UNESCO Digital Business Solutions Internship 2025: A Gateway to Global ICT Innovation

UNESCO’s Digital Business Solutions (DBS) Internship Programme offers a unique opportunity for graduate and recent graduate students to gain hands-on experience in ICT operations within a leading international organization. This internship is designed for individuals passionate about digital transformation, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and application development.

Internship Overview

• Duty Station: Paris Headquarters or remote
• Contract Type: Internship
• Duration: 1 to 6 months
• Application Deadline: 31 December 2025 (Midnight Paris Time)
• Recruitment Open to: External Candidates
• UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity and Professionalism.

The DBS is responsible for managing UNESCO’s ICT operations, reporting directly to the Assistant Director-General for Administration. The team oversees the implementation of UNESCO’s digital strategy, focusing on integrated project and knowledge management, resilient IT infrastructure, and strengthened cybersecurity and digital risk management.

Internship Domains and Responsibilities

Interns will have the opportunity to assist in various projects under the following domains:

1. Operations, Helpdesk, Network, Server, and Cloud

• Network Monitoring and Configuration: Assist in monitoring network performance and diagnosing connectivity issues using network monitoring tools; gain hands-on experience with network device configuration, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Cloud Platform Familiarity: Gain experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud by setting up and configuring cloud resources; assist in planning the migration of on-premises applications and workloads to the cloud.
• Server and Network Troubleshooting: Learn to troubleshoot network problems, such as slow connections or network outages.
• Documentation: Help update and maintain network documentation, including network diagrams and device inventories.
• User Support and Troubleshooting: Provide basic user support, including password resets and account creation; learn about helpdesk ticketing systems.

2. Cybersecurity, Compliance, and AI

• AI/Generative AI: Support the deployment, configuration, and testing of AI and GAI models developed by UNESCO.
• Cybersecurity Awareness Workshops: Create content to educate employees about cybersecurity threats, safe online practices, and the importance of strong passwords.
• Phishing Simulations: Coordinate simulated phishing campaigns to train employees to recognize and report phishing emails and other social engineering attacks.
• Security Policy Review: Review and discuss company cybersecurity policies, ensuring that all employees understand their roles and responsibilities in maintaining security.
• Vulnerability Scanning Reports: Analyze and discuss vulnerability scanning reports to educate employees about potential security weaknesses and how to address them effectively.

3. Development, Architecture, and Engineering

• Application Development: Assist in designing and coding web-based or cloud-based business applications using technologies such as Salesforce, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and backend frameworks like Node.js or Django.
• User Interface (UI) Enhancement: Collaborate on improving the user interface and user experience (UI/UX) of existing applications based on user feedback.
• Reporting: Prepare and support developing reports using Microsoft or Salesforce Technologies.
• Data Cleaning, Transformation, and Visualization: Assist in data preprocessing, cleaning, and transformation to ensure data quality and suitability for analysis; create interactive data dashboards using tools like Power BI to present data insights effectively.
• Debugging, Testing, and Quality Assurance: Conduct testing, assist in debugging, and quality assurance activities to identify and fix bugs and issues within applications.
• Documentation: Help document application features, code, and development processes for knowledge sharing and future reference.

Learning Objectives

Interns will have the opportunity to:

• Gain knowledge of project management and UNESCO’s actions.
• Strengthen writing skills.
• Enhance teamwork abilities.
• Develop technical skills and knowledge in the area of work.
• Build interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.

Required Qualifications

• Age: At least 20 years old.
• Academic Qualifications: Currently enrolled in a graduate programme (Master’s degree, PhD, or equivalent) or have recently graduated with a Master’s degree or PhD (or second degree as defined above), within 12 months prior to the start of the internship.
• Languages: Excellent command, both written and spoken, of English or French. A working knowledge of the other language is an asset.
• Computer Skills: Excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software.
• Team Player: Ability to work well in a team and adapt to an international working environment.
• Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Benefits and Entitlements

• Leave: Interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month during their internship.
• Learning and Development: Access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities during your internship, including on-the-job training, mentoring, and access to UNESCO’s internal learning resources.
• Networking Opportunities: Build your professional network by working closely with UNESCO staff and other interns.

Please note that UNESCO internships are unpaid positions. Interns are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and insurance arrangements.

Selection and Recruitment Process

• Application Period: Internships are open in January and July each year.
• Application Process: Candidates should apply to the vacancy that matches their personal expertise and domain.
• Selection: Candidates who successfully applied to the vacancy will stay in the intern talent pool and will be further assessed and selected by relevant hiring managers.
• Validity: The candidature will be valid for 6 months.

For more information about the internship and how to aplly, please visit here.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.