"I combined my thesis with what I love — and it turned out to be so much easier!"Ekaterina Slinkina, student of the Economics track, on researching UAE airlines' development strategies

The "Economics of Asia and Africa" track at the Department of Asian and African Studies has long been one of the most popular on our programme. Yet many students hesitate when they first see the name: "Will I manage? Do I need to already know something complex and highly specific to feel confident here?" Let us be clear: no, you don't. Our tracks follow a "simple to complex" logic — we start with foundational concepts and gradually guide you toward independent research. Most importantly, you get to explore what genuinely interests you. Want to dive into Emirati airlines? Chinese digital platforms? We will always find a supervisor who can help you turn curiosity into serious academic work — just as we did for Ekaterina Slinkina. Combining her passion for aviation, hands-on experience at an airport, and economic analysis, she turned personal interest into a successful thesis. Here's what she gained along the way.

© From the personal archive of Ekaterina Slinkina

- Ekaterina, tell us briefly about your research on development strategies and competitive advantages of Emirati airlines. What drew you to this topic? Was there a moment when you realized, "This is exactly why I chose the economics track"?

- I chose this topic because I've always been fascinated by aviation — and for the past year and a half, I've been working at Pulkovo Airport, including with some of the very airlines I ended up researching. It seemed like a great idea to combine my thesis with something I genuinely enjoy, and it turned out to be much easier and more productive to write when you're personally invested. I'd definitely recommend this approach to others! The economics track helped me a lot here because economics, in one way or another, touches every field — there are always numbers you can compare and analyze. I think it was partly this "universality" that drew me to economics in the first place.

- What tools or approaches did you use in your research? Was there something you couldn't do before but now consider an important professional skill?

- The most challenging part for me was the calculations (though I should note that quantitative analysis isn't mandatory for economics track theses — I just missed doing math!). I had to learn several statistical formulas that greatly strengthened my research, and I'm certain I'll use them again in future projects. Beyond that, I applied historical and comparative analysis — methods familiar to most students, but powerful when used thoughtfully.

- How do you see the connection between this research and your future career?

- Since I plan to keep developing my career in aviation, it's essential for me to understand as much as possible about the airlines that interest me — so this research was incredibly valuable. My next thesis actually continues this line of inquiry, but shifts focus from airlines to airports, which is equally relevant for my professional path.

 

© From the personal archive of Ekaterina Slinkina