Internship and External Scholars Programme

KAIPTC offers internships to graduates and post-graduates from the West African region and abroad. KAIPTC also hosts external scholars i.e. PhD students and visiting fellows conducting research in Ghana. Since its inception, the Internship and External Scholars’ Programme has attracted both women and men from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

Research interns and external scholars work under the supervision and guidance of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research (FAAR). Interns perform a variety of duties ranging from conducting research and developing training materials to producing documents for publication. External scholars are provided with space, assistance with research and peer review opportunities both on a one-on-one basis and via presentation of ongoing research at a departmental Work-In-Progress Seminar.

Internships are usually 3 months in duration and can be extended depending on the performance of the intern and the availability of resources. External scholarships can last longer depending on the agreement between KAIPTC and the external scholar or his or her institution. Internships and external scholar positions at the KAIPTC are voluntary and unpaid. Interns and external scholars are required to provide for their own subsistence needs while working at KAIPTC. Interns and external scholars are subjected to an internship policy that they receive and sign before joining KAIPTC.

Programme Objective

The goal of the Internship and External Scholar Programme is to enhance knowledge and research into African and global peace and security. Interns and external scholars are given the opportunity to tap into the various areas of expertise offered by KAIPTC's staff, research projects, documentation and services. They also can enrich research, and eventually operational and academic training, at the KAIPTC by sharing their expertise and research findings gained before and during their programme at KAIPTC.

Research interns may be able to join a project at FAAR but these projects are subject to change based on the work programme of the department. Where possible, an appropriate match will be found that will both challenge and effectively utilise the capabilities that the intern brings to the Centre. Decisions on all internship and external scholar placements are based on the expertise and personal interests of the applicant, as revealed in and derived from resumes, with a view to the mutual benefit of both KAIPTC and the applicant.

Intern and External Scholar Benefits

Interns and external scholars enjoy flexibility and derive many benefits from their work at KAIPTC. Work at Centre affords them the opportunity to explore research topics related to their interests and expertise. KAIPTC provides interns and external scholars with a work station, and access to internet and shared files on the Centre's public domain for the duration of their approved stay at KAIPTC. Interns also have access to KAIPTC's electronic library, which provides ready access to a variety of sources on conflict resolution and other peace and security related issues, with a particular focus on the African context. KAIPTC will assist in the furtherance of the intern's and the external scholar’s personal study through the provision of contacts and/or networks where possible.

KAIPTC encourages and appreciates the contributions of interns’ and external scholars’ initiative, creativity, and resourcefulness at all stages of the programme design and development. KAIPTC will further provide interns and external scholars with a letter of reference or some other evidence of the successful completion of their programme at the KAIPTC, upon request. Service with KAIPTC will involve both administrative and research tasks.

KAIPTC Advisor

For the purpose of providing a comprehensive training experience, each intern and external scholar will be assigned to a member of the KAIPTC staff who will act as an advisor. For interns, the advisor will co-ordinate the intern's work, supervises efforts, ensure productive use of time, and provide guidance and feedback to the intern. For external scholars, the advisor will provide research guidance and as far as possible facilitate field research.

Confidentiality and Copyright

Interns and external scholars are expected to treat the contents of all files, correspondence and documents, written and electronic, as confidential. Also all research and work products developed by research interns during the internship shall be the property of KAIPTC.

Application Procedure and Requirements
Applications should be sent via e-mail to mustapha.abdallah@kaiptc.org and susan.nelson@kaiptc.org. The letter of application should be accompanied by a CV or resume, and clearly state proposed dates for the internship, as well as specific research interests to be pursued during this period. Two (2) writing samples must also be enclosed. For additional information and clarification please contact: The Coordinators of the Internship and External Scholars Programme: +233(0)302718200 ext. 2001