Join APRI’s Young Talent Program 2026/2027 – New Applications Now Open

The APRI Young Talent Program is a recurring initiative aimed at engaging young professionals and recent graduates worldwide who are passionate about African policy research. The program provides a unique opportunity to gain insights into the workings of a growing think tank and to contribute meaningfully to its research and advocacy efforts. Each cohort consists of diverse roles tailored to the current needs of APRI’s programs, offering practical experience and professional development in the field of policy research.

The applications are currently accepted by the Geopolitics and Geoeconomics program at APRI. Shortlisted candidates may be kept on a reserve roster for upcoming positions.

Applications are being accepted until July 31, 2026. Candidates are currently being considered for two distinct internship cohorts: the first commencing in January 2027.

Programme Overview and Purpose

The APRI Young Talent Program is designed to provide early-career researchers and graduates with practical experience in policy research and analysis. The initiative focuses on developing skills in international relations, political economy, development policy, and African studies, while offering hands-on exposure to real-world policy processes.

The programme aims to bridge the gap between academic training and professional policy work by immersing participants in ongoing research projects, policy discussions, and knowledge production processes within APRI’s thematic areas.

According to APRI, the initiative also seeks to strengthen the pipeline of emerging talent contributing to African-focused policy research across international institutions, think tanks, and development organizations.

• Duties and responsibilities vary according to your interests and skill set, as well as the current needs of the programs.
• Provide research, writing, data analysis, and editing support on various program topics.
• Assist in organizing conferences, workshops, webinars, and other events.
• Collaborate on the development and execution of online content, including images, infographics, factsheets, videos, and blogs.
• Prepare a weekly media monitoring
• Provide administrative and general support to the project team, including maintaining databases, scheduling meetings, preparing documentation, and assisting with grant reporting.
• Engage in internal and external communication efforts, including outreach to stakeholders and partners or supporting the development of policy briefings and advocacy materials.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of research projects and programs to assess impact or contribute to knowledge management and documentation of best practices.

• For applicants currently registered in the European Union, enrollment in a European university is required (German: Pflichtpraktikum).
• Applicants based in Africa or other regions may apply even if not currently enrolled in university, provided they have recently graduated or are between academic programs. The candidate needs to be able to work on GMT+1 (Nigeria) or GMT+2 (Germany) time zones.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to assess geopolitical, economic, climate, digital and governance dimensions.
• Experience in data analysis and using data visualization tools is an asset.
• Strong media monitoring skills, including the ability to track news, policy debates, and emerging trends across multiple sources.
• Excellent writing skills and command of English (written and spoken); additional languages, like French, German, Arabic or African languages are a plus.
• Self-starter who can work independently, is reliable and flexible, and knows how to organize and prioritize tasks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively in a diverse and multicultural team environment.

Preferred

• Completed graduate studies in International Relations, Political Economy, Development Studies, African Studies, or a related field.
• Strong project management skills.
• To fully benefit from and learn within APRI’s team culture, we encourage applicants who are able to complete part or all of their internship in one of our offices (Berlin or Abuja).

Internship Structure and Location

The Young Talent Program offers structured internship cohorts, with the first cohort beginning in January 2027. Selected applicants will be assigned to APRI’s Geopolitics and Geoeconomics programme, contributing to ongoing research and policy engagement activities.

APRI encourages participants to engage with its team culture through in-person collaboration where possible. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete part or all of their internship in one of APRI’s offices located in Berlin or Abuja.