ALEKSANDRA BAJDE

Aleksandra Bajde, PhD, is a cultural manager, researcher, and cultural strategist based in Vienna. Her work focuses on international cultural relations, cultural policy, and sustainability in culture and the arts. With studies spanning political science, European studies, and music, she combines academic research with more than a decade of professional experience across international cultural organisations, higher education, and European cooperation initiatives.

She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Vienna. Her doctoral dissertation, The Europeanization of Cultural Diplomacy of Small EU Member States: Comparing Austria and Slovenia, examined the Europeanization of foreign cultural policy and cultural diplomacy in Austria and Slovenia, focusing on how EU-level priorities and cooperation frameworks shape national policy approaches, and how small EU member states contribute to the development of the EU’s framework for international cultural relations.

Aleksandra is Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Culture and Sustainability Lab, an interdisciplinary non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the role of culture in sustainable development. She regularly presents at international conferences, contributes to policy dialogue, and has taught sustainability-oriented project management at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Her international engagement has included the European Music Council Fellowship Programme, the Global Cultural Relations Programme, the Centre of Excellence in International Cultural Relations, Cultural and Public Diplomacy (CREDO) at the University of Siena, and the RECAS Fellowship.

Alongside her research and policy work, Aleksandra maintains an active artistic practice as a composer-performer. Her experience across cultural management and artistic practice brings a practice-based perspective to her research, policy, and strategic work.