Junior Fellows Internship Programme, Tokyo

About the Programme

The United Nations University Office of the Rector recruits highly qualified applicants to work as junior fellows at the UNU headquarters in Tokyo. Junior fellows are recruited through a competitive application process twice per year for a period of four months. Graduate students interested in the work of the United Nations — and in particular, UNU — are encouraged to apply.

The underlying principles of the Junior Fellows Internship Programme at the Office of the Rector are centred on creating a dynamic, challenging and rewarding experience for graduate level students and young professionals. Successful candidates will contribute to the work of the Office of the Rector, the United Nations University, and the UN system as a whole. The programme provides opportunities for the development of new skills and knowledge and is a unique and constructive setting for the practical application of capacities acquired through graduate studies.

The programme places a strong emphasis on the training, guidance, and hands-on experience that form the foundation of a successful and beneficial internship. The programme opens with a one-week orientation designed to familiarize junior fellows with UNU, their co-workers, facilities and the working processes within the Office of the Rector. The knowledge and practical experience gained will also be beneficial to those candidates seeking a career in the United Nations. Junior fellows at the Office of the Rector can expect to gain valuable work experience while contributing in meaningful ways to UNU’s mission.

Purpose

The purpose of the Junior Fellows Internship Programme at the Office of the Rector is:

• to promote interaction and dialogue between young scholars, professionals and the Office of the Rector;
• to familiarize junior fellows with the activities of the Office of the Rector and the work of UNU;
• to provide opportunities for young professionals to gain in-depth, hands-on experience in a UN agency;
• to contribute to the UNU priority areas, as defined in the University’s Strategic Plan; and
• to provide support to activities within the Office of the Rector.

Working Conditions

The programme accepts junior fellows to work in the Office of the Rector for a period of four months. Running parallel to most university semesters, junior fellows are selected twice per year, once in June-July for the fall term and once in November-December for the spring term. The fall term begins in early September and lasts until the end of December. The spring term runs from early February to the end of May. Visit the Application Process page for the specific dates for each term.

Junior fellows work full time during the regular working hours of the University: 9:30–17:30, Monday to Friday. Weekends and official UNU holidays are days off. Junior fellows are provided office space and facilities, as appropriate for their work, and are provided a monthly stipend in addition to a fixed transportation allowance for their commute to and from the UNU headquarters building. Junior fellows also enjoy free access to the headquarters’ library and gym and have the unique opportunity to learn about, contribute to and provide assistance in the organization of conferences, lectures and academic forums and symposiums that take place throughout the year.

Work Assignments

Participants in this programme have the opportunity to engage in a number of ongoing initiatives that provide a unique window into the working processes of the University. In broad terms, junior fellows gain insight into and contribute to the UNU priority areas listed below. You can learn more about these priority areas in the relevant section of  UNU’s Strategic Plan (SP), which is available at the top of the column on the right of this page.

1. Twinning initiatives (SP: Section 1.1)
2. UNU postgraduate degree programmes (SP: Section 1.2)
3. Internal/external communication (SP: Section 2.5)
4. Fundraising (SP: Section 2.6)
5. Quality assurance (SP: Section 3.2)
6. Programme/project management

In more concrete terms, junior fellows will learn about and provide support to the following ongoing assignments, projects and initiatives within the Office of the Rector:

• preparation of orientation documents for the governing Council;
• marketing and outreach; liaison with the United Nations system;
• research and drafting of topical briefing notes;
• development of user-focused information packages;
• organization of lectures, conferences, workshops, and other public events;
• policy development: research and drafting of information briefs;
• preparation and dissemination of newsletters, meeting minutes, summaries and other communication documents.

Criteria

The qualifications that will be considered in the application process include, but are not limited to, the following. The ideal candidate:

• is no older than 30 years of age;
• is currently pursuing or has recently completed postgraduate studies (master’s or doctoral), preferably in a field related to the University’s priority areas as set forth in its Strategic Plan;
• has a native or near fluent command of written and spoken English;
• has excellent research, writing and analytical skills;
• can establish and maintain effective working relations with people from diverse backgrounds;
• demonstrates resourcefulness and creativity in problem-solving;
• has advanced computer skills: sound, hands-on, knowledge of standard office software (word processing, spreadsheets, databases, etc.); and
• has a demonstrated interest in the work of the United Nations and more specifically, in the work of the United Nations University.