INTERNSHIP: Governing Bodies Secretariat

OVERVIEW

Type of contract : Internship

Duty Station : Headquarters, Field Offices, and Institutes

Duration of contract : 1 to 6 months

Application deadline : 31 December 2026 (Midnight)

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Director of the Governing Bodies Secretariat and the direct supervision of the Deputy Secretary of the Executive Board, the intern will contribute to the work of the team including selected tasks from the following:

REPORTS, RESEARCH & BRIEFINGS

• Assist to working meetings and contribute to the reporting and briefings relating thereto

• Provide support to the team for the elaboration of certain reports of UNESCO information meetings

• Carry out relevant research and draft analytical or summary notes on subjects relevant for GBS

• Follow international news and inform the supervisor of any important developments.

PREPARATION OF THE SESSIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE GENERAL CONFERENCE

DOCUMENTATION

• Provide assistance with the design and then the follow-up to the forthcoming sessions (debriefings, documents, decisions, Summary Records)

• Participate in the archiving and classification of statutory documents;

LOGISTICS

• Participate in the preparations for the forthcoming sessions of the Executive Board and the General Conference from a logistical, organizational, informative, functional and conceptual point of view, in order to take part in the smooth running of the session;

OTHER TASKS

• Contribute to other tasks to support the general conduct and smooth running of the meetings of the Secretariat of Governing Bodies (Executive Board, General Conference, Preparatory Group, working groups, informal meetings, etc.)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

It is expected that the assignment will provide the intern with the opportunity to develop skills in some of the following areas, depending on the needs of the team during the time of the internship:

• Better knowledge of the United Nations in general and of UNESCO in particular;

• Understand the functioning of the governance within the United Nations and UNESCO in particular and knowledge of the statutory texts (Constitution of UNESCO, Rules of procedure of the Executive Board, etc.)

• Understand the debates held at Headquarters and international issues related to the Organization's areas of competence;

• Understand the work in an international and multicultural context, and ability to work under pressure during the sessions;

• Ability to adapt, take initiative, diplomacy, geopolitical dynamics, integration into a team in a professional environment

• Support and assistance for the day-to-day activities of the Executive Board Secretariat.

Competencies (Core)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Professionalism (C)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Age:

You must be at least 20 years old to apply.

Academic qualifications:

You should be currently enrolled AND on the 3rd (third) year or final year of your Bachelor’s degree;

OR

You should be currently enrolled in your second university degree, Master's or PhD degree or equivalent;

OR

You must have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree no more than 12 months prior to the issuance of the Internship Agreement, as determined by the completion date indicated on your diploma.

Applicants in technical/vocational assignments must be enrolled in a specialized technical/vocational institution and must have reached the last year of their studies, or have recently graduated (within the last 12 months) from their school or institution.

Languages:

You should have an excellent command, both written and spoken, of English or French. A working knowledge of the other language (English or French) is an asset, and may be required for internships in secretarial and assistantship assignments at the Headquarters.

Computer skills:

You must have an excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software.

Team player:

You should be able to work well in a team and adapt to an international working environment.

Communication skills:

You should possess strong interpersonal and communication skills.

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO does not remunerate interns. There is no compensation, financial or otherwise for internship assignments.

Interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month during their internship and an additional leave of 1 working day per complete month of internship.

Interns are provided with a limited workplace insurance coverage against risk of injury, illness, disability, or death incurred during the period of the internship and directly attributable to the execution of the internship.

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Candidates shall apply to this vacancy notice (or any of the available vacancy notices that match their expertise, domain, or interest). Please note that you are applying to become part of the pool of intern candidates, not to a specific internship opening.

Candidates who successfully applied will stay in the intern talent pool and will be further assessed and selected by relevant hiring managers. The candidature will be valid for 6 months. Candidates who have been selected will be contacted directly by the relevant hiring manager. If the candidate does not receive any update from UNESCO within six months, it means that the application has not been successful.

KEEP IN MIND

Duration: The minimum duration of an internship is one month, and the maximum duration is six months.

Visa: You should be responsible for obtaining any necessary visas.

Travel: You must arrange and finance your travel to the location where you will undertake your internship.

Medical insurance: You must show proof of a comprehensive health insurance valid in the country where you will undertake your internship and for the entire period of the internship. UNESCO will only provide a limited workplace insurance coverage against risk of injury, illness, disability, or death incurred during the period of the internship and directly attributable to the execution of the internship.

Supporting Documents: Before the beginning of your internship, you must provide your proof of your identity (ID card or passport), Certificate of Enrollment, Transcript of Record, or Diploma (if you have just recently graduated).

Leave: Interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month and an additional leave of 1 working day per complete month of internship.

Internship Agreement: UNESCO does not sign any third-party agreements or contracts (e.g., conventions de stage) provided by academic or research institutions. The internship arrangement is strictly between UNESCO and the intern. Only the official Internship Agreement issued by UNESCO will be executed and signed by UNESCO representatives.

BEFORE APPLYING

• During the application process, you will be asked to answer questions about your skills, competencies, experience (if any), and interests. You only have one hour to finish the process.

• Make sure your contact details will be valid in the next 6 months.

• You can only use either English or French in applying.

• Please provide an unofficial French or English translation of your documents if they are not in these languages.

• Even if you are eligible, there is no guarantee of placement. We receive more applications from qualified candidates than we can place.

• Please note that you are submitting your application to become part of the pool of internship candidates. Your application will be further accessed by UNESCO managers around the world and will stay in our internship portal for a period of six months.

• We do not respond to each and every candidate. If there is an internship opening and if you are selected, you will be directly contacted by the manager from the pool. If you do not receive any update within six months, it means that your application has not been successful.