Meet ISDP’s Fall 2025–26 Intern Cohort
Every semester, the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) provides an internship opportunity open to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. Interns have the chance to gain practical experience in a global environment, work on publications alongside staff or on their own, and gradually assume greater responsibilities within the organization. What opportunities await students during their internship at the Institute?
Our current interns are reflecting on their first impressions of the institute and sharing what they’re most looking forward to as their internships progress.
Asia Program/ Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security: Melita Phachulia; Stockholm China Center: Felicia Kämpe, Katja Pomortseva, Loke Sandvall; Stockholm Korea Center: Pedro Silva; Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs: Tristan Eng, Anahita Poursafir, Ines Vassort; Stockholm Taiwan Center: Federica Bagna
ISDP: To give interested students an idea – what do you work with as an intern at ISDP? And how do you like it?
ISDP interns typically handle tasks such as tracking and analyzing news, carrying out research, and helping with organizing events. Below, interns describe the specific activities these broader responsibilities entail. While each center assigns tasks and sets priorities a bit differently, there are common themes across all of them.
Melita: “I work for the Asia Program and the Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS), mainly under the supervision of Director Niklas Swanström. My tasks include reporting, contributing to research, writing, news gathering, assisting with program activities, and supporting the organisation of webinars and in-person events. The topics I work on are closely aligned with my areas of interest and expertise, which makes the experience both enjoyable and rewarding.”
Federica works with the team of the Taiwan Center and summarizes typical tasks: “As an intern at the Stockholm Taiwan Center, my work consists mainly of conducting research, assisting with event coordination and planning, handling administrative tasks, and developing my own publications.”
At the Korea Center, news monitoring is a regular task for interns, as Pedro explains: “As an intern at the Korea Center at ISDP, my tasks are varied. I compile a weekly newsletter with the most pressing headlines of the week relevant to the Korean Peninsula, I help with social media outreach, assist in the organization of events and webinars, do research on topics that might become relevant for future publications, and am generally available for whatever small tasks the Center needs.”
“At ISDP, I get to see how research and policy work come together in real time. It’s not just about completing tasks—it’s about understanding how decisions are made, how ideas turn into projects, and how a team collaborates to make an impact,” says Anahita, who is assisting at the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs alongside Ines and Tristan.
Ines: “I mainly work with academic articles, policy briefs, and special papers written by researchers. I really like it because without this internship, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to get in contact with these researchers or to gather knowledge about specific topics. I really like that here I can go deep into research or a topic.”
The current interns at our China Center are all studying Chinese language studies at Uppsala University, where the Center has a cooperation for internships during the fall semester. For Felicia, Katja, and Loke, linking language and cultural studies with the world of think tanks is an exciting working environment and combination:
Felicia: “As an intern at the China Center, I work closely with the staff of the China Center along with my fellow intern colleagues. The tasks can include anything and everything from conducting research to promoting content on social media and setting up the conference room for an international visit.”
Katja adds: “One of the most rewarding aspects is the opportunity to create your own content. To help with this, ISDP organizes specialized seminars on policy writing, which is a refreshing shift from the more rigid academic style we’re accustomed to in university.”
What does your typical day look like?
Pedro: “My days vary a lot depending on the specific tasks and events that are happening. Usually, I go over news sources to get me up to date on the developments in the Korean Peninsula, and after my time is usually divided between research and assigned tasks.”
Federica: “Every day is different, tasks vary according to upcoming events and deadlines. I typically start my day either news-gathering or doing research for my blog post and Expert’s Take. In addition to this, I assist my supervisor with proofreading documents, writing reports, planning and attending events and webinars, or creating posts for social media.”
For the China Center, Katja explains: “My days at the office usually start around 9 a.m., where I begin by reviewing my weekly to-do list to prioritize tasks, as some days are more packed than others.”
Loke adds: “My day starts by catching up with my colleagues about the status of the different smaller projects going on. Maybe I need to write something more, revise a written text, read my colleague’s text, or we might be ready to send it for publication.”
The interns at the Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs share that the main task right now during usual office days is helping with organizing an event for the Indo-Pacific Center, which entails communication with participants regarding their flights, and hotel reservations. They are also working on the Bi-Monthly Newsletter: India-Sweden Strategic Compass.
Tristan: “As we have a conference on Tibet coming up, we also do many of the administrative tasks related to making sure the conference will run smoothly. To deepen my knowledge of the South Asian region, I usually reserve an hour or so at the end of every day to reading a book related to South Asian politics or history.”
What was your highlight so far?
The interns from the Taiwan and China Center agree on a highlight:
Felicia: “A few weeks ago, I got to attend a closed-door roundtable discussion organized by the China Center, gathering Chinese scholars along with local researchers on a discussion of maritime security. It was fascinating to observe an issue being discussed from several viewpoints, and it made me consider the complex ways in which research and diplomacy are entangled.”
