Primary Education Intern

Vacancy No: CPH/VN/2021/21
Title: Primary Education Intern
Duty Station: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 6 months
Contract Type: Internship
Application deadline: 12 May 2021 (midnight Copenhagen)
Expected start date: 12 July 2021


UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering an internship within the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), Education Section in our Copenhagen Headquarters in Denmark.
This exciting internship is a unique opportunity for someone wishing to gain exposure to the leading agency on refugee education, and to sharpen their professional skills. As a member of the Education Section, the selected individual will have the opportunity to help support ground-breaking programmes that help enable education access for refugees around the world.
UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Organizational Context
Education is an integral part of protection for persons of concern to UNHCR, over 50% of whom are children. The Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), in close collaboration with Regional Bureaux and the Division of Programme Support and Management, is working on an integrated and holistic approach to support locations in implementing the policies and guidelines on education, children, gender equality and community-based protection. In support of this, DRS provides operational support, policy direction, and strategic guidance to field operations.
Refugee Education 2030, the overarching strategy for refugee inclusion, emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, partnerships, and learning achievement. The Strategy also emphasizes the need to increase access to quality primary, secondary and tertiary education. Since that time, specific technical support has been provided to a group of priority countries, including regular missions, communication, and participation in workshops to support the development of national education strategies.

The Position
The Primary Education Intern will support the Education team with several important aspects related to the technical support to country operations as well as advocacy and policy development. In the course of their internship they will acquire the following:
- Knowledge on UNHCR`s activities in the field on primary, secondary and tertiary education;
- Knowledge on UNHCR`s education policies (including Refugee Education 2030) and their implementation in field operations;
- Experience of coordination, data collection and report drafting.

Duties and Responsibilities
1) Assisting the Education Section to provide support to country-level programming and strategy implementation, particularly in primary education (estimated 80%) and education in emergencies (estimated 20%);
2) Supporting the Education Section to develop strategic policy guidance on refugee education;
3) Supporting the Education Section with advocacy for refugee education at a global level;
4) Assisting the primary education team with the UNHCR/Educate A Child partnership for enrolling out-of-school children in primary school.
Areas of work may be adapted in the course of the internship to better fit the intern¿s interests and profile as well as the Education Section¿s needs.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required
The ideal candidate will:
- Be a recent graduate (completed studies within one year of applying) or current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO; And have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of the Organization.
- Have excellent knowledge of English (written/oral/comprehension) with developed writing skills.
- Have a background in education, development cooperation and/or humanitarian assistance.
- Have strong organization and analytical skills.
- Have excellent communication skills.
- Have proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Location and Conditions
The successful candidate will be based with the team in the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The internship is for six months and it is a full-time role from Monday to Friday (40 hours per week).
The start date is to be determined in accordance with the measures adopted by the Danish government and guidance of UNHCR regarding the COVID-19 situation. Depending on the circumstances, there is a possibility the successful candidate will perform certain duties remotely and/or from at home.
Obtaining and renewing current visas and residence permits including all associated costs, are the responsibility of the intern.
Please note that the terms of internship, as defined by UNHCR practice, include the payment of a Food and Local Transportation Allowance (FLTA). In case the intern is sponsored by another source during the internship this will be deducted from the FLTA.
The written test might be included in selection process.


The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

For any technical problems encountered during the online application, please contact the Global Service Desk at HQUSSD@unhcr.org by allowing sufficient time for the resolution of issue.
The deadline for applications is midnight 12 May 2021 (CEST, Central European Summer Time).