The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Traineeship @Geneva (2023-24)
(12 months)
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has established a partnership in an international traineeship opportunity for HKUST students at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Since 2018, 4 HKUST students have taken the unprecedented opportunity to work at this unique international humanitarian organization.
The trainee will be working full time at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, reporting to the Regional Head of REM Asia at the Resource Mobilization Division. S/he will support the work of the unit with the focus to establish and develop relations with governments and private donors. See attached Annex 1 for detailed job description.
| Stipend: | Trainee will receive a yearly stipend of CHF49,920, payable on a monthly basis (CHF 3,840/month X 13), financially supported by the Equal Opportunities Foundation through the HKUST Connect Student Civic Fellowship Program |
|---|---|
| Annual Leave: | Trainee is entitled to 20 working days of annual leaves
(Trainee may be required to take 1 week no pay leave during the contract period) |
| Accommodation: | Trainee has to prepare for her/his own accommodation in Geneva |
| Insurance: | Trainee might be required to purchase his/her own travel and medical insurance |
About ICRC
Established in 1863, the ICRC operates worldwide, helping people affected by conflict and armed violence and promoting the laws that protect victims of war. An independent and neutral organization, its mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The organization, awarded for 3 times for the Nobel Peace Prize, are based in Geneva, Switzerland, and employing some 20,000 people in more than 100 countries. The ICRC is funded mainly by voluntary donations from governments and from national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Understand more about ICRC and the traineeship:
- A story of love: The story of the ICRC (video)
- From Banking to the World's Worst War Zones: What's behind this Path less Travelled? by Jason Yip, Former ICRC staff (video)
- A Passion for Helping That Never Fades sharing by Rachel Huang, trainee of 2018-19 (article)
- Story from the HQ, interview with Kyu Tae Kim, trainee of 2020-21 (article)
- A Peachmaking, Humanitarian Hero, ‘In Inspire. To Be Inspired. – 30 Stories on HKUST Faculty, Alumni and Students’, interview with Kyu Tae Kim, trainee of 2020-21 (article)
- Information Session of Traineeship 2023-24 (video)
Eligibility
- Current HKUST undergraduate (penultimate/final year) and postgraduate student in UGC funded program in any disciplines who demonstrate maturity and an interest in humanitarian work and diplomacy affairs. Preference will be given to undergraduate students.
- Trainee would need to take a one-year study leave from HKUST for 2023-24.
- Student would NOT have graduated from their current academic enrollment at HKUST on/before June 2024 after taking one year off for the traineeship (i.e. eligible students are those who would still need to return to HKUST for academic studies for at least one semester before graduating, or to apply graduation after Jun 2024).
- Fluent French is not required, but fluency in some Asian languages is highly desirable. Trainee would be highly recommended to take French classes while in Geneva.
See attached Annex 1 for detailed qualification requirements.
Selection Process
Interested applicants should submit the following documents to apply for the traineeship.
- A cover letter stating your interest in applying for the traineeship
- Latest resume/CV
- Copy of academic transcript from HKUST
- Copy of your public examination results (e.g. HKDSE, IB, AP, GCE, etc)
- An essay (no more than 700 words) explaining why you would like to apply for this traineeship at ICRC, your interest in international humanitarian work, and how this experience fits into your overall career plan
- Reference letter from an academic faculty member (ideally from HKUST, but can also be from your exchange school) supporting your application
The above documents should be uploaded to the Career Center online job application system in a single .pdf attachment no later than 5 February 2023 for consideration. Suitable applicants would be shortlisted for first-round interviews at HKUST in mid February 2023. A follow-up/second round Zoom interview with ICRC would be arranged in late February for further shortlisted candidates. Results will be announced by March 2023.