Loke also describes: “My highlight so far is the possibility to tailor your experience to what you are interested in and what kind of angle you would like to write in.”
Pedro’s internship started with an eventful week: “The Nordic-Korea Next Generation Training Program was a three-day event I was fortunate enough to participate in and help organize.”
Melita: “One highlight has been attending the first webinar of the Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS) on Swedish perspectives on research and innovation security. It was fascinating to hear expert insights on such a timely topic and to learn how Sweden positions itself in this field. And of course, fika [the Swedish tradition of taking an intentional coffee break] remains a highlight too.”
Ines: “The team at ISDP is incredibly welcoming, with everyone treating each other warmly. I particularly love the international environment, which allows us to share different perspectives and cultures.”
Anahita: “My highlight so far has been gaining real hands-on experience of how fast-paced think tanks are, along with the multiple tasks I get to take on.”
How can you apply your theoretical knowledge from university in practice?
Katja: “A key skill from university that translates seamlessly here is the ability to sift through large volumes of material and extract the most relevant insights. Interns are expected to read extensively, sometimes on unfamiliar topics, so strong analytical reading habits are a huge asset.”
Loke: “For one thing, I can apply my knowledge about the specific geographical region I work in since it is the same as my study field. Having knowledge about the area and the ongoing things helps a lot, and it is nice to be able to put it to good use. Language knowledge is also very valuable since you get the opportunity and are encouraged to seek out sources in the language in question.”
Federica: “My background in International Relations and East Asian Studies has given me a solid foundation in global politics and regional dynamics, which I can apply when conducting research and analysis. As my focus has been on cross-strait relations, working for the Stockholm Taiwan Center allows me to engage directly with the issues I have studied, while gaining practical experience in policy research.”
Pedro: “My university studies were mostly focused on Economics, and I believe the tools I learned in my academic journey make understanding the current events happening in the Korean Peninsula much more intuitive.”
Melita: “My academic background focuses on disinformation, societal resilience, and security, which connect directly to my work at ISDP, particularly in research and analysis tasks.”
Ines: “I have applied knowledge that I gathered during my studies, but more regarding the news and actualities, rather than theories and concepts.”
Anahita: “I can apply my theoretical knowledge from university by using the research and analytical tools I gained in class to approach real-world issues more effectively. For example, the theories I studied help me frame questions and identify patterns when researching the region.”
Tristan: “Coming from a law background, a lot of the debates around the relationship between law and politics have been crucial to my understanding of many of the things that I do here at the Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs.”
What was unexpected?
Katja: “I was pleasantly surprised by the warm and inclusive atmosphere at ISDP. I had anticipated a more formal and intimidating setting where asking questions might feel daunting, but the staff have been incredibly supportive, creating space for us to grow and learn.”
Pedro: “Interns are almost always included in the important discussions and events, with the senior staff being open to talk and help with whatever we might need. The onboarding process was also seamless, which made us interns get settled into our roles quickly.”
Federica: “I would say the most unexpected aspect of the internship has been the encouragement to pursue our own interests and find our own voices in the writing process, while being offered feedback and support. Everyone is willing to help whenever needed.”
Loke: “I was quite surprised how up to date you are at ISDP since you read about the things going on right now as well as about things that are happening in the near future. In practice, it makes sense and is an interesting way in which academia and policy writing differ.”
Felicia: “A pleasant surprise for me was that interns are actually encouraged to take part in activities one might think would be reserved for more senior staff.”
What are you looking forward to for the rest of your internship experience?
The interns look forward to publishing their own blog posts or other publications together with colleagues and participating in events, engaging with scholars from the field.
Ines: “To continue to learn new things, especially about the Indo-Pacific region, but also to write in a policy way and not in an academic way. And to discover more about the policy world.”
Katja: “I’m excited to deepen my understanding of geopolitics in Asia, sharpening my analytical and writing skills along the way. Adapting my writing from an academic to a policy-oriented style feels like a valuable evolution that will serve me well professionally. I also hope to discover new areas of interest that I might have overlooked during my studies, potentially uncovering new research paths.”
Melita: “I’m excited about conducting expert interviews and attending upcoming in-house lectures.”
Anahita: “For the rest of my internship, I’m looking forward to deepening my knowledge of the region I’m currently working on, sharpening my writing skills in a think tank environment, and continuing to build connections with colleagues and experts. I also hope this experience will help me clarify my career direction and inspire my next steps after the internship.”
Thank you for sharing your valuable insights! We are excited at ISDP to continue collaborating with you in the months ahead.
Are you interested in joining the ISDP as an intern? Now is the time to apply for the spring 2026 positions. The application deadline is on Monday, October 20th.
Here, you can find more information about our internship program and answers to common questions. Calls for applications for the fall semester will be announced in March/ April and the spring internship opportunities are usually announced in September.