QMUL student interns at BIHR 2014

Would you like to find out how an advocacy based Human Rights NGO works?  

Our collaboration with the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) allows us to offer up to five Queen Mary law students the opportunity to undertake a summer placement with BIHR. Open to both postgraduate and undergraduate students, this internship scheme provides a unique opportunity for our students to gain practical experience of working for a human rights NGO engaged in advocacy, research, education, and policy work.

BIHR is at the forefront of practical work to embed human rights standards in the design and delivery of public services, and to empower voluntary sector organisations to apply human rights in their advocacy and campaigning work. The internship offers our students a chance to gain experience of how a human rights charity like BIHR makes a difference, and an opportunity to develop and evidence a range of skills which are invaluable in today’s competitive job market.  

Interns support BIHR’s work across all its many varied functions, including legal and policy research, mapping and intelligence gathering, media and communications work, developing and testing training and educational materials, and programme management and administration. In addition, interns attend external meetings with senior officials, shadow BIHR’s  Director, and attend BIHR’s regular staff and planning meetings, providing a rich insight into how issues and challenges are dealt with. Interns leave BIHR with a unique insight into the state of play with regards to human rights in the UK and a rounded experience of human rights practice.

The BIHR internship scheme opens for applications in the second semester each year, and is open to second and third year undergraduates and all postgraduates from the School of Law. Interviews take place in March, and successful students usually start their internships at the beginning of July.