Editor’s Note
October 24th is celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948, devoted to making known to the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations (UN) and encouraging the global community to live up to the ideals of the UN Charter.
As an institution that broadens students' global horizons, Tsinghua has a significant number of outstanding #TsinghuaRen who have actively participated in and supported the work of the UN through either employment or internships.
This article features some TsinghuaRen who have obtained significant opportunities at various UN agencies, ranging from full-time employment to short and long-term internships, and share their experiences.
01
Gui Tianhan
Gui Tianhan is an assistant professor at the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua, and her main research interest lies in gender studies. Before joining Tsinghua, she has worked at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) New York Headquarters and the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (UN-OIOS).
At the United Nations, Prof. Gui worked as an evaluator. She has conducted an evaluation of UNDP programmes in several developing countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. She has also participated in the evaluation of the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
Reflecting on her time working at the UN, she says “Working at the United Nations gave me a clearer picture of the world. It allowed me to see many challenges faced by the international community as well as the United Nations itself.”
After three years working at the UN, Prof. Gui joined Tsinghua University as an assistant professor. At Tsinghua, she sees her interaction with students as one of the best experiences. “Students at Tsinghua are talented and hardworking, and also eager to explore the world. I really enjoy working with them.”
Prof. Gui encourages young people to travel and work in developing countries. “There is a misunderstanding that since China is one of the developing countries, we naturally understand the developing world. In fact, that cannot be further from the truth. There is still room for improvement in our understanding of other developing countries, that’s where the younger generation can step up and make a difference.”
02
Meng Qing
“I want to be an independent, professional and cool researcher”, says Meng Qing, a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of International Relations, who is eager to know more about the interaction between states and international organizations and explore ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of foreign aid.
To further practical perspectives, Meng Qing worked at UNDP China as an intern under the Global Partnership Cluster and South-South Corporation for six months, participating in eight South-South Cooperation projects in over 10 countries. Later, she also took an internship at the Policy, Programme, and Intergovernmental Division of UN Women Headquarters, providing support on the UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025.
These experiences extended her understanding of international development, especially in the area of global health governance. Besides, she has become more motivated and inspired with her research after meeting lots of senior workers who dedicated themselves entirely to solving developmental issues.
“But international development still faces numerous issues and requires the wisdom and hard work from all fields of work”, says Meng Qing reflecting on her UN journey. For now, she truly feels the significance of her research, hoping to provide theoretical support for China's international cooperation and promote the effective implementation of global governance. Borrowing a quote from one of her favorite professors, Meng describes her life goal as to “be a person with courage, strength and wisdom!"
03
Yu Miao
“As a global citizen, I seek to resolve issues such as inequality, underdevelopment, and gender issues,” says Yu Miao, who pursues a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering. He started his journey with the UN with an internship at UN Women and continues to pursue more opportunities offered by the UN to this day.
“I truly appreciate that my journey at Tsinghua shaped my career trajectory," he says. At Tsinghua, Yu broadened his horizons to new possibilities, including the internship at UN Women. During his days there, he discovered that all the social issues people can list, such as climate change and AIDS prevention, are actually related to gender equality, and he began considering gender equality in everything.
Afterward, Yu continued to work for women’s empowerment and other UN goals. He was engaged in the launch of a charitable foundation aimed at women’s economic empowerment and a public welfare project for reducing the epidemic’s impact on women in light of the actual situation in China.
For now, he has started a new journey in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific as Programme Facilitator, hoping to make more contributions in the following career path. Next month, he will initiate a LIVE series with the theme of exchanges between youths from China and the international community.
04
Guo Kaidi
By earning her admission into the School of Environment at Tsinghua, Guo has made some positive strides. The abundant resources here gave her opportunities to explore her interests and set sail on the two-part discovery, of self and of the world.
“No matter how difficult the challenge is, I want to try new things,” Kaidi explains. “I want to experience new environments, meet new people and expose myself to new ideas.”
Kaidi once conducted her five-month internship in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at the UN Headquarters in New York. In what would be a whirlwind of an internship adventure, filled with seminar preparations, meetings and report writing, she also learned about handling crises and cultivated a deep appreciation and admiration for the UN and other international organizations.
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaidi got some unique opportunities to support the fight against the pandemic by purchasing masks and translating documents of technical expertise on the nature of pandemics into Chinese.
Now in her second year of Master’s in the School of Environment, Kaidi is as self-motivated and adventurous as ever. She believes that her time of exploring the vast world and bridging gaps is not over yet; in fact, it is just beginning.
05
Ana Carolina Deveza
In 2019, Ana Carolina Deveza joined the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua, to pursue the Master of Public Policy for Sustainable Development Goals (MPP-SDG).
The focus of the master program on working in international organizations led her to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, to conduct a six-month internship.
During the period, Ana has completed several tasks, whilst working in a multiculturally diverse team, which allowed her to realize the incredible power that international organizations have to bring a group of people together, to work on issues of common interest, for the betterment, prosperity and flourishment of all people and our planet.
She now recognizes that there is always space for new ideas and innovation, and that with the correct strategy and mobilization of stakeholders, it is possible to bring about real meaningful change.
Ana is currently planning on working in the development field with an international organization or an innovative company. She wishes to invest all her time and expertise in building a prosperous planet for the most vulnerable people.