Victoria University of Wellington's Parliamentary Internship Programme: 22nd year of postgraduate student engagement at Parliament
On August 4th the 2021 Parliament Internship class had its formal class photo at Parliament’s Legislative Council Chamber, hosted by the Speaker, Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, with participation by MPs and parliamentary staff.
The programme, now in its 22nd year, is supported by the Speaker and by the Parliamentary Service. Through this programme, a select group of interns from Victoria University’s Honours and Masters programmes have the opportunity to experience Parliament first hand, gaining unique insights into parliamentary processes and the work of MPs (and staff), through placement in MPs’ offices. Each intern has an opportunity to see for themselves how Parliament operates, learning about the roles and responsibilities of MPs (and the work of Parliament’s select committes), while assisting MPs with research and other activities.
At the end of the programme the Speaker’s Prize is awarded to the year’s most outstanding intern. Several interns, over the years, have had their research, carried out for the course (POLS 428), published in academic journals and in books on New Zealand’s general elections. Many former interns have been employed, subsequently, at Parliament; in Minister’s offices; and in various government departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Treasury, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).
Over its 22-year period the internship programme has been organised and supervised, annually, by Professor Stephen Levine (of the university’s Political Science and International Relations Programme).
Further information about POLS 428 can be obtained from the university’s website: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/courses/pols/428/2021/offering?crn=8679.