With new ideas and a breath of fresh air, we want to start a new round of the Fellowships program!
At a glance
Duration: 6 months, from October 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023
Number of Fellows: up to 4
Location: Berlin and online
Language: German and English
Application deadline: August 15, 2022
Payment and scope of work: 450€/month; 8 hrs./week
Young DGAP
Founded in 2008, the Young DGAP offers programs tailored to young foreign policy professionals with innovative event formats. These are to be understood as additional offers for all DGAP members under the age of 35, aimed at informing and networking on topics such as education, job entry and career. We also call on our young members in particular to get involved themselves, e.g., to initiate and run events themselves. The Young DGAP wants to offer its members a helpful, inspiring platform to be active and engaged in foreign policy themselves and to set YOUNG impulses in foreign policy!
Program description
Within the framework of their fellowship, each of the fellows develops their own policy project in cooperation with a thematic focus of the DGAP Research Institute. Through their affiliation with the (Young) DGAP, Fellows have the opportunity to help shape the debates there and to appear externally as the face of the Young DGAP, e.g., by organizing and participating in panel discussions or by giving keynote speeches. The fellowship can serve as a springboard to make one's expertise known to a larger professional audience and to gain experience in think tank work. A fellowship at DGAP offers a variety of opportunities to deepen one's knowledge in the field of foreign policy and to expand one's network in politics, academia, and civil society. In all of this, one can draw on the experience, expertise, and networking of the DGAP Research Institute.
The professional support during the fellowship is provided by a mentor in the respective thematic focus of the DGAP Research Institute. This mentor is the contact person for all questions regarding content and supports the fellows in the development and implementation of an innovative policy project, provides assistance, and opens doors into the policy world.
Target group
We are looking for highly motivated students (at least with a Bachelor's degree) or young professionals (up to 35 years) with a strong interest in foreign policy issues. We are looking for candidates outside of traditional political science whose professional and methodological background complements the profile of the teams in the research institute, e.g. advanced studies/degrees in data science, information design, fine arts, social and economic communication, futurology, new work or design thinking, or other disciplines. With their professional and methodological background, the Fellows support the piloting of innovative approaches in the analysis, consultation and communication of foreign policy in collaboration with DGAP experts.
The Young DGAP Fellowship aims to promote diversity in policy advice and policy making. Underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We especially encourage people with migration histories, people with disabilities, and first-generation academics to apply.
Membership in the Young DGAP is not a prerequisite for participation.
Main topics
For this round of the Fellowship Program, in cooperation with the Research Institute, we are inviting applications for four topics from which interested candidates must choose:
- Topic 1: Complex challenges to domestic and foreign policy: the nexus between internal and external security.
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Mentor: Miriam Katharina Heß, Security and Defense Program
Topics such as migration, technology, terrorism, extremism and climate cannot (or no longer) be adequately addressed by the classical division into matters of domestic and foreign policy. Both policymakers and researchers in political science and international relations still find it difficult to link internal and external security policy in such a way that a usable framework can emerge. Conceptual challenges include the understanding of "internal security" as distinct from "external security," as well as questions about the meaning of "internal" as "domestic" or as "intra-European." Further then those aspects which are part of our external security as part of other, non-European regions and those which are also to be treated as aspects of our internal security. It is not sufficient to think boldly and broadly only within one discipline, an interdisciplinary view corresponding to the challenge is needed in order to be able to identify conceptual core questions as well as future trends, relevant stakeholders and topics.
Desired subject expertise: e.g. law, futurology, physics, IT, data science, geography, biology, engineering.
- Topic 2: China and the geopolitics of digital infrastructure: What are the consequences of the current situation for innovation and Europe's technological competitiveness?
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Mentor: Dr. Tim Rühlig, Technology and Global Affairs Program
Europe has largely banned Chinese technology giant Huawei from its market. But European providers are also visibly disappearing from the rollout of the 5G network in China. This raises questions for innovation and long-term technological competitiveness as more innovative technology is deployed in the Chinese market. As a critical digital infrastructure, the development of wireless networks is central to Europe's digital competitiveness and strategic autonomy. How do the policy frameworks and their technical implementation differ in wireless infrastructure in Europe and China? What are the implications for the development of future technology, in particular 6G? What are the implications of these developments for Europe's technological competitiveness?
These questions are at the core of this project and include political, regulatory, economic and technological dimensions. In addition to supervision by DGAP, fellows will also have access to a joint research project with other European China researchers and engineers.
Desired subject expertise: Technical understanding of wireless network infrastructure (e.g. through computer science or engineering studies).
- Topic 3: The lost innocence of weather - climate attribution science and its practical applications
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Mentors: Dana Schirwon and Dr. Kai Kornhuber, Center for Climate and Foreign Policy.
