Purpose
Creation of a composite index to rank UN organizations as places for pursuing internships.
General Methodology
Index is generated using the following formula;
Index = Σ (each respondent’s summed score / (total questions – number of N/As))
Detailed Methodology
Since the purpose is to rank UN organizations based on the respondent’s experience of working in these organizations, we did not aggregate scores by respondents but aggregate over each question by UN organization. We computed :
Once we had the final score for each organization, we ranked each based on this final score.
To compute scores for each question, we assigned values (weight) to each respondent’s answer and take an average. For instance, for Q1 give the value of 1 to Yes and 0 to No. If there were 10 respondents for WTO and 8 of them said Yes, then you score for Q1 for WTO will be 8/10.
Find Questions in Annex 1 and Weights in Annex 2.
Clustering
We also divided the questions into clusters or groups and then compute cluster scores like above using all the questions that fall within that cluster and then compute the final score as an average of the cluster scores. One advantage of doing this is to see where certain organizations are strong at and where they are weak which may help future interns in making an informed choice. Further, by doing this you do not over or under penalize an organization for one weakness.
Cluster 1 : Application and selection process
Cluster 2 : Onboarding and internship period
Cluster 3 : Completion of the internship and career development
Cluster 4 : Equal opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses)
We also grouped the UN Secretariat organisation as one entity.
Selection
We only considered questions and organizations for which at least 3 people replied. For example, questions 20 and 21 were not taking into account, and the United Nations Global Compact was not ranked.
(Annex 1 and 2 Below)
Annex 1
| Questions |
| 1) Were you informed about the status of your application(s) in real-time? |
| 2) Were the tasks of your internship described in the internship posting? |
| 3) Before being accepted as an intern in your unit, did you (check all that apply): |
| 4) Were you informed about the final decision within a month after the completion of the interview and/or application submission? |
| 5) Upon selection, were you given a reasonable time (at least 1 month) before starting the internship? |
| 6) Does the hosting organization you were accepted to normally provide (check all that apply): |
| 7) Did the organization provide you with an induction/orientation package and briefing upon arrival? |
| 8) Did the organization ensure that you met with your assigned supervisor upon arrival? |
| 9) Did the organization provide you with information on policies and procedures upon arrival? |
| 10) Upon arrival, were you registered in your organization’s database so you would be included in the event of an emergency evacuation? |
| 11) Were your tasks and learning programme clearly communicated by the first week of your internship? |
| 12) Do/did the tasks or learning/work programme of your internship include specific learning objectives? |
| 13) Does your organization have guidelines for supervisors? |
| 14) Are interns’ performance evaluated (check all that apply): |
| 15) Does your organization ensure that interns (check all that apply): |
| 16) In the internship agreement, does your organization explicitly specify information regarding the following entitlements? (check all that apply): |
| 17) Do you have the same access to work premises as the regular staff? |
| 18) Do you have … ? (check all that apply): |
| 19) Does your organization allow interns to travel as part of their duties if proposed by their supervisors? |
| 20) If so, does your organization grant a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) to interns for the period of travel? |
| 21) If so, does your organization grant an insurance coverage to interns for the period of travel? |
| 22) If an internship is longer than 3 months, do you have access to training/learning opportunities offered by your organization? |
| 23) At the end of your internship, will your organization issue: (check all that apply) |
| 24) Do interns have the opportunity to provide feedback (fill out an evaluation form) about their internship experience? |
| 25) If so, does your organization refer to interns’ feedback to improve the internship programme? |
| 26) Is the internship experience considered as working experience when applying for staff positions in your organization? |
| 27) Were you asked about your financial means during the selection process? |
| 28) Does your organization offer interns stipends and/or discounts? (multiple answers possible) |
| 29) Are the stipends sufficient to cover living expenses (i.e. accommodation, health insurance, food, transportation) in the duty station? * |
| 30) How much do/did you receive per month FROM THE ORGANIZATION YOU INTERN FOR (in USD)? * |
| 31) How do/did you support yourself to undertake the internship? |
| 32) Are interns allowed to apply at any time to open staff positions for which they may qualify without a mandatory break after completing their internship? |
Annex 2
| Questions | Weights of answers |
| 1 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| 2 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| To some extent | 3 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| No | 0 |
| 3 | |
| Have to submit a formal written application | 2 |
| Have an interview | 2 |
| Take a test | 1 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| 4 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| 5 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| 6 | |
| Administrative support for interns’ travels to the duty station? | 3 |
| Visa request/application procedures for interns? | 2 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| 7 | |
| Induction Package | 2.5 |
| Briefing | 2.5 |
| Both of the above | 5 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| 8 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| I do not remember | N/A |
| No | 0 |
