ReThink.CEE Fellowship — Call for Applications 2023

Central and Eastern Europe faces a potent mix of domestic and international challenges. Populists, kleptocrats, autocrats, and dictators have long undermined democratic institutions, civil society, and free media throughout the region. Successive financial, health, and energy crises; the challenges of digitalization; and a changing labor market have chipped away at economic models and social cohesion. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered security in the region while China has systematically expanded its economic and political clout there. In turn, the transatlantic and European integration of Central and Eastern Europe has lost some of its attractiveness. In short, a democratic, stable, and prosperous eastern half of Europe seems to be more elusive than at any time since the end of the Cold War.

Given these mounting challenges, Central and Eastern Europe as well as its Western partners urgently need fresh thinking and innovation in policymaking and civic engagement. Looking to understand key trends that shape the region’s future, and for innovative ideas and strategies to respond to these challenges, the German Marshall Fund of the United States calls for applications for its ReThink.CEE Fellowship. Since 2018, this annual program has supported next-generation policy experts and civil society practitioners from across Central and Eastern Europe.

Who we are looking for:

• Young policy experts and/or civic activists from Central Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia), the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) and the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine).
• Maximum age: 35 years
• Proven track record of policy analysis and/or civil society engagement at the national, regional, or international level in a think tank, university, business, government institution, or nongovernmental organization.
• Concrete project ideas for innovative policy research and/or effective civil society engagement that address the current and coming challenges for Central and Eastern Europe. Priority will be given to projects that have regional, rather than single-country, reach and applicability.
• Commitment to produce a quality policy publication within a year as the main output of the fellowship.

What we offer:

• A one year-long non-resident fellowship
• Affiliation with The German Marshall Fund of the United States, a premier transatlantic think tank
• Access to the GMF network of policy and civil society professionals as well as individual support by GMF peers
• Two workshops on policy research and writing at the early and mid-stages of the fellowship
• Possibility of cooperation and exchange with colleagues from different GMF offices and possibility of participation in GMF events
• Professional publication, presentation, and distribution of a research paper
• Coverage of travel, board, lodging, and other expenses related to the purposes of policy research under the fellowship
• A stipend of $5,000 for the entire fellowship

What you need to apply:

• Fill in the application form
• Outline your project in max. 2 pages
• Your CV
• A recent publication (policy paper, article, op-ed) in English authored by you

Applications should be submitted in English by January 15, 2023.