Alumni
Since the start of the programme in 2006, over 230 students graduated from MACIS. Approximately half of the students entered a PhD programme at CIS or elsewhere. A further number pursue careers in the private sector, in government, as well as in international and civil society organizations.
Jessica Eberhart
Data Journalist & OSINT Investigative Reporter at Neue Zürcher Zeitung
In an era of increasing misinformation and disinformation, I am driven to produce fact-based news articles that promote accountability and contribute to an informed democratic society. The MACIS program’s emphasis on research and quantitative methods has provided me with the necessary tools to leverage insights from data in constructing evidence-based narratives. Moreover, the program’s curriculum has fostered essential competencies like critical thinking and problem-solving which play a key role in ensuring factual accuracy and ethical integrity in my work. I am truly grateful for the lessons I have learned, the lecturers I worked with, and the friendships I have formed during my time at ETH Zurich.
Julian Koller
PhD Student, Chair of Applied Macroeconomics at ETH Zürich
I would recommend the MACIS to anyone who would like to work in research, be it applied in the public/private sector or in academia. Especially if you want to specialize in one of the fields of the affiliated chairs, the program gives you the opportunity to dive deeper into it and already collaborate closely with researchers in the field during the masters. The program is relatively “hands on” and will make you spend more time with the implementation of the studied concepts and methods in reports, problem sets and papers than most masters. For me, this approach and the close interaction with the professors helped to pull back the curtain on the process of research and gave me the confidence to pursue a PhD in my field of specialization.
Mirjam Grünholz
Scientific Collaborator Eawag
MACIS allowed me to keep exploring what I am most interested in – the links between social concepts, environmental policy and governance, and sustainable development. Moreover, I could expand my methodological toolbox with advanced statistical concepts, interdisciplinary teamwork and systematic and analytical thinking. All these skills are the basis for my current position as a Scientific Collaborator at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, where I can combine public policy, environmental governance and data analysis – and by doing so, following my great passion. I can recommend MACIS to anyone who is passionate, hardworking and loves exploring and learning in an excellent environment.
Fride Sigurdsson
Trainee EFTA Statisical Office/Bank Analyst
The critical thinking and technical skills MACIS helps develop is an excellent foundation for a career requiring statistics and analysis. After MACIS, I started a traineeship at the EFTA Statistical Office. As MACIS has a strong focus on methodology, I can confidently communicate and apply statistical concepts when working with colleagues from Eurostat and National Statistical Institutes of Member States. After the traineeship, I use the skills acquired during MACIS as an analyst for Norway’s biggest bank. I strongly recommend MACIS for anyone who would like to develop analytical skills for conducting brilliant research or for excelling in a professional career.
Eloise Harris
Marie Curie PhD Fellow, Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences
I will always consider the two years at MACIS as the time I "found my feet". Unlike other programmes, MACIS offers small class sizes, approachable professors and a focus on research methods, which means you are integrated into the academic community from day one. This certainly prepared me for a career in academia, but also is priceless for other research-based careers. Zurich is a fantastic city, and at MACIS I have made friends I sincerely believe will be with me for life.
Theresa Leimpek
PhD Candidate, Chair of Conflict Research
ETH Zurich
The wide choice of excellent courses in the MACIS curriculum broadened my scientific mind and at the same time allowed me to advance my own specific research interests. Both the excellent student-to-teacher ratio and the international composition of the class made for an exceptionally vibrant learning environment, creating an enduring, valuable network of bright minds all around the globe.
Dr. Nils-Christian Bormann
Professor of International Political Studies, Witten/Herdecke University
The MACIS programme gave me a solid and wide-ranging foundation in comparative politics topics such as elections and democratization and in international relations problems such as violent conflict and international trade. It allowed me to closely follow and participate in ongoing research projects and receive training in the methods and tools required for a scientific career. My classmates were both challenging discussion partners in small-sized seminars and became lasting friends.
Irina Shaymerdenova
Analyst Multinational Research Company
My everyday work requires a lot of abstract quantitative thinking, being able to learn and process large amounts of professional information quickly, communicating effectively in a highly interdisciplinary and multicultural environment, solving problems to a tight deadline. MACIS gave me an opportunity to develop and strengthen all of these skills. I felt well prepared and equipped with the right set of tools and theoretical knowledge for my job. Overall, I guess MACIS can serve as a good starting point for anyone interested in a career in analytics or research in the broad field of social sciences.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Winzen
Associate Professor of Political Science
University of Mannheim
MACIS is a great preparation for a research career. The classes, taught by leading academics, offer a rare combination of theoretical depth and methodological rigor. The small classes and low student-professor ratio creates a friendly and informal environment. There also are many opportunities to gain experience as a research assistant in ongoing projects.
Frederic Hans
Climate Policy Analyst at NewClimate Institute, Berlin
Our policy-advocacy work at NewClimate Institute requires us to analyse global climate change related issues from political, economic, and scientific perspectives. With its strong focus on quantitative and qualitative research methods, the MACIS prepared me well to conduct such multidisciplinary work and to present its results to policy makers, researchers, and the public. I really enjoyed my two years of study at MACIS, including many fruitful discussions with classmates and professors.
Nadine Golinelli
Trainee Swiss insurance company
Especially the methods courses during the MACIS curriculum are of great relevance for my daily work right now. The statistical concepts as well as the hands-on training were of great help to be able to start working in the field of Data Analytics. After graduating from MACIS I started a traineeship at a Swiss insurance company where I can apply the learnt concepts and methods. What is more is that the small class size allows to have close supervision by the professors, which brings the individual research projects to the next level. This is therefore another aspect of the MACIS program which I appreciated a lot.