Daeninck, Sien

During her administrative assistant internship at UNU-CRIS, Sien will work under the supervision of Ajsela Masovic, Noël Neven, Pascale Vantorre, and Andrew Dunn. In this role, she will support the Institute’s daily operations by assisting with office management, coordinating meetings and events, maintaining digital and physical filing systems, and helping ensure the smooth flow of internal and external communication. She will also contribute to logistical preparations for workshops, conferences, and visits, and provide general administrative support to the research and management teams.

Sien recently graduated from Ghent University with a master’s degree in International Politics. Her master’s thesis examined how European populist radical right parties frame the Israel–Palestine conflict, highlighting how historical and national contexts shape foreign policy decisions beyond purely ideological motivations. Through this research, she strengthened her analytical skills and deepened her understanding of international governance and political communication.

Professionally, Sien recently completed an internship as Assistant to the Director for Europe and the MENA region at the Institute for Economics & Peace in Brussels. In this role, she supported a wide range of organizational and administrative tasks, gaining experience in project coordination, stakeholder communication, and event preparation.

Sien is excited to join UNU-CRIS and further develop her skills in administrative coordination within an international research environment. She looks forward to supporting the Institute’s work, contributing to its daily operations, and gaining experience in a multicultural, policy-focused setting.