Student Essay Competition 2025

Student Essay Competition 2025

 For: Middle Eastern and African students and researchers

 Deadline: 11 June 2025, 23:59 CET

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The NATO Strategic Direction – South Hub (NSD-S Hub) is proud to launch its 2nd iteration of the research essay competition for Middle Eastern and African students and researchers. 

So, if you would like to attend a study day workshop at the NSD-S Hub in the Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP), we want to hear from YOU!

Eligibility: The competition is open to nationals of countries across the Middle East and Africa currently enrolled in university, studying for their Master’s degree or PhD, up to 35 years of age.

What: To enter, participants must submit a research essay of up to 3,000 words in English (excluding references). Candidates should use either Harvard in-text citation or APA 7th edition as reference/citation style. 

This year’s competition topic is migration. 
We are looking for research essays that will look into the following areas of investigation:

• Drivers and/or root causes of migration within North Africa, the Sahel, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
• The implications of irregular migration on security and stability within these sub-regions.
• The impact of demographic dynamics, including the so-called “youth bulge”, on migration patterns.
• Potential policy-oriented solutions to the abovementioned, and proposals for sustainable interregional migration.

How to apply: 

To take part in the competition, please fill out the application form below. Competition entry is subject to the terms of entry, which shall be strictly enforced. Submissions will only be approved from candidates that meet all eligibility requirements. Any plagiarised or AI-generated essays will be disqualified from the competition.

Selection procedure:

1. NSD-S Hub experts will review and select the three best research essays based on the criteria of novelty, coherence, relevance and impact.
2. Scores will be allocated based on each of these criteria and the winners will be those with the three highest combined scores.
3. The selected winners will be contacted directly via email no later than 14 August 2025. Please note that the winners will be asked to provide proof of identity/nationality and ongoing studies/university enrolment to verify their eligibility.
4. The selection decisions of the NSD-S Hub shall be final, and no discussion shall be entertained.

Any enquires can be directed to NSD-SHUBEssayCompetition@jfcnp.nato.int.

Attachments:

Please upload your essay and a one-page CV in PDF format as two separate attachments, using NSD-S HUB STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION 2025 as the subject line and send it to NSD-SHUBEssayCompetition@jfcnp.nato.int. The essay PDF should not contain any identifying details of the person submitting it. Failure to comply with this may lead to the disqualification of an application.

Rights Granted:

You understand and agree that by entering this competition:

1. You agree to participate in photo/video opportunities to publicise winners and the competition and further that your image and likeness may be published on NATO websites and social media. 
2. You understand and agree that once provided to the NSD-S Hub, all essays will belong to NATO, which is therefore authorized to use them for its own research purposes.
3. You understand that NATO may publish your essays on internal and public facing NATO websites and social media, but have no obligation to do so.
4. You agree that if NATO considers editorial action to be necessary on your essay prior to publication on any NATO website or portal, NATO is permitted to make such edits subject to your final editorial approval. We reserve the right not to publish any or all of the essays.
5. You agree that no alternative prize shall be offered if winners are not able to attend the study day workshop.
6. Finally, you understand that no monetary prizes will be paid, nor other prizes, other than those described above.

Register