The university students came from a wide array of study fields ‒ including International Relations, Environmental Studies, Communication Science, Linguistics, Law, Anthropology, Political Science and Engineering. They were invited to take part in a series of virtual events: a guided tour through the Vienna International Centre (VIC), a one-hour encounter with a UN staff member, and a UN careers workshop held by United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna Director Martin Nesirky.
The participating students were highly appreciative of the events and thanked the UN experts for sharing experiences about their work and career opportunities. One of the students said: “We had a great conversation, and I am grateful for the opportunity.” Others thanked their UN interlocutors for the useful information and for taking the time to talk to them.
During the virtual career workshop, the students gained valuable insights into career opportunities at the UN for young graduates, like the Junior Professional Officer Programme (JPO) and the Young Professionals Programme (YPP), and learned more about the work of the UN in Vienna and other duty stations. Students could ask questions about UN careers during the Q&A session.
A large number of UN experts from the following 14 Vienna-based UN entities and organizations took part in the Shadowing Programme 2022: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office in Austria, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, the United Nations Environment (UNEP) Vienna Office, the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the United Nations Liaison Office for Peace and Security in Vienna (UNLOPS Vienna), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Vienna Regional Office.
The Shadowing Programme kicks off each year on UN Day, 24 October, and lasts until 24 November. It is coordinated by UNIS Vienna and organized in cooperation with all participating Vienna-based UN organizations. During previous in-person iterations of the Shadowing Programme, students spent a full workday with a staff member at the Vienna International Centre (VIC). As it had been the case in 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 situation in the host country of Austria meant the programme had to be held fully online again in 2022.
