On the afternoon of October 11th, the College of Economics hosted a teatime session themed “Looking Towards the Future: Internships and Work in International Organizations” at Conference Room C209 of the Economics Building.
This engaging event brought together three distinguished experts to engage in in-depth dialogue with over 30 students majoring in economics. The three experts are Emmanuel Jimenez——Director General, Independent Evaluation Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Peter Lanjouw——Director of Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) Cross National Data Center, and Teresa Munzi——Director of Operations at LIS. They have extensive work experiences in various positions in international organizations, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank.
Professor Kai Li opened the session with a warm welcome to the experts, followed by a detailed introduction of their academic backgrounds and key roles within their respective institutions. The attending students greeted the experts with enthusiasm, showing a strong curiosity about potential career pathways, including postdoctoral and research assistant opportunities for graduate students.
The experts then provided an overview of their respective organizations—the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and LIS—and shared information on short-term and long-term internship opportunities. The session proceeded with an interactive Q&A.
When asked about competencies required for internships at international organizations, Emmanuel Jimenez highlighted that beyond academic qualifications, entry-level candidates should demonstrate the following:
· Ability to implement – the ability to collaborate within a team and carried out assigned tasks effectively;
· Passion for data analysis – supported by strong technical proficiency in handling and interpreting data;
· Strong communication skills – particularly in verbal expression.
He noted that while many Chinese students excel in reading, they often need to further develop their communication skills. As a development economist, he also encouraged students to visit rural areas to conduct fieldwork.
Peter Lanjouw fully agreed and further emphasized the importance of working effectively in a multicultural environment, encouraging students to communicate with mindfulness and reflection. As an expert in development studies who has worked in more than ten countries, he also recalled the importance of early childhood experiences in shaping his career path.
Teresa Munzi added that interns should remain humble and avoid focusing solely on highly complex tasks. She stressed that performing foundational work diligently is equally valuable.
The experts also addressed a wide range of student questions on topics such as CV preparation, the importance of learning a third language, the use of academic resources to gain research experience, and the challenges and misconceptions surrounding international organizations.
Through face-to-face interaction, the session provided students with valuable insights from experts with extensive experience in international organizations. By the end of the session, participants left with not only a clearer roadmap for pursuing opportunities in international organizations but also concrete, actionable steps toward achieving their internship and long-term career goals.
Written by: Yuxuan Zhang, Kai Li
Photos and Edited by: Qiaoyuan Ye, Anting Wu
