The Fellowship Programme is an initiative promoted by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA).
Its main goal is to provide young Italian graduates with a one-year on-the-job training opportunity in offices of the United Nations in developing countries.
The Programme is structured as a 12-month assignment, during which participants are placed in UN offices located in developing countries. Prior to deployment, Fellows attend a two-week orientation workshop at the ITC/ILO in Turin between April and June.
Throughout the Programme, participants are considered UN fellows and not UN staff members (“non-staff personnel”). They receive an allowance (stipend), provided by UN/DESA and calculated according to United Nations standards.
Eligibility requirements
- Italian citizenship
- Maximum age: no more than 28 in the year of application
- Education:
- University Master’s degree (Laurea specialistica/magistrale), or
- Bachelor’s degree plus a postgraduate University Master’s degree
- Excellent knowledge of Italian and English
The specific requirements for each position – such as professional experience, additional languages, specific academic qualifications or training, required competencies, etc. – are indicated in the Terms of Reference (Job Descriptions) posted online.
At the end of the selection process, selected candidates attend the orientation workshop prior to their departure for their assigned duty station.
For further information, please refer to the UNDESA website, https://www.undesa.it/