Despite international agreements to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees, current emissions trends fall far short of those needed to achieve these goals, and radical change is not in sight. The new discipline of climate attribution addresses the extent to which extreme weather and other climate signals and their impacts can be attributed to human-induced climate change. Courts around the world are now confronted with this question when states or large companies with high CO2 emissions are sued by affected parties. The scientific findings of attribution science are thus finding their way into courtrooms to hold polluters responsible and liable. Climate attribution science thus offers potential for the enforcement of effective climate protection. Extreme weather attribution combines natural science, humanities, and social science components and is central to climate and science communication.
Desired subject expertise: e.g., law, physics, natural sciences, social sciences, data science, fine arts, media and communication studies, design thinking.
- Topic 4: Thinking outside the box - new perspectives for the implementation of a Feminist Foreign Policy in Germany
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Mentor: Leonie Stamm
In its coalition agreement, the new German government pledges to "strengthen the rights, resources and representation of women and girls worldwide and promote social diversity in the spirit of a Feminist Foreign Policy." German foreign policy is thus henceforth to conform to the principles of a Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP). The underlying assumption of FFP has been specified by the German government as "inclusive, intersectional foreign policy that reflects the needs of society as a whole." Beyond that, implementation has so far remained unspecified.
Feminist foreign policy is a comprehensive approach with the principle of human security at its core. It affects numerous policy fields. But what does its implementation mean in concrete terms for German policy? A strategy paper on the implementation of FFP, to be published in early 2023, should provide clarity. It must ensure that FFP can be applied in a context-oriented manner to Germany's role in a global structure. FFP must provide both long-term and short-term answers, while also addressing current issues.
The need for solution-oriented recommendations for action and sound, context-oriented analyses is growing in this framework - especially as a complement to the primarily normative-activist treatment of the topic. Additional perspectives and disciplines can help define the implementation of an FFP and include other contexts for a comprehensive analysis.
Desired subject expertise: e.g., economics, business communication, statistics, administrative sciences, social psychology, military training.
An accompanying training program
In addition to the professional support, the fellows benefit from a structured training program, which is carried out in cooperation with the Impact & Innovation Lab. It accompanies the fellows in the process of implementing their policy projects. In interactive workshops, experts impart practical knowledge, instruments and important framework conditions for innovative and effective think tank work. In addition, various networking activities take place, giving Fellows the opportunity to get to know their mentors better and to exchange ideas with other staff members at DGAP and beyond.
The modules will take place on the following dates:
- 5.-7.10.2022 Modul 1: Thinks Tanks & Human-Centered Policy Design
- 8.-9.12.2022 Modul 2: Think Tank-Products & Services
- 30.-31.03.2022 Modul 3: Public Speaking & Evaluation
Participation in the training modules is a mandatory part of the Fellowship. The curriculum is structured as follows:
DGAP reserves the right to make program changes at any time. When the COVID-19 pandemic does not permit face-to-face meetings, all training will be conducted online or hybrid.
Requirements
All fellows are expected to actively participate in all training modules and the monthly jour fixe meetings, as well as to work independently and on their own responsibility on the individual policy projects. A fellowship contract is concluded between DGAP and the fellows, which defines the mutual rights and obligations. After successful participation in at least 80% of all mandatory modules and the completion of the policy project, the Fellows receive certificates for their participation in the Fellowship as well as a one-year free membership in DGAP.
Language
Very good knowledge of German and English is required for the fellowship. The working language with the mentors and for possible publications or events can be chosen individually; the training modules take place in German. The working language at DGAP is predominantly German.
Application
Apply with your own project proposal: Which of the above topics do you think needs in-depth analysis? How can you contribute with your expertise to develop a solution? What do you want to achieve with your participation in the Fellowship? Our selection criteria are political relevance as well as originality and creativity - this applies in particular to the implementation by means of innovative dialogue, exhibition, event and publication formats. In addition to the usual documents, your application should include a rough outline of the project with initial ideas for implementation and a timeline. Please note that in the first training module we will give you the opportunity to further develop your project outline with the help of experts - it must and should therefore still have room for further development.
Please prepare the following documents:
- Letter of motivation (max. 300 words via online form);
- Rough project outline (format freely selectable - either PDF upload or max. 300 words via online form);
- Technical and methodological expertise (max. 300 words via online form);
- Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages as PDF upload).
To apply, please simply complete the online application form and upload all required documents by August 15, 2022.
Payment and scope of work
Fellows receive a monthly allowance of 450€ (mini-job basis). The weekly working time is 8 hours. It should be noted that future Fellows must be registered in Germany.
If the place of residence in Germany is outside Berlin, travel expenses and accommodation during the three training modules will be covered within the framework of the DGAP guidelines.
Selection process
All applications received will be reviewed by the Young DGAP Office, the JDGAP Board and the future mentors. Successful applicants will be invited for an interview (also possible virtually) between August 29 and September 2, 2022. Attention: the interviews with Miriam Heß will take place exclusively between August 29 and 30.
Interested in participating in this unique learning experience?
