Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs
Note: The deadline for the 2010/2011 programme is 31 March 2010.
Its own political interests, progressive European integration and ever increasing global expectations of an active role in international politics are increasingly shaping Germany's foreign policy. At the same time, political challenges have now assumed global proportions, from the fight against terrorism through human rights issues, energy supply and climate change to financial policy. These challenges not only demand political awareness and material resources but also, and in particular, competent and committed individuals at the international interfaces. This is where the Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs comes in.
Structure and Organization
The Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs is a project jointly run by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation) and Stiftung Mercator in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office. It promotes highly-qualified, German-speaking postgraduates of all disciplines who aspire to leadership positions in international organizations. Every year, 20 carefully selected postgraduates from Germany are accepted to the Mercator Fellowship program.
During the course of a 13-month programme, the fellows will work in two or three international organizations or in globally active NGOs, non-profit organizations or business enterprises. The fellows choose their respective work placements during the year based on their individual project outlines. These assignments are supplemented by seminars on international relations issues and key leadership skill development. The 2009/2010 programme begins in September 2009. For the duration of the programme, the participants will receive a stipend, which includes a monthly living allowance of 1,250 euros. Additional grants are available for placements abroad and language training.
The Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs promotes postgraduates not only in Germany, but also in Switzerland, where the Stiftung Mercator Switzerland and the Swiss Study Foundation run the project. Further information about the Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs in Switzerland can be found here: www.stiftung-mercator.ch
Applications
The application deadline for the 2010/2011 programme expired on 31 March 2010. You can find the application requirements, FAQs and a project outline in the download section.
Application Requirements
- Completed application form
- Project outline
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of degree certificate or confirmation from the university of the envisaged course completion date (in this case, we will need additional confirmation of course grades to date)
- Work references (on-the-job training)
- Proof of foreign language skills
