When I started my internship at the UNDP Global Centre, I expected to spend most of my summer conducting research behind a screen. Instead, I found myself sitting in a meeting with a ministry on my very first day. That set the tone for the rest of the internship.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the experience has been the level of ownership I've been given. Rather than working on isolated tasks, I've been trusted to contribute to projects from start to finish. I helped organize the regional Systems for Clean Air roundtable, contributed to an upcoming UNDP report on air quality monitoring and AI , developed concept notes for pilot projects, published a blog, and supported partnerships with external organizations.
The highlight, however, hasn't been any single project. It's been the opportunity to take ownership of my work and to participate in discussions with senior policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners. This internship has given me a much deeper understanding of how international development and public policy work in practice and reinforced my interest in working at multilateral institutions.
