Internship Programme - International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) - October to December 2024

Deadline: March 31, 2024

Program Starts: October 01, 2024

Program Ends: December 31, 2024

Internships

International Organizations

Location(s)

  • Germany
Am Internationalen Seegerichtshof 1, 22609 Hamburg

Overview

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial body established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to adjudicate disputes arising out of the interpretation and application of the Convention. The Tribunal is composed of 21 independent members, elected from among persons enjoying the highest reputation for fairness and integrity and of recognized competence in the field of the law of the sea.

Details

Internship Programme

The Tribunal offers a limited number of internships each year to students and recent graduates of law, international relations, public relations, political science, library science and translation. Interns work under the supervision of Registry officials on matters relevant to the Tribunal’s work. The three-month programme allows students to gain an understanding of the way in which the Tribunal functions and to participate in the work of the Registry. Interns are expected to be able to contribute to the work of the Tribunal in fields such as the law of the sea, public international law, international organizations and international relations, political science, public information, library science and translation.

Why an internship with the Tribunal?

If you are considering a career in international law, for example, whether working for a law firm, an international or regional organization or your national government, and if you are interested in a behind-the-scenes experience at an international court, then you are in the right place. Working closely with officials in the Tribunal's Registry, interns have the chance to experience the daily routine of the Registry's different departments, interact with members of the Tribunal, use the extensive library facilities for their research, meet participants of other training programmes and enjoy the challenge of working in a truly international environment. An internship at the Tribunal provides students and recent graduates with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Structure of the Programme

The Tribunal's Internship Programme is normally a full-time programme, although other arrangements are possible.

Internships usually cover a period of three months, from January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December. In exceptional cases, individual internships may be extended.

Under supervision, the intern carries out assignments for members of the Tribunal and the Registry.

Internships are offered in the following departments:

  • Legal Office Interns are expected to carry out research on a variety of legal issues and prepare memoranda and reports for the Legal Office. Interns will be requested to conduct research on a specific topic and give an oral presentation to the Legal Office. They will work with the other interns serving at the Tribunal on the preparation of weekly press reviews.  
  • Library The Library provides research services to the Judges, Registry staff, interns, and external visitors using numerous online databases and maintaining a vast collection of books, loose leafs and journals on the law of the sea, public international law and maritime law.  Interns will assist with daily operations including but not limited to: database maintenance, assistance with research, document processing, records management, copy cataloguing, conducting bibliographic research for collection development, organizing UN Documents; collection maintenance (shelf reading, shelving, inventory).
  • Linguistic Services Since the working languages of the Tribunal are English and French, interns in Linguistic Services should have one of these languages as their mother tongue and an excellent knowledge of the other. Computer literacy is essential and familiarity with translation tools and database management is desirable. Interns are involved with document preparation, referencing and research and other related tasks as required.
  • Press Office Interns in the Press Office are involved in the daily tasks of the Press Office, drafting public relations material, compiling  press coverage reviews, assisting with the organisation of visits and events and putting together presentation material for Registry use.  

Upon successful completion of the internship, interns receive a certificate. The certificate will, inter alia, state the period of internship, give examples of the allocated tasks and evaluate the intern's performance.

The Tribunal

The Tribunal has jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, and over all matters specifically provided for in any other agreement which confers jurisdiction on the Tribunal (Statute, article 21). The Tribunal is open to States Parties to the Convention (i.e. States and international organisations which are parties to the Convention). It is also open to entities other than States Parties, i.e., States or intergovernmental organisations which are not parties to the Convention, and to state enterprises and private entities "in any case expressly provided for in Part XI or in any case submitted pursuant to any other agreement conferring jurisdiction on the Tribunal which is accepted by all the parties to that case" (Statute, article 20).

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was opened for signature at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on 10 December 1982. It entered into force 12 years later, on 16 November 1994. A subsequent Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the Convention was adopted on 28 July 1994 and entered into force on 28 July 1996. This Agreement and Part XI of the Convention are to be interpreted and applied together as a single instrument. 

