Zhang Deng, an undergraduate of the Tianjin University Law School enrolled in 2015 talked about his internship in the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Regional Office for East Asia and hoped to shed light on students who wish to do similar internship in international organizations.

Zhang Deng

The ICRC shoulders the responsibility of a humanitarian mission and mainly conducts its work according to the four Geneva Conventions and three additional protocols. Zhang Deng got a preliminary understanding of the ICRC after taking part in the Moot Court Competition sponsored by the ICRC. Since then, he had always wished for an opportunity to do an internship in the organization. When asked about his advice about successful application, Zhang Deng emphasized the importance of a CV and a cover letter. He applied for an ICRC internship twice. The first year his application wasn’t selected. The second year, however, on account of a better preparation, including increased English proficiency and comprehensive strength of the application package, and also with the help of TJU, his dream finally came true.

While in the ICRC, Zhang’s work focuses on the evaluation of the ICRC Moot Court Competition, specifically the design, distribution, collection and evaluation of the questionnaires. During this internship, he also traveled to Hong Kong to conduct interviews for this year’s competition. When asked what he has learnt from it, he has a lot to share. The work of the ICRC is quite challenging and rewarding, for it requires daily communication with government departments and academic groups of many countries. The working atmosphere there is really good, and colleagues treat each other equally. He feels grateful for the help from his boss and senior coworkers.

The building Zhang Deng works in

Of course, he also encountered some difficulties and realized his lack of practice. Before the internship, he paid a lot of attention to the scores of his English tests, but cared little about its practical usage. For him, the internship was not only an opportunity but also a challenge. Bearing this idea in mind, he has intentionally practiced his oral English. This turned out to be quite beneficial. After this experience, he feels that his English application ability has improved greatly, and he also has a deeper understanding of the way international organizations operate. This valuable internship experience also laid a foundation for his post graduate studies on international law.

As for his advice to junior students who want to do internships in international organizations, first of all, is to improve their English proficiency, both their written and oral English ability. Secondly, he thinks that we should pay more attention to the latest news of international organizations. Browse their websites to obtain relevant information in a timely manner. Finally, once you have the opportunity, you must seize the moment. The competition tends to be fierce, therefore, the sooner the application is submitted, the better your chance will be.

By Xu Lanzhi

Editors: Eva Yin & Doris Harrington