Internship in International Affairs

About

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly International Secretariat regularly engages eight or nine graduate students of political science, law and international relations from universities in OSCE countries as Research Fellows. Fellowship positions are granted for six month periods. Housing is provided free of charge and all Research Fellows receive a small stipend of 564 euros per month, which covers minimum living expenses in Copenhagen or Vienna. Students join the International Secretariat in order to gain practical experience in the field of international affairs, and the Assembly, in turn, benefits from increased language capacity as well as a strong research capacity.

Tasks

The primary duty of Research Fellows is to conduct substantive research on various projects for the Assembly and to provide assistance to its officials and staff members. Research Fellows regularly prepare briefing reports for parliamentary delegations, including for election observation missions and official visits by Parliamentary Assembly Members. They also assist in the planning and execution of meetings of the Assembly, work with Assembly Committees, follow the work of OSCE Field Missions, and assist in the drafting of various Assembly reports. In addition, Fellows are at times asked to help draft speeches and statements and write papers on special projects undertaken by the Assembly's Secretariat. They also assist with day-to-day practical work in the office such as copying, filing and other necessary chores.

Qualifications

The Secretariat mainly recruits graduate students between the ages of 21 and 26 with strong research and writing abilities and a solid academic background. Specific interests in the politics of the OSCE region, and particularly the former Soviet Union, are desirable. Excellent written and spoken English is required as this is the working language, and one other official OSCE language (French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish) is desirable. Computer skills for word-processing and research are also necessary. All Fellowships demand a six month time commitment.

Application procedure

Fellowship positions are available twice a year: one intake in September/October and another intake in February/March.
Applications for the OSCE PA International Research Fellowship Programme are accepted at any time of year, but the deadline for the Autumn intake is 1 May of each year, and 1 October for the Spring intake. Applications must include: the completed application form; a short cover letter; a curriculum vitae; a transcript of grades; two letters of recommendation; and a recent photograph.
Application Form
Please submit completed applications to: 

Dana Bjerregaard

Assistant to the Secretary General
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Tordenskjoldsgade 1
1055 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Tel.: +45 33 37 80 40
Fax: +45 33 37 80 30
E-mail: dana@oscepa.dk