Two Internship Opportunities – Education Section, UNICEF China Office (For Chinese Nationals Only)

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Education, a champion

Education is UNICEF China’s key programme area in the Country Programme 2026-2030, aiming to ensure that more disadvantaged and vulnerable children in China are adequately prepared to start school and are learning and acquiring skills in an inclusive, healthy and safe environment. The programme will employ a combination of upstream work to inform and shape policies, guidelines and curriculum, with downstream work to support uptake of national policies and reforms, and to co-create scalable models, building the skills of teachers and students, improve school and kindergarten environments, and demonstrate child-friendly teaching and learning, and promote alternative learning pathways for out-of-school adolescents.

How can you make a difference?

You will be working with UNICEF colleagues at the education and child protection section to support project implementation, documentation and advocacy initiatives.

Main responsibilities

• Support the preparation and implementation of workshops and conferences, which include assisting document preparation, agenda and logistic arrangement, coordination, and on-site support when requested.
• Contribute to documentation and research work by supporting data collection and analysis, desk review, preliminary editing, compilation and dissemination of reports.
• Support project implementation and advocacy initiatives around inclusive education, STEM education, and violence against children (VAC) in schools.
• Support knowledge management which entails development of knowledge products, translating documents between English and Chinese, and disseminating programme publications.
• Perform other ad hoc tasks as assigned.

Learning Objectives

Through this internship, you will:

• Gain a stronger understanding of UNICEF-supported education programmes in China, including inclusive education, STEM, and child protection in schools, while building hands-on field experience in project implementation.
• Develop professional skills in programme-related data collection and analysis, desk reviews, policy research, and the planning and management of training workshops.
• Strengthen communication skills through advocacy campaigns and events that promote meaningful change for children and educators.
• Support the implementation and quality assurance of programme activities through logistics coordination, translation support, and related tasks.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme or freshly completed a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and will join a postgraduate programme, majoring in science education, education management, political sciences, child rights or other relevant subjects.

Experience: Demonstrate experience and ability in getting involved in innovative education, policy research and analysis, as well as project coordination

Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records, or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.

Have a good sense of teamwork, adaptability and commitment to assigned tasks;

Have no immediate relatives working in any UNICEF offices.

Language Requirements:

• Be fluent in English and Chinese (oral and written);

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel.
Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.