Entries by Stephanie Govaerts

Julie Ebrard on how she found HCSS and the three words she would use to describe her internship experience

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Hi! My name is Julie and I come from France. I first arrived in the Netherlands four years ago to study International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University. I first found out about HCSS at a career event organised by Leiden University, where I had the opportunity to speak with the internship coordinators. What intrigued me was the broad and dynamic nature of the internship, the projects HCSS was involved in and wanting to bridge the theoretical dimension of my studies with the research and policy-making world.

From Cloud to Community: Shaping the Future of Digital Defence

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In the run up to the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague and following our first Symposium on NATO’s digital capabilities in Brussels, this second Symposium will focus on the future of digital defence. On Wednesday, June 18th, HCSS has the pleasure to invite you our symposium at our office in the Hague, where world class experts will discuss military and civilian aspects of digital defences.

Sofia Romansky: Lessons from the EU on Confidence Building Measures around Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain

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HCSS Strategic Analyst and GC REAIM project coordinator Sofia Romansky contributes to the ongoing discourse on emerging technologies and security with her newly published paper, ‘Lessons from the EU on Confidence Building Measures around Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain,’ as part of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium’s Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Paper series. Her paper explores how confidence-building measures (CBMs), informed by the European Union’s regulatory experience with the AI Act, can help break the current deadlock in global governance of military AI.

Elton Högklint on how his YouTube channel led him to HCSS, interdisciplinarity and finding out the core of his future work

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Hi my name is Elton and I’m originally from a small town in Sweden but I lived abroad for most of my life. For my bachelor’s studies, I chose to do Sociology at the University of Amsterdam and a minor in Global Affairs at Leiden University, where I found out about the Advanced Master of Science in International Relations and Diplomacy which I am currently completing alongside my internship at HCSS. The minor is also where I found out about HCSS, as I took Professor Rob de Wijk’s course in Power Instruments!

Irina Patrahau & Ron Stoop | Conference Bucharest

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HCSS Strategic Analysts Irina Patrahau and Ron Stoop were invited to speak at a conference in Bucharest to present their upcoming paper on geopolitical vulnerabilities for battery chemistries. The conference was called ‘The Long View and the Short in Building Resilience: Natural Resources and Geoeconomics in the 21st Century. Held at the University of Bucharest from the 30–31st May 2025.

Water, Peace and Security (WPS) Internship open for applications (start date July/August 2025)

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HCSS is looking for a new Water, Peace and Security (WPS) intern to start in July/August 2025. Are you a student interested in climate security in the MENA region? The WPS internship is a dynamic and varied opportunity in research, project management, communication, design, networking, copy writing, and policy development. Deadline to apply is July 20th!

HCSS General Internship open for applications (start date in August 2025)

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HCSS is looking for new interns to start in August 2025. Are you a student interested in geopolitics and international security? The HCSS internship is a dynamic and varied opportunity in research, analysis, data, communication, design, networking, copy writing, and policy development. Deadline to apply is July 20th!

Emma Genovesi on her typical day as a general intern, gaining practical experience and finding her perfect work environment at HCSS

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Hi my name is Emma and I am half Italian, half American and I have lived and studied in both countries. For my bachelor’s studies, I started off doing Political Science and International Relations at the University of Bologna, and then proceeded to do my Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy, focusing on International Security Policy. I decided to narrow my field by attending the Cyber Security and Governance program at Leiden University. Because I was looking for practical experience in my field, I decided to apply to HCSS, and so, long story short, here I am!

Water, Peace and Security Symposium, Baghdad, Iraq | 27 May, 2025

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On 27 May 2025, a diverse group of Iraqi policymakers, technical experts, academics, and international partners gathered in Baghdad for a dynamic one-day Symposium organised by the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) partnership. Held directly after the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference, the Symposium aimed to transform insights from WPS initiatives in Wasit, Missan, Basra, and Dhi Qar into actionable and collaborative solutions for addressing water-related security challenges in Iraq. Organised by the WPS partnership, the event marked a pivotal step toward transforming data and insights into collaborative solutions for southern Iraq’s mounting water-related challenges.

Oscar Lodeizen on dashboards, AI, and all things data

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What’s it like being an intern in the HCSS Datalab? Oscar Lodeizen tells you more about his experience: My time at HCSS has been incredibly valuable, both for learning and for having fun. It’s an exciting first step into the professional world. So far it has made me realise how important it is to have both affinity and enthusiasm for the field you are in. If the internship aligns with your interests and you are ready for the challenge, I would absolutely recommend applying.