OPPORTUNITIES IN THE REGION
In addition to our events and executive education programs, we help connect interested Harvard Kennedy School students with jobs, internships, fellowships and other programs in the Middle East. Learn more about our resources for students and employers below, and check back to this page regularly as we provide frequent updates.
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS/WINTER TRAVEL/RESEARCH FUNDING
In keeping with our mission to deepen and strengthen the Kennedy School's relationship with the governments and peoples of the Middle East, MEI offers funding to HKS students to complete summer and winter internships, PAEs and SYPAs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Students can access the application here for summer funding.
STUDENTS:
SUMMER 2013 INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
International:
Adalah is an independent human rights organization and legal center, working to promote and defend the rights of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, as well as Palestinians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Apply here. Policy areas: Social & Urban Policy; Political & Economic Development.
Al Fanar is the first Arab venture philanthropy organization in the Arab region. Alfanar aims to improve lives in disadvantaged communities throughout the Arab region by fostering the growth of strong, self-reliant, enterprising organizations that effectively respond to pressing community needs. Apply here. Policy areas: Education Policy; Social & Urban Policy; Political & Economic Development
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is located in Israel and is the premier environmental education and research program in the Middle East. Internships at AIES give students the opportunity to work on a range of environmental issues from a trans-boundary and interdisciplinary perspective. Learn how to apply here and check out their digital brochure for more information here. Policy areas: Environmental Policy; Political & Economic Development
Ashoka Arab World is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs—men and women with system changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Based in Cairo, Ashoka offers a variety of internship programs each year. Learn more. Policy areas: Social & Urban Policy; Political & Economic Development
The Business Development Center (BDC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering economic development and public reform in Jordan and the Middle East. BDC offers winter and summer internships in a variety of disciplines. Apply here. Policy areas: Business & Government Policy; Social & Urban Policy
The Carnegie Middle East Center (CMEC) is seeking communications interns and research interns in Beirut to work for three to six months on a full-time basis. Apply here. Policy areas: Education Policy; Political and Economic Development; Social & Urban Policy; Business & Government Policy
Hadara, founded in 2005 as a part of the PALTEL group, is the leading Internet Service Provider in Palestine. They are seeking interns interested in finance and business policy (joint MBA/MPP candidates should apply!). Find out more here. Policy Areas: Political & Economic Development; Business & Government Policy
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its offices in Beirut and Tunis hire summer interns for field work. Arabic language proficiency is required. Contact us for more information. Policy areas: Social & Urban Policy; Democracy, Politics & Institutions, International & Global Affairs
Intramuro is a Beirut-based integrated interior contracting company established in March of 2002 by three entrepreneurs currently offering two summer internship opportunities. Learn more about the two opportunities here and here.
The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University in Beirut is currently seeking internship applications. Learn more. Policy areas: Democracy, Politics and Institutions; International and Global Affairs; Political and Economic Development; Environmental Policy; Social and Urban Policy
The Mossawa Center is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote equality for the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel. Find out more about their internships and how to apply here. Policy areas: International & Global Affairs; Political & Economic Development
Nawaya, a social enterprise organization consisting of a team of young professionals, was inspired by the revolution to address the challenges faced by rural Egypt. Find out more and how to apply for summer internships here.
Palestine Telecommunications Group (PALTEL) , established in 1997, is a leader in telecommunications in Palestine. Find out more about their internships and how to apply here. Policy areas: Business & Government Policy, Political & Economic Development
The Palestine Exchange was established in 1995 as a private shareholding company to promote investment in Palestine, and became public in 2010. Learn more about their internship opportunities here.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, dedicated to promoting human rights and democracy in Palestine, is currently seeking interns. Small stipend provided. Learn more. Policy areas: Social & Urban Policy; Political & Economic Development; Business & Government Policy; International & Global Affairs
PADICO HOLDING is a limited public shareholding company traded on the Palestine Exchange (PEX) with a paid-in capital of USD 250 million. They will be hosting interns for business development, corporate social responsibility and investor relations. Policy areas: Business & Government Policy; International & Global Affairs; Democracy, Politics & Institutions; Social & Urban Policy
Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qasami Foundation for Policy Research was established in 2009 to aid in the social, cultural, and economic development of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Learn more about their internship opportunities and apply here.
