Interviews, Skills development

Goldman Sachs EmployAbility Community Programme

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The Goldman Sachs Community Teamworks Programme is a series of workshops focus on delivering practical advice and tips on preparing students with a disability for interviews both generally and more specifically within an Investment Bank. They are ideal for any disabled student/graduate that is considering applying to internships or Grad programmes this coming recruitment season.

The workshop has the extra bonus of involvement of staff from Goldmans who are there to give candid advice to the students about their experiences and knowledge. Each workshop has people from the firm who have varied experience – from recent graduate joiners to very experienced managers.

The workshops are held in London and are free to attend. More details can be found by clicking on the links provided below. Students need to fill out a brief application form – it is a very simple process.

The next workshop is on 31st July and there are still some spaces available, click on the links below for more information and to apply:

31st July info and application: https://www.employ-ability.org.uk/internships/goldman-sachs-employability-community-teamworks-programme-interview-skills-investment-banking/751/

August 14th info and application: https://www.employ-ability.org.uk/internships/goldman-sachs-employability-community-teamworks-programme-interview-skills-general/752/

September 11th info and application: https://www.employ-ability.org.uk/internships/goldman-sachs-employability-community-teamworks-programme-interview-skills-investment-banking/753/

Post graduate

Politics & International Relations PhD Scholarships

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The School has a long tradition of high-quality research among its staff and students. The School’s vibrant research culture attracts students from all over the work who conduct research at the forefront of our discipline. The breadth of expertise within the School enables us to provide research supervision on a wide range of topics across Politics and International Relations.

Research students can specialise in one of the following areas:

The school welcomes applications from any sub-field of political science and international relations in which we have expertise. The School would like to particularly encourage applications for PhDs in International Relations or Comparative Politics with a focus on gender and identity politics, or women and politics. We welcome proposals with qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method approaches.

Candidates are not required to contact a potential supervisor before submitting a formal application and any informal enquiries can be sent directly to polirpgadmissions@kent.ac.uk.

The research interests of our staff can be found here.

PhD Scholarships

We are pleased to offer the following scholarship opportunities:

The School is also pleased to offer one overseas student scholarship, like the university VC scholarships the scholarship will be administered under the Graduate Teaching Assistant Scheme, but in addition this scholarship will cover tuition fees at the overseas student rate.

Deadline summary

Below is a summary of the main application deadline. Further deadline information can be found after the above scholarship links. Please note that only complete applications can be considered by the below deadlines, so we would urge you to submit your application in advance of the application to allow time for information requests and references.

  • AHRC funded CHASE scholarship: Midnight (GMT) Friday 10 January
  • Vice Chancellor’s Research scholarship: Midnight (GMT) Sunday 19 January
  • GCDC Scholarship: Midnight (GMT) Sunday 19 January
  • Overseas school scholarship: Midnight (GMT) Sunday 19 January
  • ESRC funded SeNSS scholarship: Midnight (GMT) Monday 20 January

Interviews

All interviews for successfully shortlisted candidates will take place in the week commencing 27 February 2020. All PhD applicants should be available to attend an interview either in person or via Skype during this week.

Further information

For more information on any of our scholarships please contact polirpgadmissions@kent.ac.uk.

Application Link

 

Civil Service, Events, Graduate Jobs, Internships

Careers in Diplomacy meet the FCO on Campus – 19 November

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Working for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
Careers Event

The FCO is the UK government department responsible for protecting and promoting British interests around the world, through the FCO in London and diplomatic posts in 168 countries and territories. Roughly a third are UK-based British Civil Servants; and around two thirds are employed locally in British Diplomatic missions overseas (such as an Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate).

Dr. Jennifer Medcalf who is Head of the Defence and International Security Research Group (DISRG) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is joining us on campus to discuss the range of career options they offer to students and graduates:

Date: 19th November 2019

Time: 4pm-5pm

Location: COLT 2  (Cornwallis Octagon Lecture Theatre 2)

All students are welcome to attend.

Charity Sector, Skills development, Volunteering, Work experience

Red Cross Volunteering Opportunities

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The International Family Tracing Department of the British Red Cross are seeking Volunteer Caseworkers for their Canterbury office.

A commitment of at least 12 months is required, training is provided and you must be available for at least a half day every week (with flexibility around other commitments, holidays etc).

If you are interested please follow the link below for the online application:

IFT Volunteer Caseworker 

In addition, the British Red Cross is also seeking  volunteer interpreters, particularly those literate in Sorani, Arabic, Pashto, Dari and Vietnamese. These roles are more ad hoc than the Caseworker role. Details are in the link below.

