"The call for applications for CEPA’s 2020 Title VIII CEE Area Studies Fellowship Program may be of interest to your students or alumni. Last year we received a number of very impressive applications from the Naval Postgraduate School, and I wanted to make sure that you and your colleagues received this current notice for applications, open now through December 31, 2019. The 2020 program is expected to run from late-March through late-September 2020. We kindly ask your help in spreading the word about the fellowship to any students or alumni that you believe may be interested in applying for the program. Below you will find more information about the fellowship program and instructions on how to apply."
The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) is now accepting applications for the 2020 Title VIII CEE Area Studies Fellowship Program. This is a competitive, nation-wide call for applications open to American graduate-level students, post-doctoral scholars, and early career professionals. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
About the Fellowship Program
The Title VIII CEE Area Studies Fellowship Program is a six-month fellowship in residence in Washington, DC open to American graduate-level students, post-doctoral scholars, and early career professionals seeking to develop expertise on and/or to strengthen their strategic knowledge of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The main goal of the fellowship program is to cultivate U.S. expertise on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and to develop relevant and timely analysis on the CEE region for the U.S. policy community. The program is generously supported by the U.S. Department of State.
Title VIII Fellows will have an opportunity to conduct independent research and analysis on a specific policy issue in an environment specialized for CEE area studies and policy analysis. Fellow research topics may focus on policy relevant issues including, but not limited to: security and defense, economic development, strategic communication, and energy security, as they relate to a specific country in the region (e.g. Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) or a specific CEE sub-region (e.g. the Baltic States, the Visegrád Group, the Black Sea region, and the Western Balkans).
The program offers structured opportunities to build Fellows’ knowledge and skills through multidisciplinary in-house lectures by CEPA experts, participation in CEPA events and expert analytical discussions, and mentorship from CEPA experts, senior fellows, and staff. Title VIII Fellows will also have extensive opportunities to build ties with the U.S. and CEE expert and policy communities through exclusive access to CEPA’s vast network of contacts and partner institutes, as well the opportunity to conduct field research in the CEE region.
Fellows will be required to write an analytical paper for publication and to conduct briefings with the wider U.S. policy community on their research and analytical findings. Fellows must be able to devote near full-time to the fellowship position in order to meet program requirements. The program is expected to run from late March through late September 2020.
Fellowship Stipend
The fellowship offers a stipend of $3,500 per month. Additionally, in-residence office space will be provided for each Fellow at CEPA’s headquarters in Washington, DC for the six-month period.
Requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications in order to be considered:
• Bachelor’s degree, at minimum, in a relevant field such as international relations, public policy, security studies, or political science;
• Must presently be a graduate level-student, a post-doctoral scholar, or an early career professional with demonstrable interest in the CEE region and/or U.S. national security and foreign policy;
• Outstanding academic credentials;
• Exceptional research and writing skills;
• Demonstrated commitment to transatlantic values;
• Clear leadership potential and the ability to work independently; and
• U.S. citizenship.
How to Apply
To be considered for the fellowship program, applicants must submit the following:
• Completed Application Form (link);
• Resume/CV;
• 500-word essay on a proposed research topic. Applicants must explain why their topic/issue of interest is relevant to U.S. national security and/or foreign policy and how their research could contribute to the knowledge of the wider expert and policy communities.
• Two academic or professional letters of recommendation. Referees must send signed letters directly to Ms. Marta Sikorski Martin at marta.sikorski@cepa.org by Tuesday, December 31, 2019.
Please send all application materials and inquiries to Marta Sikorski Martin at marta.sikorski@cepa.org. The application deadline is 11:59 PM (EST), Tuesday, December 31, 2019.