| 9 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| Yes but it was not clear/sufficient | 2.5 |
| No | 0 |
| 10 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| 11 | |
| Yes, in the first week of the internship | 5 |
| Clearly communicated after the first week of the internship | 3 |
| Never clearly communicated | 0 |
| 12 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| To some extent | 3 |
| 13 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| 14 | |
| At mid-cycle | 2.5 |
| End of the cycle | 2.5 |
| Never | 0 |
| Occasionally | 2 |
| Only upon request | 1 |
| Regularly | 5 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| 15 | |
| Are informed of support mechanisms that can assist them in the event of abuse, harassment or conflict situations during their internships? | 2 |
| Have access to support mechanisms that can assist them in the event of abuse, harassment or conflict situations during their internships? | 3 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| 16 | |
| Sick Leave | 2.5 |
| No | 0 |
| Annual leave/leave days | 2.5 |
| 17 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| 18 | |
| A desk of your own | 1 |
| A Corporate computer | 2 |
| A personalized email address (eg: name.surname@un.org) | 2 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| 19 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No ( Please skip to Question 22) | 0 |
| I don’t know (Please skip to Question 22) | NA |
| 20 | |
| Yes, it provides a full DSA allowance | 5 |
| Yes, it provides a fraction of the DSA | 3 |
| I do not know | NA |
| No | 0 |
| 21 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| 22 | |
| Yes, as much as staff members | 5 |
| Yes but not as much as staff members | 3 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | N/A |
| 23 | |
| A certificate | 3 |
| A recommendation letter | 2 |
| I do not know | NA |
| None of the above | 0 |
| Depends on supervisor | 1 |
| A certificate, A recommendation letter | 5 |
| 24 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No (Please skip to Question 26) | 0 |
| I do not know (Please skip to Question 26) | N/A |
| 25 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | NA |
| 26 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| Only partially | 2.5 |
| No | 0 |
| I don’t know | NA |
| 27 | |
| Yes | 0 |
| No | 5 |
| 28 | |
| Stipends | 5 |
| Discounts | 2 |
| None of the above | 0 |
| I do not know | NA |
| 29 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | NA |
| 30 | |
| USD 0 | 0 |
| USD 1 – 499 | 1 |
| USD 500 – 999 | 2 |
| USD 1000 – 1499 | 3 |
| USD 1500 – 1999 | 4 |
| Above USD 2000 | 5 |
| 31 | not rated as not relevant for ranking |
| Stipend from host organization | |
| Governmental aid | |
| University scholarship | |
| Family support | |
| Your own savings/part-time work | |
| Other: | |
| 32 | |
| Yes | 5 |
| No | 0 |
| I do not know | N/A |
Annex 3. Specification of the assessment areas by JIU benchmark
Applications and selection process
1. Organizations should ensure that applicants are informed about the status of their applications in real-time.
2. The selection process should include an interview and, when relevant, a written test. The selection process should be coherent across organizations. Interns should be informed no later than a month after the completion of the interview about the final decision and be given a reasonable time to start their internship.
3. Support to interns for administrative purposes related to travel and visa requirements should be provided.
Onboarding and internship period
4. Organizations should provide the intern with an induction package upon arrival, ensure a meeting with the supervisor and clear terms of reference (TOR). TOR should include the learning component of the internship and specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound indicators for the final evaluation.
5. Organizations should prepare generic guidelines for supervisors and mentors as well as midterm and end-of-cycle forms for the evaluation of interns’ performance.
6. Organizations should ensure that interns have access to support mechanisms to assist them in the event of abuse or conflict situations during their internships.
7. Annual leave and sick leave entitlements for interns should be explicitly mentioned in the internship agreements.
8. Interns’ professionalism should be recognized by facilitating decent working conditions, such as by providing office space and a regular desk, a corporate computer and a personalized email address. Interns should be systematically registered, upon arrival, in the records of the organization so as to be included in the event of an emergency evacuation.
9. At least one training opportunity should be provided to interns holding a contract of three months or more.
Completion of the internship and career development
10. At the end of the internship, a performance evaluation of the intern should be undertaken by the supervisor. An attestation letter and/or a certificate should be issued.
12. Interns should be requested to fill out, on a voluntary basis, an evaluation form (common to all organizations) about their internship experience to help internship programs evolve.
13. Internship periods in the UN system should be valued as working experience for former interns, and considered as such for any future application within the UN system.
14. Internship programmes in the United Nations system should be accessible to all candidates that meet the eligibility criteria, giving equal opportunities to all.
15. Organizations of the system should eliminate the mandatory break in service for interns and allow them to apply at any time to open positions for which they may qualify.
Equal opportunities (support to cover basic living expenses)
16. Organizations should establish suitable mechanisms to facilitate the availability of resources to cover the living expenditures of interns, such as project resources, ad hoc trust funds and partnerships, with no strings attached. Budget lines and annual reporting of expenditures should be established to monitor the costs related to internships, bearing in mind that each hosting department should provide for the cost of its interns.