By Alexandra Eleferenko
Since its inception, the IE International Policy Review (IPR) has continued to grow more popular and respected. IPR is a student-led academic journal, which was founded in 2019 by two former IE students, Kharan Khosla, and Iness Arabi. They managed to publish the first edition not long before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Then, when the IE community went online because of COVID restrictions, Iness Arabi and Adam Rose closely worked together and made sure that IPR succeeded. In particular, they worked on the Legacy Edition that was published in June of this year, as well as recruited new people to the team and ensured that the transition of IPR leadership to Kylar Cade was smooth. In November 2021, IE’s School of Global and Public Affairs invited IE students interested in public policy to become part of the journal.
I became interested in this journal firstly because I like being part of new initiatives. Secondly, I wanted to write about actual topics that would matter to members of the IE community and any other readers. I thought that IPR was a great chance to express my views on current affairs in a formal setting.
Reviving the Policy Review
My experience with IPR turned out to be one of the best I have ever had. At first, the team, which consists of writers, editors, and an editorial board, was small, but very interested in relaunching the journal and bringing it back to life. Thanks to the dedication and consistent interest of the team, the relaunch was successful. In only a few months, from November 2021 until April 2022, the team managed to outline the duties of writers and editors, make IPR leadership more organized, redesign the website, and complete the publication cycle. They also hosted an IPR official relaunch event, where writers, including myself, talked about articles that were about to be published. In only a few months, the journal went from an abandoned project to a thriving initiative. I think everyone involved, both as a former or current IPR team member, deserves praise for their hard work and dedication.
The journal reached many milestones this academic year. IPR became a part of Campus Life and introduced a brand-new Instagram account. Moreover, IPR has started to build international connections. In January the team received an invitation for a promotional partnership from the futurEU Initiative, based in Berlin. Partnerships with other universities and student-led initiatives abroad are a trampoline for the journal’s future success.
Join the Team
If you’d like to get involved with IPR, there are several ways. Currently, the journal is looking for a marketing team. If you are interested in the creation and designing of websites and social media profiles, this is the perfect opening for you! The journal also needs a technology general officer. If you would like to sign up for either of the above positions, or apply to be an editor or contributor to the journal, fill in this form on the IPR website! If you have any questions, visit the “join us” page or email the IPR team at ipr.club@ie.edu.
To see an example of a typical IPR piece, have a look at my article on Russia and NATO.
With its friendly atmosphere and spirit of cooperation, you won’t regret joining the IPR team. If you join as a writer, you’ll have the freedom to choose your own topic (as long as it is policy related). Otherwise, you’ll gain the experience of working with a professional, passionate group of fellow IE students. Even if you’re not interested in joining the team, support your peers by checking out the IPR publications, available through the IPR website! Again, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Featured image courtesy of IE International Policy Review Volume 2, Issue 1
