UNESCO Communications and Public Engagement Internship 2026

UNESCO invites applications for its Communications and Public Engagement Internship, offering practical assignments to eligible students and recent graduates at its headquarters, field offices, and institutes. Internships last from one to six months, and applications are due by 31 December 2026. Applicants join a pool of internship candidates rather than applying for one specific opening.

About the UNESCO Communications and Public Engagement Internship

Interns may assist with projects across the communications division, with assignments depending on their expertise, interests, and the needs of relevant teams. Social media work can include preparing communications campaigns, drafting, translating or editing content, creating graphics, filming and post-producing interviews, producing newsletters, scheduling posts, and reviewing social media analytics.

Web assignments may involve helping create websites, editing and uploading content, preparing technical and editorial documentation, producing SEO reports, and reviewing audience and communications impact. Some web ecosystem assignments require knowledge of programming languages and sysops skills. Press-related work may include monitoring UNESCO media coverage and identifying trends, researching journalists, maintaining media contact databases, preparing press materials, fact-checking, providing background research, and supporting media events and interviews.

Other possible areas include photography and post-production; organizing and cataloguing images; editorial and technical assistance for publications; photo research; work connected with UNESCO branding; and assistance with intellectual property matters, permissions, and publication quality control. Interns may also help organize online or on-site conferences and debates for middle and high school classes, research schools, and prepare communications for UNESCO Campus. Work connected with UNESCO Courier can include selecting, editing, and publishing articles, images, and videos, supporting translation and online layout, communicating with partners, and promoting the magazine.

Learning objectives include gaining knowledge of project management and UNESCO activities, applying communications techniques, strengthening writing skills, using design software and content management systems, handling press relations, and building teamwork and interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.

Applications are reviewed for inclusion in the intern talent pool, where they remain valid for six months. Relevant hiring managers may assess the pool and contact selected candidates directly. If there is no update within six months, the application has not been successful. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee placement.

Who Should Apply

This internship is intended for applicants aged at least 20 who are in the third or final year of a bachelor’s degree, enrolled in a second university degree, master’s, or PhD programme, or who completed a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degree no more than 12 months before the Internship Agreement is issued. Applicants for technical or vocational assignments must be in the final year at a specialized institution or have graduated from it within the previous 12 months. Candidates should have excellent spoken and written English or French, strong computer and office software knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work in a team and adapt to an international environment.

Key Highlights

• Field: communications and public engagement, with assignments across digital and traditional media.
• Locations: headquarters, field offices, and institutes.
• Duration: one to six months.
• The internship is unpaid; interns receive leave and limited workplace insurance coverage.
• Application deadline: 31 December 2026.

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