Italian Fellowships Programme

The Fellowships Programme for Technical Cooperation Capacity Building and Human Resources Development is an initiative funded by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. It is implemented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA) and targets post-graduate Italian nationals.

Through this Programme, young skilled professionals are selected for a one-year on-the-job training in the Field Offices of organizations belonging to the United Nations System. Before taking up their assignment in the host country, Fellows attend a mandatory orientation workshop, which is an integral part of the Programme.

The fellowships under this Programme are awarded to enhance development assistance delivery in developing countries and to provide young professionals with a valuable opportunity to enrich their professional experience. During their assignment fellows participate in analytical, research and operational activities in the area of capacity development, including project identification and development.

Initially rolled out in 1999 as a pilot scheme awarding 12 fellowships, the Programme has gradually grown into a fully-fledged initiative awarding on average 33 fellowships a year. To date, a total of 747 young Italian professionals have participated in the Programme.