For the very first time, the Fair Internship Initiative has created a quality score for the UN Internships. The score is based on the benchmarking framework as specified and recommended by the Joint Inspection Unit report 2078 Review of Internship programmes in the United Nations system.
Based on the results of the Ell’s global survey carried out in summer 2019, FII has created a scoring mechanism of 1-5 to grade the quality of internships at UN agencies in each of the four benchmark sections.
The four key benchmarks that were considered for the survey were:
- Application and Selection Process.
- Onboarding and Internship Period
- Completion of the Internship and the career development
- Equal Opportunities (Support to cover basic expenses).
The scientific mechanism followed, and its details along with the questionnaire used can be found here.
Organisations and their Rankings
UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-WOMEN)
Overall Score: 1.7/5
Applications and Selection Process: 2.95/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.42/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.41/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0/5
Note: Programme reformed as of 1 Nov 2019
United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Overall Score: 1.8/5
Applications and Selection Process: 2.77/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.61/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.82/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0/5
Note: Internships largely replaced with funded volunteers
UN Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the near East (UNRWA)
Overall Score: 1.95 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 2.83/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.88/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.08/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0/5
UN Development Programme (UNDP)
Overall Score: 1.97 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.03/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.79/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.96/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.11/5
Note: Programme reformed in 2020
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Overall Score: 2.06 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.04/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.03/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.00/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.17/5
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
Overall Score: 2.11 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.08/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.28/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.71/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.38/5
Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
Overall Score: 2.23 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.02/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.59/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.85/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.45/5
United Nations University (UNU)
Overall Score: 2.25/5
Applications and Selection Process: 2.56/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.89/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.54/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0/5
UN Secretariat (and entities governed by its Internship policy)
Overall Score: 2.35 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.29/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.93/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.89/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.29/5
UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
Overall Score: 2.37 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.67/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 2.81/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0/5
Overall Score: 2.4 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.36/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.17/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.63/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.42/5
Note: Programme currently under reform
Overall Score: 2.43 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.64/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.43/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 0.63/5
Note: Programme reformed in 2020
UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Overall Score: 2.70 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.17/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.15/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 1.99/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 2.55/5
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Overall Score: 2.73 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.2/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.01/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.23/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 2.5/5
Food and Agriculutural Organisation (FAO)
Overall Score: 3.01 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.24/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.24/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.06/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 2.5/5
International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
Overall Score: 3.14 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.56/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.74/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.58/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 1.67/5
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Overall Score: 3.29 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.01/5
Onboarding and Internship Period 3.89/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.74/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 2.54/5
Overall Score: 3.42/5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.47/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 4.66/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.04/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 2.5/5
UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Overall Score: 3.56 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.31/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.38/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.8/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 3.25/5
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Overall Score: 3.84 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 4.33/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.81/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 2.72/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 4.5/5
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Overall Score: 3.91 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.79/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.75/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.82/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 4,29/5
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Overall Score: 3.99 /5
Applications and Selection Process: 3.57/5
Onboarding and Internship Period: 3.99/5
Completion of Internship and Career Development: 3.69/5
Equal Opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses): 4.72/5
Annexure:
You can find the Excel File of the entire list which is listed above here.