The Tsinghua University International Organization Talent Project was successfully launched on April 4. The project, which will offer internship opportunities at United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) related to addressing climate change to students, is a collaboration between Tsinghua SIGS and the UNICEF’s Headquarters and is supported by the Career Development Center, Tsinghua University. David Evans, senior advisor of Public-Private Partnerships at UNICEF, Amy Wickham, program specialist of the UNICEF Climate Energy Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction program, and Zuo Jian’e, associate dean of Tsinghua SIGS, attended the event and delivered speeches. He Xuebing, assistant director of the Career Development Center, Tsinghua University, Guan Tian, deputy secretary of the SIGS CPC Committee, and Liang Dawei, director of the SIGS Career Development Center, also attended the launch ceremony.
Liang Dawei, Zuo Jian'e, Guan Tian, He Xuebing, David Evans, and Amy Wickham (left to right, top to bottom) at the launch ceremony
In his opening remarks, Zuo Jian’e emphasized that the UNICEF collaboration provides an essential platform for young students interested in global governance to contribute to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through concrete actions. “Climate change significantly impacts children’s and adolescents’ growth and development and requires a united effort to create a greener, safer, and healthier world for children and future generations worldwide. As a high-level research university in China, Tsinghua University has made remarkable research advancements in environmental and ecological studies. The school encourages students to actively participate in global research based on their majors and contribute more talent to the shared future of humanity,” said Zuo.
David Evans highlighted that climate change is a critical issue for children, as nearly half of the world's children reside in countries with high climate risk. Evans said, “The younger generation plays a crucial role in addressing climate change and devising solutions. UNICEF is looking forward to collaborating with Tsinghua SIGS and believes that this partnership will inspire more students to pursue in-depth research in the field of environment and ecology, ultimately becoming young leaders in tackling climate change issues.”
In her speech, Amy Wickham further addressed UNICEF's leading role in protecting children from the effects of climate change. She expressed hope that through this cooperation, interns would join UNICEF offices in various countries. “By conducting in-depth analyses and research on climate, environment, and energy issues and policies worldwide, the interns can produce project research reports that serve as effective recommendations for UNICEF work plans,” said Wickham.
Attendees at the UNICEF International Organization Talent Project information meeting
Later that day, the UNICEF International Organization Talent Project information meeting was held for SIGS students. During the meeting, Liu Peiyuan, a Ph.D. student at Tsinghua SIGS majoring in Environmental Science and New Energy Technology, shared her internship experience at UNICEF’s headquarters in New York. Liu Peiyuan pointed out that her internship experience not only helped broaden her global outlook and help her better understand different career development paths but also enhanced her employability and career competency. She encouraged students to seize the opportunity to actively participate in global governance based on their majors and research interests. At the end of the meeting, representatives from the SIGS Career Development Center answered questions about the application process and project qualifications.
Source: SIGS Career Development Center
Edited by Alena Shish & Yuan Yang