IFT Interpreter Volunteer

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact:

Ben Rands
International Family Tracing Service Coordinator – Canterbury British Red Cross, 2 Lower Chantry Lane, Canterbury, CT1 1UF
Mobile: 07525 233898
www.redcross.org.uk/trace

Internships, Skills development, Work experience

Peacebuilding in Colombia 2020 Scholarships

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Peacebuilding in Colombia 2020
Universidad de Los Andes Academic Summer Course
Red Tree Study Scholarship Funding

These scholarships will offer recipients the chance to learn first-hand about the recent history of the Colombian conflict and the challenges of implementing the current peace deal. Students will be enrolled at Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, for three weeks, during which time they will combine lectures and seminars on campus with site visits that deliver practical knowledge of the political and social situation in Colombia. They will visit the UN, JEP, Congress, and the Reparation of Victims Unit, for example. They will hear directly from people involved in the conflict, including ex-combatants, social leaders, victims, politicians and negotiators.

To mark the 5th Anniversary of this hugely successful course, there are  two full scholarship places, to the value of $3,900 USD each.

Who can apply?

We are looking for applicants who are enthusiastic, hardworking, and keen to learn more about peace and conflict in Colombia. Candidates do not need prior knowledge of Colombian or Latin American politics, but should demonstrate an eagerness to engage in lively debate during the course tutorials and site visits.  The program is open to students from a range of arts, humanities and social science subjects, and is aimed particularly at those with an interest in conflict resolution and international relations in Latin America. Applicants must be enrolled on a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate degree program for the academic year 2019/20.

What is included?

The 2020 Peacebuilding in Colombia 5th Anniversary Scholarships cover full participation in the course which runs at Universidad de Los Andes from Monday 8 to Friday 26 June 2020. This includes supervised bed and breakfast accommodation (a private room in a modern student residence with kitchen facilities), an airport pickup upon arrival in Bogota, a schedule of site visits and excursions as part of the academic provision, as well as a supplementary calendar of social and cultural activities, all of which are covered by the scholarship. Participants will need to arrange their own flights to and from Colombia, and to cover the costs of some lunchtime and evening meals.

Previous Participants

The scholarship recipients will be joining students from prestigious universities throughout the world. Our students have come from Duke, Brown, Yale the University of Southern California, Vassar College, SFSU, The University of Maryland, Ohio State, Emory University, Boston University and NYU in the USA; Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Cambridge, the University of Bristol, Durham University, the University of Sussex, Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, Sheffield, QMUL and York in the UK, Queen’s Ontario and the University of British Columbia, in Canada, Uppsala and Lund in Sweden, and many more. You can read reviews of the course from many of these students online here and here.

We have provided numerous students with scholarship funding to study in Colombia in recent years, many of whom have continued to study the region and its political and social developments long after their time in Bogota. To hear directly from some of our 2019 scholarship recipients, please click here.

Scholarship application process

Applications for the 2020 Peacebuilding in Colombia 5th Anniversary Scholarships are open until Friday 13 December 2019. Applicants must submit a scholarship application form, accompanying academic reference, and a general program application form by this date in order to apply for the funding. The final selection will be made by the Director of the Masters in Peacebuilding course at Universidad de Los Andes. Red Tree Study will announce the scholarship recipients on or before Friday 24 January 2020. All applicants will be contacted via email to let them know the outcome of their application.

Please email apps@redtreestudy.com to request an application.

You can read more about the program here on our website.

Featured, Placement Year, Post graduate, Skills development

Alfa Fellowship Program – Deadline 15 November

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The Alfa Fellowship Program is a distinguished international initiative that each year offers up to 18 accomplished young Americans, Britons, and Germans the opportunity to complete a high-level professional development program in Russia. Over the course of the program, fellows complete work placements at leading institutions, attend professional seminars, and receive intensive language training.

The fellowship provides a monthly stipend, accommodation, insurance, all program-related travel costs, language training in Russia, and private tutoring in the U.S., U.K., or Germany.

Key goals of the Alfa Fellowship Program are to expand networks of American, British, German, and Russian professionals, develop greater intercultural understanding, and advance knowledge of Russian affairs in the West.

Participant Profile

Fellows have a demonstrated interest in Russian and European and Eurasian affairs, exceptional academic and professional credentials, proven personal initiative, and clear goals and expectations for their professional assignments.

Fellows are between the ages of 25 and 35 with graduate degrees and professional experience in business, economics, journalism, law, public policy, or related fields.

Fellows possess leadership potential and are active in community or public service.

While Russian language skills vary, most fellows have studied Russian for at least two years at the post-secondary level.

