In 2009 the European Doctoral Seminar was held for the third time in Budapest, Hungary. The reason was the 20 th anniversary of the beginning of the transition process in Central and Eastern Europe, mainly initiated by the former Hungarian government. In June 1989 the Austrian and the Hungarian Ministers of Foreign Affairs cut through symbolically a part of the Iron Curtain, which was the first step to the re-unification of Europe. EDS as forum for Ph D students from several European nations has to be understood in the same sense. In the preface of the documents of the first meeting in 2001 it was expressed, that the new Europe would be result of intensive work to be done by millions of people. “EDS should be considered as one of these activities, an attempt to encourage students of different countries to come together to start their own scientific cooperation.” After nine years it can be said without any exaggeration that the expectations of 2001 have been fulfilled. More than 40 Ph D students from six countries have presented basic ideas or part of their theses. Some of them are professors, lectures at universities, others have attained high positions in ministries or international organizations.weiterlesen