The University of Westminster has a long-standing partnership with the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM), one of the fastest-growing United Nations agencies that responds to multiple challenging displacement crises worldwide. The partnership, which started in 2022, offers exclusive long-term internship opportunities for Westminster students at IOM offices around the globe.
The internships run for six to nine months and are fully funded by the University, the Quintin Hogg Trust and donors such as the Westminster alumnus Ken Subraj.
The internships are open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the University and provide students with exposure to global policy making platforms and an excellent start to their career journeys. The interns gain invaluable professional experience and skills, as well as the opportunity to live and work in a diverse and multicultural environment, with some of the interns progressing into full-time employment opportunities at IOM after completing their internships, demonstrating the impact and quality of the programme.
In 2024, several Westminster students were selected as long-term interns with IOM offices in locations such as Switzerland, Kenya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Austria. They work on various projects and initiatives related to migration, displacement, protection, development and humanitarian assistance. They also engage in high-level diplomatic interactions and participate in discussions on global affairs.
Over the years, the programme’s interns have highlighted the unique and impact nature of the internships, the benefits and challenges of working for an international organisation, the skills and knowledge they have acquired, and the massive personal and professional growth they have experienced as a result.
The partnership between the University of Westminster and the IOM is a result of the vision and leadership of Dr Sahar Taghdisi Rad, the Employability Director for the School of Social Sciences, who has been leading several international and UN-related collaborations. She said: “This scheme is premised on providing access to opportunities to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Internships at the UN can be instrumental in shaping students’ career trajectories, yet their highly competitive and unpaid nature make them inaccessible to most of our students. Through a meaningful institutional partnership and the dedication of our donors, the current scheme addresses these obstacles by enabling inclusive and dedicated access to such opportunities. In doing so, the programme also contributes to furthering diversity and equality within global institutions while contributing to the University’s commitments to sustainability. Our University is now IOM’s largest university partner.”
If you are interested in hosting Westminster students as interns or collaborating with the University on other initiatives, please get in touch by filling in our Working with Westminster form.
* The partnership also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10: Reduced Inequalities, 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and 17: Partnerships for Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.