Internship Policy

1. Purpose and scope

This policy sets the rules for internships hosted by the Tunisian Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (TIPCS): the Kerkouane Research Internship, the Periplus Programme Internship, the Sufete Policy and Data Internship and the Elissa Communications and Digital Internship. It applies to every intern, supervisor, coordinator and Board member involved, and to any partner institution that signs an internship agreement.

An internship lasts from 3 to 6 months, is open only to adults of 18 or older, and always starts with a TIPCS account (/members/apply). TIPCS does not promise a visa, admission to any institution, a job, a diploma or a certificate recognised by a state, or any language or skill level.

2. Definitions

• Intern: an adult accepted for a time-limited, supervised learning placement at TIPCS.
• Supervisor: a registered TIPCS staff member or associate responsible for the intern’s learning and daily guidance.
• Internship agreement: the written agreement between TIPCS and the intern and, where the intern’s institution requires it, a tripartite agreement that also binds that institution.
• Learning plan: the written document, annexed to the agreement, listing learning outcomes, tasks, working pattern and review dates.
• Certificate of internship activities: a TIPCS statement of what the intern did and for how long; it is not a diploma and is not recognised by any state.
• Safeguarding focal point: the person, outside the supervision line, who receives concerns.

3. Principles

• Learning first: every task must serve the learning plan.
• No replacement of staff: interns never fill a vacant post, cover absences or carry out work that TIPCS should contract.
• Real supervision: each intern has a named supervisor and fixed meetings.
• Honesty: no promise of pay, job, admission, visa or diploma.
• Safety and dignity: safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection apply to every placement.
• Neutrality: TIPCS is non-partisan and interns act accordingly.

4. Rules and procedure

The Board approves this policy and any financial support; the executive administration manages internships and signs the documents. Any spending linked to an internship needs three different signatures: the President or Executive Director, the Treasurer or Finance Manager, and the senior officer in charge. Nobody signs twice or signs their own request.

• Application: the applicant creates or opens a TIPCS account and applies to a track; applications are reviewed monthly.
• Offer: the coordinator and supervisor confirm capacity, then send a written offer that restates what TIPCS does not promise.
• Agreement: before the start date the intern signs the internship agreement; where the institution requires it, a tripartite agreement is signed. Legal counsel maintains the template. Electronic signature is accepted where the law allows.
• Learning plan: agreed in writing within the first two weeks and reviewed at mid-term.
• Expenses: TIPCS covers expenses only if agreed in writing beforehand, within an amount fixed by the Board with funders [amount to be set by the Board with funders]. No intern pays a fee to TIPCS.
• Insurance and social cover: the arrangement for accident and health cover, whether through the institution, the intern or TIPCS, is confirmed in writing before the start.
• Mid-term review and final assessment: written, discussed with the intern, and kept on file.
• Certificate: on completion the intern may request a certificate of internship activities, signed by the supervisor and the coordinator.
• Ending: either side may end the internship with written notice; TIPCS may suspend or end it at once for a safeguarding breach, a confidentiality breach or serious misconduct. On ending, access is closed, materials are returned and an exit conversation is offered.

5. Roles and responsibilities

6. Rights and obligations of the person concerned

The intern has the right to a learning plan, a named supervisor, reasonable working hours, respectful treatment, a safe environment, access to the complaints route, and a certificate of activities on completion. The intern is not an employee, and the internship does not create an employment relationship.

The intern must attend as agreed, follow the code of conduct, keep confidential all non-public information and data seen during the placement, use TIPCS channels only, not publish in TIPCS’s name without approval, declare conflicts of interest, and report concerns. Work produced belongs to TIPCS or is licensed as set out in the agreement, with the intern credited where appropriate.

7. Legal framework

This is general information, not legal advice. The policy takes account of the following texts; check the current text before relying on any of them.

• Decree-Law 2011-88 on associations: TIPCS is a non-profit association; its funds and records must be transparent and accounted for.
• Organic Law 2004-63 on personal data: intern data is collected for a stated purpose, kept for a limited time, and subject to rights of access and objection.
• Code of Obligations and Contracts: the internship agreement is a contract and is read in good faith.
• Labour Code (Law 66-27) and Social Security Code (Law 60-30): general frameworks; whether and how they apply to an internship is to be verified by counsel.
• Law 2000-83 on electronic exchanges and commerce: electronic signatures and documents.
• Law 94-36 on literary and artistic property: rights in work produced and use of images.
• Organic Law 2017-58 on violence against women, Organic Law 2016-61 on trafficking in persons and Organic Law 2018-50 on racial discrimination: shape the safeguarding duties below.
• Law 2017-10 on reporting corruption and protecting whistleblowers: protects those who report.

8. Data protection

TIPCS processes intern data under Organic Law 2004-63; its declaration to the INPDP is in progress. Only the data needed to run the placement is collected, access is limited to the coordinator and the supervisor, and data is shared with an institution only as the agreement provides and with the intern’s knowledge. Interns receive data induction before handling any personal data. Retention periods: [period to be fixed by the Board after the INPDP declaration]. Interns may ask for access to, correction of or objection to their data at Contact@tipcs.org.

Controller: Tunisian Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (TIPCS), registered office Avenue Mahmoud Bourguiba, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; contact Contact@tipcs.org. Under Organic Law 2004-63 you may ask to be informed about how your data is used, to access it, to have it corrected, to object to its processing and to have it deleted, within the limits of that law, by writing to Contact@tipcs.org. If you are not satisfied with our answer, you may complain to the National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data (INPDP), www.inpdp.nat.tn.

TIPCS does not request criminal-record or health data from candidates.

9. Safeguarding, non-discrimination and conflicts of interest

The ratified TIPCS Safeguarding policy and Conflicts of interest policy apply in full. Interns are protected from harassment, abuse, exploitation and discrimination on any ground, and must treat everyone the same way. Interns do not work alone with minors or vulnerable persons. Supervisors do not supervise relatives or close acquaintances. A simplified declaration of interests is signed on arrival.

10. Complaints and whistleblowing

Interns and supervisors may raise a concern with the coordinator, the safeguarding focal point or the Academic Council, or in confidence by writing to Contact@tipcs.org with the subject “CONFIDENTIAL – Concern”. The ratified Whistleblowing and complaints policy applies, and Law 2017-10 protects good-faith reporting. No one suffers retaliation for a concern raised in good faith.

11. Review of the policy and version control

The Board reviews this policy at least once a year, using anonymised feedback and the indicators of the internship programme. Each version carries a number and date; the register of versions is kept by the executive administration. Version: Draft 1.0, 8 Nov 2026.