Apply for an internship with AIIA NSW

Applications for our Semester 1 2025 (February-June) internship program have now closed.

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 and close December 31.
• 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 (January-June 2025)

from left to right: Anton, Sameera, Lily, Michelle, Charlotte and Bayan

Michelle Chandra is a fourth year student at The University of New South Wales pursuing a Bachelor of Law and Arts (Politics and International Relations). Having served as a Paralegal for The Racial Justice Centre and as a featured writer on Release Peace, a Dutch NGO, she has honed her passion for diplomacy, human rights advocacy and social justice. Michelle seeks to explore how US politics shape global narratives and significantly influence the legal and policy debates in Australia, from human rights and social justice to constitutional law and governance.

Lily Manning is an Honours Graduate in International and Global Studies at the University of Sydney. Her thesis examined areas of convergence and divergence in US and Australian Foreign Policy towards the People’s Republic of China since 1949. In 2023, she studied at Sciences Po Paris and speaks advanced French. She has previously worked as a Research Intern with the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre and also has experience within non-profit organisations.

Anton Peden is a second-year postgraduate student pursuing a dual Master of International Relations and Master of Security and Strategic Studies. His academic background focuses on national security and strategic studies, with a particular emphasis on the Indo-Pacific. Through his studies in strategic thinking and defence net assessment, Anton has developed a deep understanding of the complexities of using force to achieve strategic objectives, viewing it as an absolute last resort. Instead, he advocates for peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, which inspired his pursuit of international relations.

Sameera Pillai is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Sydney, specialising in American Foreign Policy and International Law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism from UNSW. Currently, she serves as the Vice President of the Postgraduate Organisation for Political & Social Sciences at university and works in Communications for a Sydney-based law firm. Having previously interned at the US Consulate General in Sydney, she has developed a strong interest in diplomacy, and the role of international organisations in the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape.

Charlotte Ryder is a final-year student at the Australian National University, completing a double degree in International Business and Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE). In Canberra, she has worked as a junior economist for the Commonwealth Grants Commission and as an intern at Deloitte, advising public-sector clients within their Strategy, Data, and AI team. Last year, she spent a semester at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, studying International Business.

Bayan Sohailee is a graduate of Western Sydney University, holding a unique quadruple degree in International Studies, Social Science, Creative Leadership, and Forensic Science. Graduating at the top of his class, he earned the Dean’s Medal for both the School of Social Sciences and the School of Humanities. He is currently pursuing a Master of International Relations at the University of Sydney, specialising in US foreign policy. Bayan has participated in international programs, travelling to Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam through initiatives such as the New Colombo Plan and AIYEP.

Intern Coordinators and Councillors for 2025:

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 is a Project Officer with the Australian Human Rights Commission. Previously, she was an intern with AIIA NSW and worked as Senior History Content Creator for EdTech company Atomi.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies in International and Global Studies, with First Class Honours and the University Medal from the University of Sydney. Her research interests include Franco-Australian relations in the Pacific, the politics of memory in postcolonial contexts and the role of cultural diplomacy in the 21st century.

Matthew Vasic is a councillor and intern coordinator at AIIA NSW and was a former AIIA NSW intern. He has represented Australia at the ASEAN Youth and HPAIR conferences in Jakarta and New Delhi respectively and has also participated in the UN Economic and Social Council Youth Forum as an Australian delegate. Matthew has also been a spokesperson for the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program and has served as an ambassador for the New Colombo Plan. He is a final-year undergraduate student studying International Studies and Law at Western Sydney University and works as a paralegal. He is passionate about international affairs and, in particular, Eurasian geopolitics and Russian security policy.