WHO generic internship roster is published twice a year in which roster will be made available to all WHO major offices from where direct contact will be made with suitable candidates only.

Objectives

The WHO internship programme has three objectives:

(a) to provide a framework for assigning students from diverse academic backgrounds to WHO programmes, where educational experience can be enhanced through practical work assignments;

(b) to expose students to the work of WHO

(c) to provide WHO programmes with the assistance of students specializing in various fields. Most students are placed in health-related programmes, although placements in other area of work like for example communication, external relations, finance or human resources are also possible.

Qualification

• Education
• Have completed three years of full-time studies (bachelor’s level or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they start the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification).
• Skills
• Core competencies
• Team work
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural difference
• Communication
• All interns should be able to demonstrate the following skills in line with the WHO core competencies:
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Showing willingness to learn from mistakes
• Producing and delivering quality results
• Working collaboratively with team members
• In addition, interns need to be familiar with commonly used computer programmes, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Knowledge of specialized computer programmes, for example, statistical software such as XLStat may be an advantage.
• Experience
• Depending on the area of interest, the below experience may be needed and/or would be an advantage.
• Experience in research and/or in drafting reports
• Experience in the subject area through academic work or research
• Field and/or developing country experience
• Experience with data analysis, statistical packages and interest in the design of graphical display and analysis of health information in an international comparative perspective, such as for health system performance assessment
• More specific experience such as specialized computer programmes
• Languages
• Fluency in one of WHO’s working languages (reading, writing and speaking). WHO official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
• Knowledge of the local