Vienna, May 2025 — Central European University (CEU) is proud to announce that Professor Martin Kahanec, from the Department of Public Policy, has been appointed as one of the members of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission.
As part of the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM), Professor Kahanec will join a collegial team of experts tasked with delivering high‑quality, timely and independent scientific advice to the College of European Commissioners. The SAM serves as a unique science‑for‑policy interface, underpinning EU decision‑making with robust and transparent processes. Advisors work in close cooperation with the SAM secretariat and contribute directly to shaping policies of major importance to the European Parliament and the Council.
Commenting on his election, Professor Kahanec said: “This appointment is both a personal honor and a recognition of the supportive and inspiring academic communities I am proud to be part of - at CEU in Vienna, in my home country Slovakia, and across my European and international networks. I look forward to contributing to evidence-informed policymaking in Europe, drawing on the vital role that the social sciences play in helping societies develop and implement innovative solutions to their most pressing challenges."
Professor Kahanec’s three‑year mandate is renewable once for an additional two‑year term.
Since its establishment in 2019, the SAM’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors has been comprised of up to seven eminent scientists appointed in their personal capacity by the Commission, each representing diverse fields, from natural and social sciences to engineering and the humanities, to ensure a truly interdisciplinary approach to EU policymaking
For more information on the Scientific Advice Mechanism and the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, please visit:
European Commission research and innovation site: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/strategy/support-policy-making/scientific-support-eu-policies/group-chief-scientific-advisors_en
Martin Kahanec is a Professor at CEU’s Department of Public Policy and Director of The Shattuck Center for Human Rights at CEU. His main research interests are economic policy, labor and population economics, migration, EU mobility, ethnicity, and reforms in European labor markets. Professor Kahanec has held several advisory positions and leading roles in a number of scientific and policy projects with the World Bank, the European Commission, European Parliament, European Labour Authority, European Court of Auditors, and other international and national institutions. For more on Professor Martin Kahanec, please visit this site.