Kwansei Gakuin University

Internship programme cooperation agreement between ESCAP and KGU

September 30, 2020

◆Internship programme cooperation agreement between the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Kwansei Gakuin University◆

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) signed an internship programme cooperation agreement on July 9th, 2020. This agreement defines a framework that ESCAP annually accepts up to five qualified KGU students as interns. ESCAP shall be one of the international internship organizations for the students of KGU Graduate Course in United Nations and Foreign Affairs Studies to participate in the internship program.

Established in 1947, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) serves as the United Nations' regional hub promoting co-operation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. It is the largest intergovernmental platform in the region with 53 member States and nine associate members.

KGU is the first university in Japan to conclude an internship agreement with ESCAP.



Comment from the President, KGU- Professor Osamu Murata

KGU has been focusing on the practical education to nurture global leaders with close relationships with the United Nations and international organizations, under the mission to nurture global citizens embody its school motto "Mastery for Service". Based on our achievement, KGU launched the Graduate Course in United Nations and Foreign Affairs Studies in April, 2017, as one of the projects as a super global university. In this course, internship program is a mandatory to provide students the opportunities to gain practical experiences at the United Nations and international organizations for their future. 19 students have been participated in the internship at UN agencies and international organization in Japan and overseas, including 2 students as interns at ESCAP.

This internship agreement with ESCAP has been achieved with the strong and grateful support from Professor Shun-ichi Murata, Former Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP and current Dean of UN and Foreign Affairs Studies Program Office and Professor in the School of Policy Studies at KGU. It is a great honor for KGU to conclude this internship agreement with ESCAP as the first university in Japan. I strongly believe that this internship agreement will encourage much more students to challenge internship at ESCAP, and deepen cooperation between ESCAP and KGU even more.

Please refer to the ESCAP internship report from our student (Click here)