T21 is a social learning platform dedicated to advancing 21st century skills and career readiness for youth in the Arab world. HKS students can access JACK to apply here, or contact us for more information. Policy areas: Education Policy; Social & Urban Policy; Democracy, Politics & Institutions; Business & Government Policy
Vittana and Arab Student Aid International have partnered to create a Summer Fellowship for individuals to help create, support and evaluate student lending programs in Jordan. Read more and learn how to apply here. Policy areas: Education Policy; Democracy, Politics & Institutions, Social & Urban Policy
Visualizing Palestine is a non-for profit collective that employs research, data, social sciences, technology, design and urban studies to produce creative visuals to describe a factual rights-based narrative of Palestine/Israel for social justice. Visualizing Palestine is currently seeking an intern for the summer. Learn more here.
And more! The Middle East Initiative can also connect you with many other companies and organizations for an internship with high-level research and interactive work in the following industries, including: journalism in Lebanon and Egypt, security and strategic studies in Qatar and Jordan, interfaith political studies in Jordan and more. Contact us for more information. In your e-mail, please specify your preferred area of focus and country.
Domestic:
Education for Employment (EFE) creates economic opportunity for youth in the Middle East and North Africa for them to build careers that alleviate poverty and create a better future for themselves, their communities, and the world. EFE hosts interns in Washington, DC and New York City, NY. Learn more. Policy areas: Education Policy
The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that seeks to identify and inform a constituency in favor of more consistent and credible U.S. support for democracy in the Middle East. POMED is seeking research interns, policy interns and interns for their Egypt programs. Learn more. Policy areas: Democracy, Politics & Institutions; Political and Economic Development
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its division on the Middle East and North Africa hires interns for the NYC and DC offices. Apply here. Policy areas: Social & Urban Policy; Democracy, Politics & Institutions, International & Global Affairs
The RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy hires graduate summer associates each year to work in its domestic offices on research projects on policy in the Middle East. Learn more.
FINDING JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS
Did you know the Office of Career Advancement (OCA) at HKS can help you set up a Job Search Agent, specifically for jobs and summer internships being listed in the Middle East, in "JACK"- the HKS online career management system?
FYI: OCA posts approx. 350-400 brand new jobs a month and it is updated daily. The direct way to receive automatic alerts of these types of positions is by creating a "JACK Job Search Agent". It is a weekly email of all the new jobs and internships coming into HKS with a related Focus area to the Middle East, including job title, Employer, location, application deadlines, etc. neat & tidy, emailed to you. Students then log into JACK for additional detailed information.
To get started, you can either follow the instructions in the OCA Document Library- search keyword "Job Search Agent" or contact OCA.
If you have information about opportunities in the region that you would like to share, please e-mail the Middle East Initiative.
EMPLOYERS:
HIRE A KENNEDY SCHOOL INTERN
The Middle East Initiative works with the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Office of Career Advancement (OCA) to connect students to opportunities in or related to the Middle East.
Harvard Kennedy School students - varied in age, background, experience level and nationality - are united in their commitment and ability to:
- Provide strong leadership
- Quantitatively analyze complex programs
- Understand issues through a global cultural lens
- Apply multi-faceted perspectives to developing solutions
- Make a positive difference in the world
As an employer, you can post a job or summer internship in the HKS online career management system, called "JACK". JACK is a high-caliber jobs and employer database, which is accessed by HKS students and alumni. It is widely used by our population and the most central way to advertise an opportunity. You may post online through JACK's employer gateway or e-mail position descriptions/application instructions directly to Career_Advancement@hks.harvard.edu.
Here are some other helpful links:
- Engage a student for consulting work (required faculty-advised, capstone project for our 2nd year Masters in Public Policy students)
- Contact us to visit HKS and hold an information session (in-person or virtual) about your organization or participate in a targeted career networking fair (see upcoming events below)
- Join our LinkedIn Group for HKS Employers
Please refer to the HKS OCA Recruiting Guide for information about our students and recruiting program through the Harvard Kennedy School Office of Career Advancement. If you have any questions about how to attract HKS candidates to your organization or ideas for possible collaboration, please do not hesitate to contact their office. We can partner together to collaborate on efforts to bring a HKS student to your organization!
