News

Meet Our Students: From South America to Prague

12 August, 2025

Our PhD student Raul Enrique Zavala Sanchez developed his interest in macroeconomics from a desire to understand the persistent economic challenges in Latin America. He shares his journey in this short interview.

Originally from South America, Raul first earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from a university in Vilnius, Lithuania, followed by a Master’s in Finance. His growing interest in macroeconomics came from a desire to better understand the economic challenges of his home region, particularly issues such as inflation, unemployment, and GDP fluctuations.

After several years of professional experience, including work in the banking sector, Raul decided to return to academia to pursue his passion for research. He discovered CERGE-EI and moved to Prague. Having experienced both the Master’s and PhD programs here, he describes CERGE-EI as “challenging and rewarding,” offering the opportunity to break down complex economic systems and think critically about how they work.

Raul’s research interests lie at the intersection of macroeconomics and finance, and he is considering a future in academia or with international organizations such as the IMF or the World Bank.

Read the full interview on our blog.