Policy Leader Fellowship - Candidates affected by the war in Ukraine

The profile of the candidates:

• Early- or mid-career professionals (e.g. in politics, civil service, media and non-governmental organisations), able to demonstrate both professional experience and potential for future excellence in the policy sphere.
• Genuinely engaged individuals involved in policy issues, especially those related to transnational governance.
• Self-motivated, able to present a clear work plan for the fellowship to show what the applicant will achieve and how this work will have a ‘multiplier’ effect after the fellowship.
• Curious and engaged contributors.
• Fellows are part of the EUI community and participate in peer discussions on topics, which may be beyond their expertise.

Evaluation criteria:

• Accomplishments and potential: Professional excellence is assessed on the basis of  the candidate’s contributions to the given policy field as outlined in the CV, and in the sample policy-related work (based on the social media links, website links, attachment of samples of articles, policy papers or other related output of the applicant), and additional supporting evidence (i.e. letter of reference) of the application.
• Work/focus area: The themes of the application are to be determined by the applicant, STG has no thematic preference and is open to any field of policy work.
• Plans for the fellowship time: Applicants are assessed on the professional substance of their workplan as well as its feasibility. Preference is given to applicants who can both contribute to the STG programmes and activities as well as and benefit from the fellowship programme and their stay at the STG and the EUI at large.
• Diversity: The PLF strives for thematic and geographic diversity and gender balance amongst its fellows.

In the 2022/2023 academic year, STG plans to allocate three fellowships to individuals affected by the war in Ukraine. 

During regular selection round, the programme can select around four to five percent of those who apply in any given year. All the applications are reviewed as long as they are submitted on time using the online platform. In the first step of the selection procedure, all applications are reviewed based on how well they match the application criteria. The applications are all discussed by designated STG personnel to highlight some especially promising applications (normally three to four times the number eventually chosen).

In the second step of the selection procedure, the selection committee members, comprised of STG faculty and the Director of STG, provide a list of recommended applicants for the fellowship. The committee discusses the merit of the individual applications and also takes into account the match between the perceived needs of the given candidate and the opportunities the programme offers. At this point the committee also considers the synergies and diversity among the potential Fellows as a cohort. The result is a mutually agreed short list and a reserve list to be presented to the EUI Executive Committee for its consideration. Their decision is final and no appeal is possible.

STG is not in the position to give advice on individual applications or to give feedback about the applications. Applicants cannot contact the decision makers in this process. The final decision is communicated by the Academic Service of the EUI to the applicants as soon as possible and before September 1, 2022.