Eligibility Requirements

U.S., U.K., or German citizen between the ages of 25 and 35 (Russian citizens are ineligible to apply, including individuals who are also citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, or Germany)
Bachelor’s degree and 2-3 years of relevant professional experience in business, economics, journalism, law, public policy, or a related field

Desired Qualifications

  • Outstanding professional achievement and academic qualifications
  • Active involvement in community or public service
  • Russian language experience is preferred, however not required, at the time of application. If an applicant does not speak Russian, he or she will need to demonstrate proficiency in another foreign language to qualify for the program
  • Graduate degree in business, economics, journalism, law, public policy, international relations, or a related field
  • Evidence of leadership potential

The Alfa Fellowship Program is a professional-level initiative focused on the fellows’ assignments in Russia. The Alfa Fellowship Program will not sponsor independent or academic research.

The Alfa Fellowship Program includes the following benefits:

  • Round-trip transportation to New York City or London and accommodation (if needed) for selection interviews
  • Orientation seminar in Washington, D.C., including speakers, activities, travel, and accommodation
  • Program-related transportation between U.S./U.K./Germany and Russia
  • Pre-departure and Russia-based language training
  • Moscow Seminar Program, including briefings, assignment planning, and excursions
  • A generous monthly stipend during the program in Russia
  • All program-related travel within Russia
  • Accommodation in Moscow
  • Limited international health, accident, and liability insurance during the program in Russia

Application Deadline:

The deadline to apply for the 2019-2020 program year is:

November 15, 2019

For details regarding the application process and to access the online application, please visit the How to Apply section.

Selection Interviews 2020:

Interviews for candidates based in the U.S. take place in late January in NYC, and interviews for candidates based in Europe take place in mid-February in London.

Please note: if selected to interview, you will be required to attend the interview in person on the day it is scheduled in order to be considered for the fellowship.

If you are offered and choose to accept the fellowship, the program begins in March. For more information and to apply please visit:

https://culturalvistas.org/programs/abroad/alfa-fellowship-program

 

Charity Sector, Civil Service, Employability Points, Events, Graduate Jobs, Skills development

Careers in the Public Sector: Panel Q&A

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Wednesday 6th November, 2pm – 4pm in Grimond LT3

Interested in a career that’s rewarding and makes a difference? This is your chance to hear from leading public sector employers, including Kent alumni, who work / have worked within Government, public bodies and local government. They’ll share their career backgrounds, experiences of working within the public sector and career tips, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Book your place here: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=4855&service=Careers+Service

Earn 15 Employability Points!

Panellists:

Amy Perkins, Assistant Parliamentary Counsel, Cabinet Office
Amy’s role as an APC is to assist in drafting and handling Government bills and provide legal and procedural advice to Government departments. This is a training role, which can lead to the role of Parliamentary Counsel (who take the lead on drafting and handling bills, and providing the necessary advice).


Martin Parr, Principal Consultant, The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Martin’s work focuses on identifying where major public projects are working well, and where they are not, in their journey from feasibility though to full maturity; and to help the key stakeholders of these projects to understand how complexity impacts on their project. To assess complex projects and transformation activities so that the key issues and decisions can be dealt with in an evidence-based way. To assess technology in our major projects and consider how changes in technology or environment might impact on a system in the future.

Perry Holmes, Chief Legal Officer, Medway Council
Perry is an experienced local government leader, with particular expertise in local government law and elections. He has practiced as a solicitor for 25 years, moving to local government in 2001 and has worked at County, District and Unitary Councils. He has over 10 years’ experience as a Monitoring Officer ensuring that Councils and Councillors work within the law. He joined Medway Council in 2012 and is very proud to lead a set of excellent teams; the Capital projects, Category Management, Democratic Services, Elections & Member Services, Legal & Licensing and Property teams. He has developed close strategic links with the University of Kent, and in 2016 was delighted to receive their “External Innovation Champion” award.

Daniel Pollitt, Project Manager, Network Rail
Daniel is currently responsible for developing the ‘On Network Sections’ (everything at surface level/not in a tunnel) of Crossrail 2. This involves managing a team of design consultants, and working very closely with TfL and the DfT to develop a business case, and prepare a hybrid Bill to submit to parliament. He is a Kent alumni, who graduated from Kent Law School.

Paul Smart, Former Senior Government Policy Maker, Scottish Government
Paul retired from the Scottish Government in December 2018 with twenty years’ service, his last post being Deputy Director of the Colleges, Young Workforce and Scottish Funding Council Sponsorship Division. Prior to this Paul spent time helping deliver over £300m of CAP investment in Scottish farming, three years as programme director for establishing Historic Environment Scotland, and several years working in the Justice Directorate of the Scottish Government.  During his time with Justice he was Head of Operations at the Scottish Tribunals Service during which time he led the merger of five tribunal administrations into a single administrative unit.  Still with Justice, Paul started as Head of the Victims and Witnesses Unit before becoming Deputy Director for Victims, Witnesses, Parole and Life Sentencing. Previously he headed-up the Scottish Executive’s Race Equality Team, following a secondment as Chief Press Officer for Environment and Rural Development and, before that, was Head of Rail Policy.  Before joining the then Scottish Office in 1998 Paul held a number of posts with Scottish Homes, the then national housing agency, after spending several years as an academic, finishing up as a lecturer in the Politics Department at Edinburgh University during which time he gained his PhD. He graduated from UKC (Eliot) in 1979 with a BA Hons in Politics and Government.

