The Ideas for Russia Labs internship program is designed for students who have a keen interest in researching Russia. Participants will have the opportunity to work on research projects under the mentorship of reputable experts in the field.
The main goals of this program are to help participants to:
- integrate into international scientific networks,
- gain practical research experience,
- improve employment prospects and career advancement opportunities.
This program is a key component of the Ideas for Russia initiative, launched in 2022 by the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, in partnership with the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University and the Institute of International Relations in Prague. The primary aim of the initiative is to foster a community of scholars dedicated to the study of contemporary Russia.
In 2024, nine laboratories were launched under the program, with interns selected through a competitive process.
List of laboratories:
- IFR Authoritarian Fragility Lab
- IFR Disinformation Lab
- IFR Displacement Lab
- IFR Ethnic Resistance Lab
- IFR Futures Lab
- IFR Meanings of War Lab
- IFR Nationalisms Lab
- IFR Statism Lab
- IFR-CEDAR Elites Lab
Mentors and interns are working together to develop intern’s research competencies, expand professional networks, and strategize their career trajectories in their respective fields.
Mentors and interns participate together in conferences and seminars. Cooperation between laboratories has also been established through data exchange or the organization of joint events.
At the end of 2024, all teams from the Ideas for Russia Labs will showcase their project results at a collective workshop. The project outcomes will be disseminated in various formats, such as blog posts, analytical notes, or peer-reviewed scientific articles.