United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Alumni Host, St Antony's College

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES -

UNHCR (ALUMNI HOST, ST ANTONY'S COLLEGE)

Noam Rosenbaum, St John's College, BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Final

Year Undergraduate, in-person working

Work Projects

My principal portfolio covered UNHCR

partnerships with the UNDP and ILO. In each

case, we finalised key joint policy documents

for the coming 3 years. My role was often as

penholder on these documents, soliciting input

from senior partners, drafting, editing and

proofing material. Collaborating with the team, I supported a regional consultation, and

participated in numerous coordination meetings and planning processes. Assigned also to a

second team, working on a new partnership with the IFC, I had the opportunity to facilitate high

level coordination meetings and develop the newly adopted joint action plan for the ensuing 18

months. I assisted the execution of a side event on this partnership at the 2022 Executive

Committee, and was also lucky to volunteer at the 2022 Nansen Award Ceremony, stumbling

(literally) into meeting Angela Merkel in a particularly entertaining highlight.

The team gave me ample space and material for onboarding (the position requires significant

preparation to engage usefully with the breadth and complexity of issues) and were

enthusiastically supportive in answering my many questions and taking my queries seriously. It

was a pleasure to work with them.

Daily Life

Having previously lived in Geneva, settling in was simple—although finding accommodation in

the city is never easy. Public transport is affordable and extensive; I lived in three places

through the summer, and never had a troublesome commute. The work rhythm was healthy,

arriving at the office a bit before nine in the morning, and leaving around six in the afternoon

on average. I had my fair share of late nights, but only to take on optional work to further our

projects. Through the months I got to know the intern and staff community at the UN, with a

thriving, mixed social life there, and co-organized a local basketball community with folks I met at pickup games (it’s evolved into a great group persisting long since I left).

Through busking and playing at a local pub, I met plenty of others from varied backgrounds. It’s a quiet, safe, and beautiful city, with a lot going on if you figure out where to look, and go out

and meet people. Sunrise concerts on the lake, outdoors cinema, (free) evening salsa classes in

the park… Despite all this, day to day I’ll admit spending most of my out-of-work time chilling by

the lake, gazing at the mountains, and noodling on the guitar.

Lasting Impressions

This internship was an excellent opportunity to experience global governance and policy-

making from the top down. Building on my background (through another Summer Internship

Programme place last year) in humanitarian aid, these months were an inspiring look into the

work at the central HQ of an organisation to which I am only more committed to joining at

some point in the future. The staff are incredible, welcoming, and with such a range of wisdom

and experience to share that it can be overwhelming at times to even share a room with them

all. I gained practical skills in policy and some understanding of the humanitarian system at the

global level, and an introduction into partnerships, collaboration, and cooperation which will

only aid me in my step into diplomacy at the FCDO this autumn.

I am deeply grateful to the Careers Service and those at the UN for allowing me this immense

opportunity to contribute to their work just a little, and learn from them so much. My career

ambitions have been cemented further: if you have an inkling of interest in the humanitarian-

development-peacebuilding nexus, I highly recommend looking into the vital work of the

UNHCR.