Events, Politics, Skills development

Exciting Opportunity to be a part of Model NATO – APPLY NOW!

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The School of Politics and International Relations has been invited to send six student delegates to represent the University at a Model NATO conference being run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Fifteen UK universities will be taking part in the Model and each university will represent two NATO members.

Model NATO will take place at the main Foreign Office building in central London on Monday, 2nd December 2019. The event will conclude with a reception hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the early evening.

All travel expenses will be covered.

APPLICATIONS

Students in their second year and above, including post-graduate are invited to apply.

To be considered for this exciting opportunity please email no more than 100 words explaining why you would like to attend to:

N.V.Lanfray@kent.ac.uk and R.Whitman@kent.ac.uk

By midnight on the Monday 28th October.

Successful applicants will be informed on Tuesday 30th October and will be required to attend a briefing meeting with the FCO in Rutherford College on Friday 1st November. 

MODEL NATO IN ACTION

The business of the Model NATO committees and their working methods will be explained to the selected participating students in a separate document to be sent in the coming weeks.

In brief, the Model will be principally concerned with reacting to a crisis scenario. That crisis will be presented at the beginning of the working day and elaborated upon by means of news and intelligence injects as the day proceeds. The committees will replicate NATO’s working methods – including, importantly, the requirement that decisions are reached by consensus.

Each NATO member delegation at the Model will be split between three committees: the North Atlantic Council (the NAC), the Military Committee, and an ad hoc Crisis Response Committee. Each university will have two people on each of these three committees – representing two separate NATO members.

The task of the Model is to respond to the crisis by mobilising NATO’s political and military resources. In undertaking that response, delegations will need to act in accordance with known national policy positions.

To assist the students in this endeavour, you will be sent:

  • Model NATO Handbook (containing Rules of Procedure, draft Agenda for the three committees and other important information);
  • Crisis Briefing 1 (outlining the crisis your students will need to prepare for – a second Briefing will be given at the commencement of the Model);
  • A guide to NATO policies and processes (‘NATO 101’);
  • Briefings on the two NATO member countries your university is representing, and a
  • Document on Model NATO’s working methods.

On the day of the Model, academics, staff from the FCO and NATO officials will be on hand to offer specific advice.

To arrive at an agreed response will be the test the students will face on the day – debate and negotiations in committee will be the means by which that test is met.

Each student will also receive a certificate of participation. There will be a small number of awards given separately to outstanding delegates/delegations. The day will conclude with a reception in the Foreign Office building.

Model NATO is intended to have experiential learning benefits for the participating students.

The Model will raise students’ awareness of NATO and give them direct exposure to an activity that replicates inter-governmental negotiation and policy making.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY: NATO ENGAGES

Two of the selected participating students will be invited in advance to attend ‘NATO Engages’ on the following day, 3rd December 2019 immediately prior to the NATO leaders’ meeting in London at Westminster Central Hall.

The consortium running NATO Engages includes Kings College London, the Atlantic Council, the Munich Security Conference, RUSI and Globsec.

For more information about NATO Engages please visit:
https://nato-engages.org

The two students will have accommodation provided for them in central London on the night of the 2nd December at the Travelodge Covent Garden.

These students will have the opportunity to further analyse the outcome of the Model held the previous day, and potentially meet heads of state/government at the event.

The NATO Public Diplomacy Division are providing a grant which will meet all the students accommodation and travel costs.

Please note: that once a student receives an email invitation from our partner Globsec to attend the event, the registration process will take around 45-60 minutes and includes a questionnaire and uploading a photograph for the conference ID. Given the likely presence of heads of state/government at the event, the process also entails some background security checks. Notification on the success of a registration comes within a couple of days usually. If your registration is declined on security grounds and any such outcome will be outside of our control. 

Volunteering

Lebanon Volunteer Internships

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SB OverSeas is a non-profit organization based in Belgium dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to refugees and victims of conflict. Our operations are divided into the following three activities: education, emergency aid and empowerment. SB OverSeas works with refugees in two geographical focus areas: Lebanon and Belgium.

SB OverSeas is launching internship positions in 2020 for those who are eager to develop and put into practice their skills or interests in the fields of communications and marketing, project development, empowerment development, child protection, and teaching and education.

For more information please visit: Lebanon Internship Programme