Introduction

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the [person] who’ll decide where to go.” – Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

During my internship at the European office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung e.V. (FES), I experienced firsthand the remarkable impact of Germany’s largest and oldest party-affiliated foundation. Rooted in the core values of social democracy — freedom, justice, and solidarity — FES is a powerhouse of political education, strategic think tank initiatives, international cooperation, scholarships for underprivileged students, and the preservation of social democracy’s history.

With main offices in Bonn and Berlin, 16 additional locations in Germany, and 104 foreign offices, including a significant presence in Brussels, FES is dedicated to fostering a robust and inclusive global civil society.

The FES office in Brussels, with its 23 employees, stands out as one of the largest and most influential foreign offices of the foundation, particularly captivating for me as a political science student. This office actively contributes to the European integration process and helps shape the EU’s foreign relations in alignment with German interests. I discovered the internship opportunity in the communications field through a job posting on the FES website. My background in PR and journalism, developed through part-time jobs and university workshops, aligned perfectly with the job requirements. The Brussels location also attracted me due to its proximity to EU institutions, complementing my strong interest in international relations.
While I applied to other locations, including Washington D.C., an online interview with the FES-EU office team eased my decision to choose Brussels. The opportunity to work for the International Politics and Society (IPS) Journal of the foundation was particularly enticing. Additionally, the good pay was a significant factor, given Brussels‘ high cost of living. For those considering similar opportunities, I highly recommend applying for Erasmus+ as well, as the mobility grant provides substantial financial support.

Main Responsibilities

My internship at the FES office in Brussels was centered around two main areas of work. Firstly, I collaborated with the communications officer, Jasmin Kohl, on public relations tasks, where I assisted in creating the newsletter and supported the office’s external representation. Secondly, I was part of the IPS editorial team, working alongside Valentina Berndt, the managing editor, and Alena Bieling, the editor. In this role, I edited and translated articles, engaged with native advertising systems, and contributed own creative ideas.

I hoped to gain practical experience and expand my skills through new tasks during the internship. The nearly six-month duration allowed me to understand the working world better, make valuable contacts, and further develop my career prospects. A particular highlight was the opportunity of publishing my own article in the IPS Journal. Completing this article was a clear goal of mine.

Detailed Work Experience

In the first two weeks of my internship, I received a comprehensive introduction, engaging in discussions with all office employees, including policy officers, financial officers, and project coordinators. This provided me with a direct and thorough insight into the various work areas and their interconnections within the office.

My workday typically started at 9 am and ended around 5 pm, mostly spent in our intern office on the top floor. While the other two interns mainly focused on seminar assisting tasks, I concentrated on my communication and journalism duties. Occasionally, I supported seminar tasks and consistently exchanged ideas within our intern team. Weekly meetings with my two supervisors were held to discuss past and planned tasks.

In the week preceding the newsletter’s release, my tasks included creating and editing visuals using Canva. This allowed me to apply and expand my skills in creative design, especially with new features such as AI image generation. I regularly wrote and shortened teasers for our events, searched for suitable images using Picturealliance, and learned to use filter functions and keywords. Sometimes, I created tweets and participated in a training on media accessibility, where I learned about the importance of ALT texts and applied this knowledge directly.
A crucial skill during my internship was structured and prioritised work. Alongside working with communications officer Jasmin Kohl, I was involved in the IPS editorial team. The IPS Journal, a political opinion journal of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, is led by Valentina Berndt, with Alena Bieling as editor. There is also a German and Russian edition of the journal, IPG (Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft). Weekly Zoom meetings were held to discuss current topics, develop new article ideas, and reflect on past articles. When needed, I translated articles or adapted articles in English for our journal by adding headlines and quotes, writing teasers, and selecting images, always adhering to the style guide and using British English.
A less demanding but still important task was monitoring our native advertising systems. I inserted articles and wrote alternative titles to reach a larger readership, allowing me to express my creative side. Additionally, I analysed data from the past year using Google Analytics and created a presentation in Canva. This task was initially challenging but ultimately helped me acquire new skills and knowledge.
During my time at the EU office, I was part of an intern team. Besides me, there were two seminar assistants with whom I interacted daily, supporting each other and collaborating on event organization tasks such as creating name tags and participant lists.

Given the variety of tasks, regular coordination and evaluation of work methods were crucial. Weekly task discussions were held with the communications officer and the IPS Journal managing editor to evaluate completed work, discuss new tasks, and assess my current workload. On some days, I had a high workload but learned to organize myself well and prioritise tasks. On other days, I could work more relaxed and take time for smaller tasks. This changing work pace was particularly appealing as it offered variety and taught me to remain flexible and manage high workloads.

Challenges and Learning

The biggest challenge was at the beginning transitioning from studying and a part-time job to full-time employment. It required developing a new routine and organizing tasks during working hours. Working with to-do lists and setting concrete daily goals helped me a lot. In case of uncertainties, I turned to my colleagues, who were always open and helpful. There was one instance of a misunderstanding where I worked on a task too complexly, but it had no serious consequences, and I received feedback for similar future research.

As I think about continuing my studies after the summer, I will take valuable experiences from my internship with me. Many topics discussed theoretically in my studies were experienced practically here. For instance, during internal and external network events in conversations with stakeholders and think tanks or gaining insights into the creation of studies or the revision of policy briefs. In my studies, I have already worked on political communication, stakeholders in the EU, and the role of the media. The collaboration with various advisors allowed me to build on the knowledge gained in my studies. Additionally, I found inspiration in the various topics of the IPS articles and through my research activities, which will be more than relevant for my bachelor thesis.

