Apply for an internship with AIIA NSW

Applications for our Semester 1 2025 (February-June) internship program are now open.

They will close on December 31, 2024.

Internships at AIIA NSW are offered to university students who have an interest in international affairs, and who are looking to further develop their skills for future professional involvement in international policy. AIIA NSW internships are highly competitive and previous interns have found employment in Australian Public Service graduate roles, think tanks, not-for-profit organisations, business, law and academia.

Please note that the AIIA NSW is not considering interstate applications at this time and does not sponsor relocation to Sydney. For those residing outside of NSW, you can view internship opportunities at other AIIA branches here.

AIIA NSW’s internship program offers:

• Opportunities to attend speaker events, including private roundtable discussions with presenters before events
• Opportunities to publish opinion pieces on the AIIA website, including in AIIA’s national online publication Australian Outlook
• Participation in intern presentation and debate nights
• Training in event organisation, public speaking, debating and research
• Opportunities to network with experts and AIIA members, who have wide-ranging experience in international affairs
• Participation in masterclasses on diplomacy, publishing and management and an annual careers event
• Access to mentors from the public, private, academic and not-for-profit sectors

Internship duties

AIIA NSW interns must be able to commit to the full duration of the internship. For Semester 1 internships, the duration will be from February to June, and for Semester 2 internships, the duration will be from July to December.  Internship periods roughly coincide with university timetables.

Interns must be available to assist during events which are usually held on Tuesday evenings at Glover Cottages in Sydney, and may need to allocate additional time to complete research and administrative tasks. Interns are expected to:

• Provide administrative assistance such as producing promotional information for events, assistance in setting up, managing multimedia and summarising events for the AIIA website
• Produce a short opinion piece of 600-800 words and an option to pitch another piece to Australian Outlook, both on topics of their choice
• Contribute to the Columns from Glover Cottages Newsletter
• Participate in intern presentations and debates
• Promote AIIA events in interns’ university campuses, and through other platforms including social media

Selection criteria

AIIA NSW is looking for current undergraduate students and postgraduate students who have:

• Excellent writing, research, presentation and public speaking skills
• Initiative and motivation
• Teamwork and time management skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Awareness of, and interest in, international affairs

Knowledge and prior experience with professional audio-visual equipment, social media management, online marketing and hosting webinar events through applications such as Zoom are highly desirable.

How to apply

Applications for internships are welcomed during the following period:

• For Semester 1 internships 2025, applications will open in November 2024.
• For Semester 2 internships 2025, applications will open in May 2025.

Applications should be emailed to nswinternships@gmail.com, with the subject “AIIA NSW Internship Application – Your Name”, and must contain:

• A brief cover letter that addresses the selection criteria
• A CV or resume, including contact details for two referees
• A sample of written analytical work that is no more than 3 pages in length. The sample should be on any topic of international affairs and should showcase analytical and communication skills rather than just subject-matter knowledge. For those who wish to submit a three-page extract of a larger piece, please include an introduction and conclusion. Do not submit co-authored pieces.

Please collate all documents into a single PDF attachment.

Shortlisted applicants will be asked to attend in-person or online interviews.

Enquiries

For further information, please email nswinternships@gmail.com.

Our current group of interns (July-December 2024)

from left to right: Jacob, Matt, Paloma, Singithi, Numan and Ethan

Paloma Hawkins is a final-year student at the University of Sydney, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies with a double major in International Relations and Political Economy, and a strong focus on French language through her elective coursework. Last year, she received a scholarship to undertake an academic exchange semester at Sciences Po in Paris. She is also involved in Amnesty International Australia’s Leadership Program, focusing on human rights advocacy and strategic campaigning. In her current role with Raising Peace, in partnership with the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW Division), Paloma manages social media and marketing campaigns, namely for their annual Peace Festival. Her broader interests encompass multilateral diplomacy, human rights, as well as global peace and security initiatives.

 Singithi Herath is a fourth-year student at the University of Sydney, completing a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies (International and Global Studies). She recently finished a semester abroad in Shanghai, China, through the New Colombo Plan Mobility Program and the Chinese Studies Alumni Bursary. Currently, she is a Global Voices Fellow, writing a policy paper on the integration of AI into domestic healthcare after attending the AI for Good Summit in Geneva. She has a passion for Asia international relations, especially the China-Australia relationship, and the legacy of colonialism. Singithi has also volunteered at the Asylum Seekers Centre, following her interest in refugee rights.

Matthew McKelvie is a Dalyell Scholar at the University of Sydney, where he is pursuing a double major in Political Economy and International Business. Before turning 21, Matt had lived in six countries across three continents, shaping his identity as a third-culture kid and sparking a passion for international affairs. Owing to his personal background, Matt plans to write his honours thesis on Australian investment priorities in Southeast Asia amidst increasing regional influence. He joins AIIA NSW off the back of an internship at the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam where he gained valuable insights into Australia’s regional investment and commercial connections.

Numan Mousa is a Master’s student at the University of New South Wales, building on his dual Bachelor’s degrees in Laws and Arts in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Sydney. Having served as the Vice President of the University of Sydney Diplomats Society and as an intern at the United Nations, Numan has honed his expertise in diplomacy and international affairs. With a specialized focus on Middle Eastern relations, he is committed to leveraging his academic background and professional experience to drive meaningful progress in the region and strengthen connections between Australia and the Middle East.

Ethan Pooley holds a double bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He has spent two years working and studying in Greater China. In 2023 he was based in Taipei on a New Colombo Plan Scholarship. Ethan has written several articles for both the Australia-China Relations Institute and the Taiwan Centre for Security Studies. Ethan’s areas of interest include the Australia-China relationship, Chinese politics and Indo-Pacific security.

Jacob Sukiennik is a recent graduate at the University of New South Wales, where he studied a double Bachelor of International Studies and Media (Communications and Journalism). He has a deep interest in international affairs, previously interning at the Knesset in Jerusalem for Eli Hazan, the former Director of Foreign Affairs. Jacob recently undertook a year-long exchange program studying International Relations at the University of Colorado, Boulder in the United States. His research interests focus on the intersection between international security and media; particularly the ways that social media platforms are implicated in fostering state insecurity and social instability.

Intern Coordinators and Councillors for 2024:

Isabel Freudenstein is a former intern and studying a Juris Doctor at the University of Sydney. Before this, Isabel graduated from the University of Sydney with a firstclass honours in International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts/Advanced Studies in Politics and International Relations. Her thesis examined the changing nature of humanitarian intervention in a multipolar international system. Isabel writes for the university newspaper, Honi Soit, and formerly worked with REA Group in their communications and sustainability team. Her main areas of interest include norms of international behaviour, international organisations, gender and migration.

Ralph Housego holds a Bachelor of Arts/Advanced Studies in Politics and International Relations from the University of Sydney. He currently works in public policy consulting, working with state and federal government clients on a diverse range of public policy issues. He previously worked in research and analyst positions in government relations, as well as for an international business forum. Ralph is a former intern of the institute and has served on the council since 2023.

Alice Nason is a Research Associate with the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre. Formerly, Alice was an AIIA NSW intern, a Research Fellow at the Washington DC-based Global Business Policy Council and a Business Analyst Intern at the international consulting firm Kearney.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies in Politics, International Relations and American Studies with First Class honours from the University of Sydney. Alice completed an academic exchange at the University of California, Berkeley.  Her research pertains to the US-Australia bilateral relationship and in US foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Imogen Biggins