The origins of the Convention date from 1 November 1967 when Ambassador Arvid Pardo of Malta addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations and called for "an effective international regime over the seabed and the ocean floor beyond a clearly defined national jurisdiction". This led to the convening, in 1973, of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, which after nine years of negotiations adopted the Convention. 

The Convention establishes a comprehensive legal framework to regulate all ocean space, its uses and resources. It contains, among other things, provisions relating to the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone and the high seas. It also provides for the protection and preservation of the marine environment, for marine scientific research and for the development and transfer of marine technology. One of the most important parts of the Convention concerns the exploration for and exploitation of the resources of the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (the Area). The Convention declares the Area and its resources to be "the common heritage of mankind". The International Seabed Authority, established by the Convention, administers the resources of the Area. 

Opportunity is About


Eligibility

Candidates should be from:


Description of Ideal Candidate

Can I be an intern at the Tribunal?

The following criteria are used to determine eligibility for the internship programme:

Applicants should:

  • have completed at least three years of university studies;
  • normally be engaged in a degree-granting or postgraduate course at the time of application and also during their internship, or be a recent graduate;
  • normally not be more than 35 years of age;
  • have a good command of English and/or French; and
  • have an interest in international law, in particular international law of the sea, international affairs or international institutions and organizations.

Our interns are students or recent graduates from all over the world, all sharing an interest in international law and in particular the law of the sea. Their backgrounds are varied and depend on the department they are attached to: those in the Legal Office have usually completed their first law degree or are already working on a masters in international law or a PhD in a law of the sea-related topic. Library interns should be enrolled in a library science or archival administration course, and interns with Linguistic Services should be enrolled in a translation degree course and be able to work in the two official languages. Press Office interns tend to be students of journalism, media studies or international relations.

In the selection of candidates due consideration is given to geographical diversity and gender balance.


Dates

Deadline: March 31, 2024

Program starts:

October 01, 2024

Program ends:

December 31, 2024

Program Starts: October 01, 2024

Program Ends: December 31, 2024


Cost/funding for participants

Which internship periods are available?

The Tribunal's internship programme is a full-time programme and internships usually cover a period of three months.

Internship periods generally run from January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December, although we try to be flexible in order to accommodate applications from students with different vacation schedules.

Is funding available?

A Trust Fund for the Law of the Sea was established in 2010 with the aim of providing financial assistance to participants from developing countries. A limited amount of funding is available to assist interns with their living and travel costs. 

Contributions for the internship programme have been made to the Trust Fund by the Korea Maritime Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

In addition to the requirements for participation in the programme, the following criteria apply in determining eligibility for internship funding:

(a) Applicants must be nationals of a developing country included on the OECD list and should normally be resident in that country; and

(b) Applicants should be in need of financial assistance to help cover the travel and living costs associated with an internship in Hamburg.

Candidates should indicate their interest in applying for funding in the online application form. Late applications for funding will not be considered.

Important considerations

  • Cost: Interns do not receive any remuneration. Travel and accommodation costs, as well as living expenses, are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Those awarded funding from the Trust Fund for the Law of the Sea receive a monthly allowance to assist with living expenses.
  • Visa: Interns are responsible for obtaining and financing the necessary visas for Germany. Assistance with the procedure for securing a visa is provided by the internship coordinator where necessary.
  • Travel: Interns arrange and finance their travel to Hamburg. Those awarded funding from the Trust Fund for the Law of the Sea may receive financial assistance with their travel costs.
  • Accommodation: Interns are responsible for arranging their accommodation in Hamburg. An information sheet on temporary accommodation is provided by the internship coordinator and some assistance in finding a room may be provided.
  • Medical insurance: Interns must provide proof of adequate health/accident insurance coverage and a medical certificate stating that they are in good health and able to travel to Hamburg. The Tribunal accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness during an internship. 
  • Confidentiality: Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained during the course of the internship and may not publish any reports or papers based on such information even after completion of the internship.
  • Certificate: Upon successful completion of the internship, interns receive a certificate stating the period of internship, giving examples of the allocated tasks and evaluating the intern's performance.
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