Two interns in public international law and counter-terrorism

The T.M.C. Asser Instituut is an internationally renowned research institute in the fields of international law and European law based in The Hague. The institute is affiliated with the University of Amsterdam. 

Our values 
The Asser community is a public-spirited community that is committed to excellence, integrity, inclusivity, and public values. 

Our vision 
We envision a world in which local, national, and transnational public interests are protected and promoted by international and European public and private law. This is supported by critical reflection conducive to perspectives for action to confront our global challenges. 

Our mission 
The Asser Institute aims to contribute to the development of international and European public and private law by independently conducting fundamental, policy-oriented, and applied legal research, as well as by initiating and facilitating academic and expert meetings, (professional) education, and public events that aim to disseminate knowledge of international and European law. 

The T.M.C. Asser Instituut offers law students the opportunity to enrich their knowledge with practical experience of working in the fields of international and European law. 

The institute is currently offering two internship positions to assist with a number of projects in the field of public international law (PIL), (inter)national security and counter-terrorism (CT).  

The interns will focus exclusively on:  

  • Carrying out tasks related Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF)-funded projects;  
  • Carrying out research tasks in PIL and CT (e.g., research assistance for academic and/or project outputs or the editing of manuscripts for publication in academic outputs);  
  • Supporting research-related and project activities (e.g., the preparation of virtual and in-person workshops).  

What we offer: 

  • A full-time, paid (€550 a month) internships for a period of six months for a law student (or recent graduate) specialising in public international law, (inter)national security and/or counter-terrorism; 
  • The internships will be in-person and based at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in The Hague; 
  • The interns will be part of the CT/GCTF project team under the coordination of Dr. Rumyana van Ark within Research Strand A, ‘In the public interest: accountability of the state and the prosecution of crimes’; 
  • Individual supervision meetings will be offered on regular basis.  

Interested candidates should:  

  • Be enrolled as a student, or be a recent graduate (LL.M./Master’s degree) specialising in public international law, (international) human rights, (inter)national security, (counter-)terrorism or equivalent;  
  • Have strong (legal) analysis, research and writing skills and an affinity with public outreach activities;  
  • Have a good team spirit but also the ability to work independently; 
  • Have excellent written and spoken English;  
  • Have exemplary time-management and communication skills. 

Internships at Asser are in principle for students only. This means that you must be registered as a student at a university or a school, and must be eligible to live and work in the Netherlands through either EU citizenship or a student visa from a Dutch university. Recent graduates (master and bachelor) may also apply, but only within the first year of graduation, when ‘learning through interning’ may still add to your education. 

The internship is an opportunity to learn in an active and dynamic research environment. Therefore, we expect interns to be present at the institute in The Hague. It is not a remote working opportunity. 

Regretfully, the Asser Institute cannot hire students without EU citizenship for internships, unless they already have a Dutch residency and work permit. In order to accelerate the selection process, please include relevant information on your nationality, visa status or residence permit in your application. Please make sure to read this page on internships at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut to make sure you are eligible to apply. 

How to apply:  

If you are interested in applying, please send an email to po@asser.nl with: 

  • Your letter of motivation;  
  • Your CV in English;  
  • Your Bachelor or Master’s grade transcripts;  
  • A writing sample in English (e.g., a paper you have written for a Master’s-level class or equivalent).  

Please combine the above four documents into one PDF file if possible and send your email by 23 September 2024 at 9:00am CEST at the latest indicating “Application internship Public International Law and Counter-Terrorism” in the subject line. Applications received after the deadline, not having the full set of required documents attached to the e-mail or not indicating the correct internship vacancy in the subject line of the e-mail will not be considered.  

The selected applicants will be invited for a virtual interview. The envisaged start date for the internship is 1 November 2024.