A prestigious new public policy placement programme has selected two of the Blavatnik School of Government’s MPP students among its first cohort of interns.
The internship programme aims to deepen policy expertise in the field of human rights and governance. Called the Open Society Internship for Rights and Governance, the programme was created by the Open Society Foundations and the School of Public Policy at Central European University.
MPP students Kelly O’Connor and Rhea Fernandes are among the 14 students who have been selected from top level public policy, international affairs, and government programmes across the world. Over the course of the coming months, they will receive support from the programme to work with human rights organisations on the intersection of public policy, advocacy, and human rights.
“This internship reflects my longstanding commitment for seeding the next generation of leaders dedicated to building open societies,” said George Soros, founder and chairman of the Open Society Foundations.
Kelly O’Connor, who will be going to New Delhi, India, to work with the Human Rights Law Network, explained: “This internship brings a chance for me to apply my academic background to practical challenges; deepen my understanding of how citizens and government interact; and explore how civil society organisations can provide innovative, bottom-up services like legal aid outside of official state programmes.”
Rhea Fernandes added, “The Open Society Internship offers a unique experience for students to bridge theory with the practical elements of human rights work. This summer, I will be headed to Egypt to look more closely at the evolution of political and civil rights. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work in a country that has seen such dramatic political changes over the last few years.”
The Open Society Internship for Rights and Governance promises to build a dedicated alumni network that will support innovative policy making in the rights and governance fields. Students will be able to immerse themselves in the ideas and practices of open society through the six week internship, while also receiving clinical training at the Central European University School of Public Policy.
This year, the highly competitive programme includes students from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina), Harvard University (United States), O.P. Jindal Global University (India), Oxford University (England), Sciences Po (France) and Tsinghua University (China).
For more information on the Open Society Internship for Rights and Governance please visit: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/programs/open-society-internship-rights-and-governance
Banner image: Protestors on the streets of Cairo in November 2011. Source: muftah.org
