Internship

During her internship at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva, Micaela made significant contributions within the Migration and Research Publications Divisions. Her primary focus was on the Gender and Migration Research Policy Action Lab (GenMig), a multi-stakeholder initiative, which is focused on impact research for supporting gender-responsive policies, operations, programming, and practices in migration. Additionally, she supported the production of the World Migration Report 2024 and other research outputs by conducting background research, formatting references, performing copy-editing, and ensuring data accuracy through meticulous checking.

Lara participated in an internship at the Landesfrauenrat Thüringen (State Women’s Council) in Erfurt. The Landesfrauenrat is an umbrella organization that works with several women’s organizations in the state to put on events and do lobbying work at the state level.

Throughout her internship, Lara received guidance and help with her writing from the managing director as well as advice on doing political work in Thüringen from the entire team. Additionally, she got to know members of the board and was able to accompany them to meetings and events and learn about the work they do at various other organizations in Thüringen.

I had a lot of relevant work experience in the United States and was hoping to get some similar experience here in Germany. I would like to continue working in a similar field in the future. I enjoy working in local-level politics and policy because the immediate impacts of new laws are more evident.

Akane interned at UNESCO's Section of Migration, Displacement, Emergencies and Education in Paris, France, for six months from July 2023. Her team was responsible for the operation of the UNESCO Qualifications Passport (UQP), a qualifications framework that facilitates access to higher education for refugees and migrants, as well as support and monitoring of education in countries affected by war and natural disasters.

As an intern, Akane prepared publicity materials for the Japanese Government, which is the sponsor of the project, she worked on UNESCO's assistance to Ukraine, prepared webinars to promote the UQP, and monitored the educational situation in countries affected by earthquakes and floods, and prepared reports for internal use.

My section was very culturally diverse and it was a great opportunity to think about how to work smoothly in such a situation. I also gained knowledge and skills on how to prepare documents in an international organisation.

During the summer break between his first and second year at the Willy Brandt School, Joschua had the opportunity to intern at the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES) in Pakistan. During this time, he immersed himself in the foundation's main programs, namely Democracy and Governance, Social Justice and Economy, and Regional Connectivity. His primary responsibility was to contribute to the research process of several publications related to the state of democracy and economic development in Pakistan. In addition, conducting workshops with stakeholders from civil society, think tanks and government across the country, allowed him to see different parts of this beautiful and diverse country. 

In hindsight, I can say that this experience was extremely valuable for my personal and professional development. I am very grateful to the DAAD for their support and the FES for providing me with this incredible experience!

Paulina completed an internship at the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Governance Department in Mercedes Benz. She currently has a working student position there.

As an intern, Paulina worked directly in the AI Governance Team where she researched international regulatory requirements, ethical guidelines, and technical industry standards for the use and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (Al). Other responsibilities including preparing management summaries and benchmarks on the relevant digital trend topics, Al principles and the responsible use of generative Al tools, such as ChatGPT, developing management recommendations with regard to Al Governance and the Mercedes-Benz Al Principles for ensuring compliance with international regulations and ethical standards in Al applications.

As a future policymaker, my professional interests are focused on Artificial Intelligence and digitalization. One mistake we tend to make is that our jobs are limited to research or supporting the creation of regulation, however, multiple different companies need our input as interpreters for the achievement of their goals. One of my recommendations for students looking for internships is to be very clear on how they want their future dream jobs to be, and to apply accordingly, without fear of not succeeding.”

Bárbara was part of the Winter 2023 Internship cohort at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC, serving as a Talent Management Benchmark Consultant. Throughout her internship, she conducted a thorough benchmark analysis, comparing the bank's internship offers with those of both direct and indirect competitors. She developed strategies to enhance the bank's appeal and attract a more diverse talent pool.

During this period, she actively participated in numerous networking events and conferences addressing socio-economic challenges in the region, such as the "Future of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean." Bárbara had the opportunity to tour the facilities and was featured in the company's social media branding initiatives. Additionally, she capitalized on the bank's expert knowledge to advance her thesis, which focused on the impact of the gig economy in Latin America.

As a Latina professional, the experience was enriching, surrounded by experts and change-makers from diverse backgrounds. I found inspiration daily and am grateful for the network I cultivated during my time there. It was incredible to merge my prior experience in Human Resources with my studies in public policy.