Conclusion

My internship in Brussels has been an extraordinary journey, rich in learning and professional growth. From day one, the welcoming team made me feel valued, which fuelled my enthusiasm and motivation to come to work each day. The supportive atmosphere has been a constant source of encouragement and has made my experience both enjoyable and rewarding.

I am considering returning here. The relationships that I have built up are not only of great value to my personal development, but also to my future career. The support I’ve received from these people will certainly play a part in where I want to go next.

A particularly enriching aspect of my internship was the various events I was able to attend on site. These events allowed me to explore new areas of work and discover a wide range of career opportunities. Each event offered unique insights and helped me to better understand different career fields, such as working in EU institutions or think tanks.

The internship not only enhanced my confidence, but also clarified my career goals. Applying theoretical knowledge from my studies to real-world scenarios highlighted the diverse and dynamic nature of the field. Working with experts and on real projects allowed me to hone my skills and discover new interests. Now I am planning to do a student job in the field of journalism, as I really enjoyed the work in the IPS team.
Another highlight of my time here was the respectful and supportive interactions within the team. The open communication and mutual appreciation fostered an environment where I felt both comfortable and valued. This positive atmosphere underscored the crucial role that a healthy work environment plays in personal fulfilment and professional success. Moving forward, I’ll seek out workplaces that embody these values or strive to create such an environment in my future roles.
Overall, this internship has exceeded my expectations. It provided profound professional insights and significant personal growth. I’m grateful for the opportunity and eager to use the knowledge and connections I’ve gained as I move forward in my career.

Tipps für andere Praktikant:innen

Vorbereitung

Vor dem Praktikum hatte ich aufgrund der Umzugsvorbereitungen und der Fertigstellung von Seminarleistungen nur wenig Zeit, mich auf die neue Tätigkeit vorzubereiten. Glücklicherweise gibt es zu Beginn eines Praktikums in der Regel eine Einführung, sodass eine umfassende Vorbereitung nicht unbedingt erforderlich ist. Dennoch habe ich die von der Praktikumsstelle im Vorfeld zugesendeten Leitfäden und Dokumente durchgesehen und mir mögliche Fragen notiert.

Beantragung Visum

Für meinen Aufenthalt in Brüssel war kein Visum erforderlich.

Praktikumssuche

Zunächst würde ich verschiedene Stellenausschreibungen prüfen und die Webseiten von Institutionen und Unternehmen besuchen, die mich interessieren, um einen umfassenden Überblick zu erhalten. Es ist wichtig, sich während der Bewerbungsphase über seine eigenen Präferenzen im Klaren zu sein und über seine Stärken und Schwächen nachzudenken, um gut auf Bewerbungsgespräche vorbereitet zu sein. Zudem empfehle ich, sich Gedanken zur Finanzierung zu machen und darauf zu achten, dass die Stelle eine ausgewogene Mischung aus Aufgaben bietet: Aufgaben, mit denen man bereits vertraut ist, sowie neue Herausforderungen, bei denen man viel lernen kann.

Wohnungssuche

Ich habe die Erfahrung gemacht, dass Universitäten oft auf ihren Webseiten Links zu Studierendenwohnheimen bereitstellen. Es lohnt sich, diese Informationen zu nutzen. In Brüssel zum Beispiel sind XIOR und DiggitStudentLife Optionen.

Versicherung

Informiere dich darüber, welche Versicherungen von der Universität und dem Unternehmen für das Praktikum übernommen werden. Sollten diese nicht ausreichen, wende dich an die AnsprechpartnerInnen bei Erasmus; sie können dir ebenfalls weiterhelfen.

Formalitäten vor Ort

Telefon-/Internetanschluss

Da ich in einem Studierendenwohnheim gewohnt habe, war eduroam verfügbar. Was mir etwas spät aufgefallen ist, ist, dass es sinnvoll wäre, sich frühzeitig über den Handyvertrag zu informieren und die Kosten abzuwägen. Möglicherweise ist für den kurzen Zeitraum auch eine Prepaid-Karte vor Ort eine gute Alternative.

Bank/Kontoeröffnung

In meinem Fall hat alles genauso funktioniert wie in Deutschland. Ich empfehle, Online-Banking zu nutzen, um einen klaren Überblick über Einnahmen und Ausgaben zu behalten.

Alltag/Freizeit

Ausgehmöglichkeiten

In Brüssel gibt es zahlreiche internationale Studierende und PraktikantInnen. Schau dir gerne die Erasmus-Kanäle oder ESN der ULB und VUB an, um Kontakte zu knüpfen. Die Stadt bietet zudem viele Parks, Cafés und Bars sowie eine Vielzahl an Aktivitäten, sodass dir sicherlich nicht langweilig wird.

Sonstiges

In Brüssel erhältst du als eingeschriebene StudentInnen eine MOBIB-Karte für 6 Euro und ein Jahresabonnement für 16 Euro. Bringe dafür deine ausgedruckte Praktikumsbestätigung sowie zwei Immatrikulationsbescheinigungen (für das Winter- und Sommersemester) zur Station mit, zum Beispiel bei Rogier.