Governing Bodies Secretariat – UNESCO Internship

Internship, Governing Bodies Secretariat – UNESCO

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

• Carry out relevant research and draft analytical or summary notes on subjects relevant for GBS.
• 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.
• Follow international news and inform the supervisor of any important developments.

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;

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.

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.)

• Duty Station: Headquarters (Paris)
• Type of contract : Internship
• Duration of contract : 1 to 6 months
• Recruitment open to : External Candidates
• Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 30 June 2026

Required qualifications

• Age: You must be at least 20 years old to apply.

Academic qualifications:

• At the time of your application to the internship programme:
• 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 should have finished your Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree within the last 12 months (date of completion as indicated in 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.

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:

• 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.) 
• Support and assistance for the day-to-day activities of the Executive Board Secretariat.
• Better knowledge of the United Nations in general and of UNESCO in particular;
• 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.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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