Each year, CLIC welcomes a few talented BA and MA students, who are individually coached by senior researchers within the framework of ongoing projects. In addition to this mentorship, students are integrated into the research group's activities through meetings and by contributing to events like the annual CLIC Day. They also participate in FWO screenings for doctoral candidates (CULT 2 panel) to gain insight into successful PhD applications and the feedback process. The can apply for travel bursaries to attend academic events abroad, receive funding to organize their own student conference, and more.
Mehran Ghandi
Mehran Ghandi completed his BA with high distinction from the University of Tehran, Iran, where he pursued Persian Language and Literature, learning about the Persian literary tradition(s) from the pre-modern era to the contemporary period. The programme focused on mastering the historical and literary use of the Persian language from the 12th century onwards, giving him a solid foundation for reading and analysing literary texts across periods. Alongside this training, Mehran studied literary theory to broaden his analytical approaches to Persian texts. He also completed a minor in English Literature, engaging with the Western canon and debates about how that canon is constructed and taught. Beyond the university, Mehran gained experience through an internship at the Academy of Persian Language and Literature (APLL), teaching Persian literature to secondary-school students, representing the student body at University of Tehran and at VUB, organising activities and reading groups, editing an issue of the student journal (University of Tehran) on the Persianate world, working in translation, and writing short cultural pieces for wider audiences. At VUB, where he is taking the Multilingual Masters in Literary Studies and Linguistics, Mehran seeks to expand his understanding of Literary Studies as an interdisciplinary field. His main areas of interest include Persian literary history, reception studies - both within the Persian field and between Persian and English - and canonisation, particularly through anthologies and literary magazines.
Jiske Herrijgers
Jiske Herrijgers holds a bachelor’s degree in Language and Literary Studies from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), with a specialization in Dutch and Spanish. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Literature. During her Bachelor’s studies, she conducted research on Valeria Luiselli’s Desierto sonoro (2019), focusing on autofiction, enclosed spaces, sensory experiences, and the ways in which these elements reveal family dynamics. Within the course Intermediality in Hispanic Literature, she also carried out an intermedial analysis of Ernesto Sábato’s El túnel (1948), examining the role of visual art in both the novel and its cinematographic adaptation. For these assignments she received a publication proposal. Her research interests cover a broad range of topics within Hispanic and Dutch literary and intermedial studies. She draws particular inspiration from contemporary works by women and queer authors. As a Talent for Research student, she will explore representations of identity in Chicana literature. Her Master’s thesis will take the form of a publishable article. She will also complete an internship at the Centre for Literary and Intermedial Crossings (CLIC) at VUB.
Jana Kopkášová
Noah Van den Eynde