Internships and Bursaries
We offer summer internships to University of Nottingham students to work on our diverse projects. Internships typically run for two to three months to complete a discrete research or project component, providing valued and in-depth experience and exposure to world-class research and project activities.
Internships not only provide students who are interested in a career in human rights with a deeper understanding of a particular human rights field, but also improve transferable and practical skills such as team work, research and analytical skills and time-management.
2011 Internships
The Human Rights Law Centre is pleased to announce its 2011 summer internship positions. This year HRLC offers 4 exciting internship positions:
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Human Rights Committee Internship
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Publications Internship
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Internship for ICC Database on National Implementing Legislation
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HRLC Project Support Internship
Please find further details of the internships here. Please note that all internships are unpaid.
The internship programme forms part of the Centre's commitment to broadening students' experiences of human rights practice and provides students with opportunities to gain vital experience on several leading human rights projects.
Application procedure
Please complete the application form and submit a CV and a statement of interest indicating which internship position(s) you are interested in. It is possible to apply for more than one position.
Applications should be submitted electronically. Please send documents to Rosemary McCabe (Rosemary.McCabe@nottingham.ac.uk) by Friday 3 June. Please facilitate the application process by saving documents in the following format: Surname_first name_document type.doc
If you have any questions regarding the internship positions, please contact HRLC Coordinator Bailey Grey (Bailey.Grey@nottingham.ac.uk)
Reports from former interns
Agnes Flues, International Criminal Justice Internship 2008
"After completing the second semester of the European Master Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation here at the University of Nottingham, I had the opportunity to do an internship at HRLC for the International Criminal Justice Unit.
I worked for four months on the analysis of national legislation implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This was a unique opportunity for me to develop legal analytical skills, gain precious insight into the ICC’s complementarity regime and deepen my knowledge in international criminal law."
Monica Esposito, Forced Migration and Human Rights Unit Internship 2008:
“My internship at the Forced Migration and Human Rights Unit has been an extremely interesting and useful experience. By taking part in a variety of research projects (the Toolkit on detention Monitoring and Human Rights Mechanisms and the Refugee Women Project), I could finally apply the skills that I had acquired in my studies by working on something of a more practical nature. I now feel much more confident in taking up human rights job; the skills that I have acquired during this period will be extremely helpful in my upcoming internship at the Human Rights Institute (International Bar Association, London).”
Bursaries 2010
This year the Human Rights Law Centre will award a £1,000.00 bursary to provide financial assistance to a student planning to undertake an unpaid internship in an organisation outside of the University. Applicants for the bursary award should provide details of an anticipated human rights internship, including:
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Name and contact details of organisation (or sponsoring institution)
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Details of the project or programme of work for the internship
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Evidence of acceptance for the unpaid internship
If you are interested in applying for the bursary, please download and follow instructions on the application form . The application deadline is 7 May 2010 and applicants will be notified by 21 June. For further details, please contact Bailey Grey at bailey.grey@nottingham.ac.uk or drop by C119, Law and Social Sciences Building.
Past Bursary recipient profiles
Annika Jones, International Criminal Court (2008/9)
“From January to April 2009 I undertook an internship at the ICC with the assistance of a bursary from the Human Rights Law Centre. During my internship I worked in the Appeals Chamber, providing assistance and research support to Judge Pikis. I had the opportunity to experience the work of the Chamber and its role within the Court more generally, and was able to visit other international tribunals in The Hague including the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice. Following my internship, I remained at the Court to work in Trial Chamber I on the case of Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo . The internship and subsequent work at the Court gave me the opportunity to meet and discuss issues relating to my PhD thesis with numerous people working within the field. The insight that it has given me into the practice of international criminal law within an international body will also be of great value as I determine the course of my future career.”
Catherine Stella Namakula, Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum (2007)
"During my time at the Forum, I have worked with a team of warm friendly people. I was just part of the family. I have had the benefit of exposure to the technicalities of advocacy work, and have also been able to experience the limitations to human rights work specifically among non-governmental organisations. This has aided me to make crucial decisions regarding my future career prospects."
Ines Cerovic, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2007)
"I undertook an internship of six months at the OHCHR, United Nations Office at Geneva. I was assigned to work at the Secretariat of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC Secretariat), Treaties and Council Branch (TCB), conducting research on human rights compliance of States parties reporting to the CRC under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The internship at the OHCHR was a thrilling opportunity. It enabled me to take part in the process of promotion and protection of human rights and to apply what I have learnt so far, during both my previous working experience and the excellent LL.M course in Human Rights Law at the University of Nottingham."
Julia Durham, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (2002)
"HRLC awarded me a bursary which helped fund my six months internship in the Office of the Prosecutor, where I worked with the trial teams on the Nikolic and Milosevic cases. My experience at the Tribunal has enabled me to view first-hand the process that is international criminal justice. I have learnt a lot about the legal framework of the Tribunal, the development of procedural law and the processes and have been able to form my own opinions. I am very happy and fortunate to have been able to undertake an internship here which has been a marvellous learning experience."
For a list of current and previous Interns, please see the About Us Section.