Exploring Asia in Review

As the world’s center of gravity continues to shift toward the Indo-Pacific, staying informed about key events and critical trends in Asia has become both more challenging and more essential at the same time. Government entities, international organizations, corporate boards, news outlets, and scholars are increasingly seeking a reliable and comprehensive, yet concise source of news and analysis. This demand spans interconnected fields such as domestic governance, constitutional affairs, human rights, national security, international relations, geopolitics, and regional order.

Asia in Review is an independent newsletter dedicated to meeting this need. We monitor a wide spectrum of sources—including news outlets, government publications, and social media platforms—to provide thorough summaries of significant developments in individual countries and their broader regional contexts. Our goal is to be the definitive resource for anyone seeking a complete understanding of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, all in one place, without the need to navigate multiple channels.

Discover more about Asia in Review by visiting https://cpg-online.de/cpgs-asia-in-review/

Contributing to Asia in Review

Format

Opportunities to contribute to Asia in Review are available year-round and are unpaid. Most team members work fully virtually, though hybrid or fully onsite arrangements can also be accommodated. University students required to complete a mandatory internship as part of their studies can have their contributions to Asia in Review officially certified as an internship with CPG. Upon request and at the applicant’s initiative, CPG can liaise directly with universities to facilitate the necessary documentation.

Roles

All team members start as Contributors. For those who stay with Asia in Review long enough and demonstrate consistently high-quality work, there may be opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, such as becoming a Regional Editor or Correspondent. These roles involve overseeing submissions for a specific region, providing guidance to other contributors, and deepening the newsletter’s coverage in their areas of expertise.

Responsibilities

All team members are primarily responsible for researching, conceptualizing, and writing concise yet comprehensive articles on key events and developments in their assigned country(ies). This involves identifying and cultivating reliable sources, conducting daily reviews of those sources, and adding relevant information to a shared story agenda file.

Contributors are expected to establish a structured working routine to ensure consistent and timely conceptualization and writing of entries within the submission schedule. They are also required to coordinate with fellow team members on articles involving bilateral or multilateral developments. After submitting their work to the editorial team for review, contributors must make any necessary revisions and resubmit their articles for publication.

Asia in Review Submission Schedule for Publication Cycle: All volunteers are expected to meet the predetermined timeline within the cycle. *Please be aware that the hours within the deadlines may be subject to change based on requirements.

The Benefits of Getting Involved

By joining Asia in Review, you will gain two core benefits:

1. Developing Expertise and Writing Skills:
You will learn to monitor a country closely, analyze key developments, and translate your observations into comprehensive texts for a professional audience. This process helps you:

• • Deepen your analytical skills to “connect the dots” between incidents and interpret their broader political and legal implications.
  • Enhance your ability to critically engage with various sources and evaluate their reliability.
  • Become a country expert and refine your ability to write for a professional readership.

2. Building Professional Habits:
You will develop essential skills such as structuring your routine, managing deadlines, and communicating effectively. You’ll also learn to coordinate closely with a team that depends on your timely contributions, fostering collaboration in a professional environment.

Requirements for the Role

Language and Communication Skills:

• Proficient in written English.
• Effective communication skills, both with team members and the editorial team.

Knowledge and Interest:

• Basic understanding of and strong interest in political and legal developments in Asia.

Research and Time Management Abilities:

• Ability to conduct independent research and stay informed about political and legal developments in various countries.
• Proficient in time management, with a strong ability to meet deadlines.

Weekly Hourly Commitment

At Asia in Review, we don’t specify a set number of hours for volunteers to dedicate to the project. However, we recommend the availability of 15 hours or more per week. Our objective with the newsletter is to provide our readers with comprehensive coverage of all relevant developments and events within our thematic focus.

This means that the workload can vary from week to week depending on the volume of content and the complexity of certain developments. There may be weeks where more time is required to achieve our goal of providing thorough coverage, while other weeks may be less busy. Moreover, the actual workload can also be influenced by individual factors such as writing skills, language proficiency, and the ability to make connections between different pieces of information.

Applicants should bring a realistic understanding of the commitment required for the role, including the ability to consistently meet deadlines and uphold the responsibilities of an Asia in Review contributor. We strongly encourage applicants to review the submission schedule in detail and apply only if they are confident in their ability to meet these deadlines reliably.

Minimum Duration

Volunteers must commit to a minimum of three months, but we highly encourage those who can stay longer.

Probationary Period

Nevertheless, applicants should possess a realistic understanding of the commitment required for a publication like Asia in Review. To facilitate this, we set a mandatory two-week probationary period where individuals can gauge the actual commitment needed to contribute to our newsletter. This period also allows us to assess whether an applicant aligns well with our team.

Click here to download the PDF version of the Terms of Reference.

How to apply?

As our team is currently fully staffed, we are unable to accept applications at this time.
We thank you for your interest and invite you to revisit our website at a later date.