon neutral in the near future. The logical follow-up question is: what form does the EU’s engagement in Central Asian and South Caucasus energy affairs actually take?
Are we just entrenching ourselves further into hydrocarbon dependency, in this sort of death grip of oil and gas, or is the EU really making concrete steps toward establishing itself as a green energy hub and turning Central Asia and the South Caucasus into part of that green transition? This is the kind of problematique I’m going to dig into.
During the first year of my degree, I did an internship with the Hague Research Institute for Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus & Central Asia, and now I’m working on editing my Master’s thesis into an article that I’m planning to publish with them.
I also wrote a blog post that was published on The MAREEES Student Stories, and I’m currently working to get that piece published by a media outlet in Kazakhstan as well, which is quite exciting. Beyond that, I’ll probably be heading back to Central Asia soon. Partly to do some research, and partly just for the fun of it!
In my view, the best approach any student can take here is to enjoy the flexibility that Finland has to offer. Especially in higher education, it’s quite rare to have this kind of system where the degree structure allows so much freedom.
Also, the low-hierarchy culture in universities is unique. For example, my thesis supervisor has always been very approachable, and other professors have been quite approachable as well. I think that’s something to take advantage of, since it’s not something you necessarily encounter in every country.