- Will interns be paid?
- Is there a language requirement?
- How long should the finished research paper be?
- What should be the subject/style of the finished project?
- Will my work be published?
- What if my research requires conducting interviews?
- How much of my work must take place in the Civic Exchange office?
- What kind of person should apply to intern at the Civic Exchange?
We are unable to pay interns, but can reimburse them for out of pocket expenses that are directly related to their research work, such as the purchase of research materials. For overseas applicants, we are unfortunately unable to cover transportation and living costs, although we will help applicants as much as possible to find reasonably priced accommodations.
Is there a language requirement?
Interns must be able to speak one or more of English, Mandarin, or Cantonese. Their written project must be written in either English or Chinese.
How long should the finished research paper be?
We have no specific style/subject requirements. Interns will identify a subject that is of interest to them and work with the Civic Exchange to produce a research paper. The subject may be highly personal and discuss one’s own thoughts, insights and experience, or it may be analytical. If the intern selects an analytical topic, the report needs to be fully footnoted.
What should be the subject/style of the finished project?
The length and depth of the paper will depend on the amount of time that the intern spends with Civic Exchange as well as the intern’s own capabilities. We hope that the work is of sufficient quality so that it can be published as a Civic Exchange Intern Publication. For a better understanding of report formats, please consult the “Publications” section of the Civic Exchange website.
High quality research papers will be published under the Civic Exchange name, both on our website and in hard copy, with the intern credited as author. Papers not published in this manner, but which do meet a minimum standard of excellence, may be published as Civic Exchange Intern Publications.
What if my research requires conducting interviews?
Civic Exchange will assist in arranging interviews with experts and stakeholders if necessary.
How much of my work must take place in the Civic Exchange office?
The capacity to conduct independent research is a requirement of Civic Exchange interns. For this reason, interns do not have to work on a 9-to-5 basis, and may choose to work in the Civic Exchange office, their room, at libraries, etc. However, we do expect interns to come to the office at least once a week to go through what they have done in the previous week, and to ensure that they are set for the following week.
What kind of person should apply to intern at the Civic Exchange?
Civic Exchange interns come from a variety of academic and cultural backgrounds. Generally, a strong applicant is someone who is a student or recent graduate, who demonstrates interest toward a particular subject and the motivation to conduct independent research, and who is able to produce a finished research paper at the end of the internship program.