Iliana Kandzha, Hungary

Curriculum Vitae

Iliana Kandzha definitely has a thing for the Middle Ages. After her Bachelor studies in History at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, she chose the Medieval Studies Department at the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary, for her Master. During that time her interest in the mechanisms of symbolic communication in the Middle Ages was further fuelled. Currently, she is enrolled in the Doctoral Programme at the CEU. Iliana works on her dissertation with the provisional title “The Cult of the Royal Couple: Henry II and Cunigunde in Hagiographic Tradition, Art and Liturgy” exploring the cultural, social and political importance of the named cults in Central Europe. She spent three months in Austria with an Ernst Mach Grant worldwide to do research for her thesis.

In the last years Iliana took part in multiple international conferences and workshops and published several articles related to her field. She is also one of the academic editors of the Russian digital journal for medieval studies “Vox Medii Aevi”.

Reflection

I spent my research period at the Institute of Austrian Historical Research of the University of Vienna. I analysed the veneration patterns and cultural presence of the saints Henry and Cunigunde in medieval Austrian lands and I worked with multiple manuscripts and charters of Austrian provenance. The scholarship gave me the chance to get to know academics and researchers in Vienna, to share my findings with them and to obtain critical feedback—all of which is beneficial to my doctoral project. The engaging and friendly atmosphere of the institute stimulated further research, not least due to the excellent research facilities available. I am grateful to the OEAD for this excellent opportunity to promote my academic development and personal growth, while also having time for enjoying Vienna!