As part of the Mercator Science Policy Fellowship Program, PRIF hosted ten executives from federal ministries, international organizations, the EU Commission and non-governmental organizations on November 14, 2019. They held expert discussions in small groups with the Institute's researchers on the topics of migration and refugees, civil society influence on international politics, democracy in Europe and Germany's foreign policy.
Nicole Deitelhoff, Executive Director of PRIF, emphasizes the importance of engaging in dialogue with practioners: "The dialogue between science and practice is very profitable for both sides. The fellows inform themselves about the current state of research on their fields of interest, while we scientists get to know new perspectives on our fields of work."
The fellows of the program work for the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Audit Office, the European Commission, the United Nations, the German Red Cross and Malteser International. Since 2016, the Mercator Science Policy Fellowship Program, initiated by the Rhine-Main universities, has promoted bridging the gap between scientific institutions in the Rhine-Main region and the policy sector.