Internships
Opportunities for meaningful internships in international organizations abound in Geneva. Students enrolled in the Geneva International Internship Semester program are guaranteed internship placements. Students in other tracks are strongly encouraged to participate in a part-time internship.
Internship placements are available at many types of international organizations and NGOs, and cover a broad spectrum of issues from an international perspective, including politics, labor, international relations, human rights, peace and disarmament, environment and sustainable development, public health, trade, culture, education and mediation, and conflict resolution.
Specific placements cannot be promised, but every effort will be made to place students in appropriate internship positions.
Internship Statement
To aid in making placements, students who wish to intern should include a one-page internship statement with their application materials. Internship statements should detail the goals for the internship, the skills the student will bring to an organization and those she hopes to develop, and the type of organization she hopes to work with.
Courses and Credit
Academic credit is not awarded for internships. Track A students earn credit by completing the coursework described in the Curriculum.
Internships In Geneva
Read two news articles about previous students and their internships:
Waking the Dragon in Switzerland by Clare Ma '13
A World in One Place by Vanessa Louchart Bustamante '13
Internship possibilities for 2013-14:
American Citizens Abroad - Expatriate advocacy.
Centre Catholique International de Genève - Non-profit association concerned with climate change, human rights, workers' rights, and interreligious dialogue.
Costa Rican Mission to UNOG - Costa Rican affairs at the UN.
Defense for Children International - Children's rights.
Democrats Abroad - US DFL advocacy.
La Fédération internationale de l'Action des chrétiens pour l'abolition de la torture (FIACAT) - Anti-torture, anti-death penalty. French-language work space.
Franciscans International - UN advocacy: poverty, slavery, human rights, environment, peace building, indigenous peoples, women and children.
Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) - Trains government officials to promote security, peace, stability.
Hagen Resources International (HRI) - Consulting, all areas of international Geneva.
International Communications Volunteers - Volunteering, education, programme creation.
International Bridges for Justice (IBJ) - Anti-torture for confessions, anti-pre-trial detention.
International Center for Migration, Health and Development (ICMHD) - Migrant and health rights.
International Labour Organization – Conditions of Work Programme - Economics, labor, working conditions.
International Labour Organization – International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) - Research on anti-child labor, economics of child labor.
Kenes Associations Worldwide - Consulting, medicine, science.
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea - Korean affairs at UN.
Plan International - Children's rights, anti-children's poverty.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE) - Research in international education. French-language work space.
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) - International environmental affairs.
United Nations Environmental Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) - Administration for UNEP intiatives.
UN Watch- UN surveillance from pro-Israel perspective.
Previous internship placements have included:
Cabinet Vétérinaire des Sources
Global Competitiveness Program of the World Economic Forum
International Labor Organization - Bureau of Archives
International Labor Organization - Bureau of Statistics
International Labor Organization - Department of Communication and Public Information
International Labor Organization - Department of Standards
International Labor Organization - Gender Equality Bureau
International Labor Organization - Women's and Youth Entrepreneurship
International Labor Organization - Youth Employment Network
International Office of Médecins Sans Frontières
International Union Against Cancer (UICC), Membership Department
NGO Group for the Convention of the Rights of the Child
United Nations English Translation Section
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
United Nations Refugees Agency, Division of International Protection and Resettlement
Women in Peacemaking Programme at the International Peace Bureau
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
World Conservation Union Global Program
Some possibilities for summer internships include:
Dalberg - Consulting
World Food Programme (WFP) - Anti-hunger campaigns
Please note that during summer internships students are responsible for all living expenses, visa requirements, medical insurance, etc. Students are not considered to be participants of the Smith in Geneva program during the summer.
