Applications can only be submitted online through the Online Web Application (OWA) of the UN/DESA Office in Rome.

Unlike previous rounds of the JPO Programme, candidates will now be able to submit their application for a specific position. Each candidate can apply for a maximum of three JPO positions.

At the moment OWA is not a fully responsive web application, therefore it is recommended to use personal computers and not mobile devices. OWA supports the latest browser versions (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge) running in Windows, macOS, Ubuntu etc. with a minimum processor of 2Ghz and 2GB RAM. The minimum screen resolution required by all OWA features is 1280 x 1024. Screens with a lower resolution may not always display correctly and inbuilt browser features such as ‘zoom’ that give the user to ability to increase/decrease the size of the content of the browser may also be adversely affected.
Before starting the application process, please read carefully the information concerning the Italian JPO Programme, its eligibility criteria and the specific requirements of the position(s) you wish to apply for.

 The deadline for submitting applications is 12 August 2024 at 2 pm (Italy local time).

 Candidates using OWA for the first time must first register.

Candidates who already applied to past editions of the JPO and Fellowship Programmes can proceed by signing in to OWA and creating the application. They are not required to upload the advanced university degree certificate, unless prompted by the system to verify the information previously submitted.

Registering with the Online Web Application (OWA)

Candidates must register by providing the requested information and uploading a copy of the advanced university degree certificate attesting eligibility for the JPO Programme, such as:
– PhD, or
– Laurea Magistrale/Specialistica, or
– Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico, or
– University Master’s degree.

Graduates in Medicine who were already awarded a post-graduate medical specialization must upload a copy of this degree.

Do NOT upload a copy of your undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s / Laurea Triennale).

The OWA system allows you to upload only one PDF file. The PDF document must not exceed 1MB.

As an alternative to uploading the advanced university degree certificate candidates may upload a signed self-certification document (autocertificazione) provided that the degree was awarded by an Italian university. This self-certification must include: given name and family name, date and place of birth, university degree obtained, date of award, name of the Italian university, final grade and credits obtained. To be valid, the self-certification document must be dated and manually signed (handwritten signature only).

Self-certification documents which have a computer keyboard-generated signature, are unsigned or otherwise incomplete will not be accepted and the application will be rejected.

Candidates who graduated from non-Italian universities cannot submit a self-certification document and must submit a copy of the degree awarded.

If you do not upload a document certifying the award of an advanced university degree, your application will not be deemed valid.

The sample documents below will NOT be considered valid:

Example 1: Unsigned self-certification
Example 2: Keyboard-generated signature
Example 3: University Enrollment Certificate
Example 4: Piano di Studi
Example 5: University website screenshots

N.B. Upload only certificates awarded by universities or educational institutions recognized or certified by a competent national authority, as included in the IAU/UNESCO list.
When evaluating academic credentials of applicants, the JPO Programme is guided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) listing (referred to as the “UNESCO list – World Guide to Higher Education”) of recognized higher education institutions to determine the level of university degree conferred on candidates since the level of degrees is not always consistent across countries. Please check the site to confirm that your university is accredited – www.whed.net

Once registered, you will receive an automatically generated email message requesting confirmation of your account credentials. Kindly note that email servers may accidentally forward this message to the JUNK or SPAM folder. Please check this folder carefully. If you do not receive the email requesting confirmation, go to the OWA log-in page and click on the hyperlinked option “Already registered, but password forgotten, or do you need to finalize the registration of your account?”

Following verification of your registration, you may log in and complete the section “My Profile” by entering your data, i.e. personal details, contact details, family details and information on your nationality and residence.

Creating your online application

You may create your online application by pressing the “Create Application” button and selecting from the list the position for which you intend to apply. Once done, open the new application from the “My applications” section.
If you have already applied to previous editions of either the JPO or the Fellowships Programme via the Online Web Application (OWA), the system will automatically retrieve the contents of your most recent online submission. You can review all contents, make the necessary changes and/or add information where appropriate before submitting the new application.

For new applicants the system will be able to retrieve the contents of the first application only if it has been submitted. Therefore, if you are a new applicant and intend to apply to more than one position, it is recommended to submit the first application before creating the second one. If you do not submit the first application, the system will not be able to retrieve its contents.

N.B. Once you confirm your intention to apply for the selected position by clicking the pop-up button “Confirm and apply”, you can no longer change the position or withdraw your application from it. Although not submitted, this application will be counted as one of the three possible applications that you can submit.

Compiling your online application

Please allow sufficient time to complete your application, bearing in mind that you may stop/start as often as you wish in order to facilitate correct data entry.

All sections must be completed in English. Applications completed or partially completed in other languages will be disregarded.

The OWA system allows you to copy and paste text from another Word document using the Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) keyboard shortcuts.

To avoid potential data loss, it is strongly recommended to press the ‘SAVE’ button once you have completed each section.
There are seven (7) sections in the online Application Form, as follows:

1. General information
You will be requested to provide information on how you learned about the Programme and what your preferred field of work is.

2. Skills
You will be requested to provide details of your language and computer skills. You may also list any relevant publications.

3. University /Higher Education
This section allows you to provide details of your university/higher education studies. Please ensure you include all institutions and clearly list the university degree(s) conferred and, where applicable, those ongoing. You will also be requested to provide information on your university activities, including relevant seminars, special courses and final dissertation(s).

4. Schools and training 
This section allows you to list any formal training courses that you have undertaken. Education history information from age 14 onwards must also be included.

5. Employment history
You will be requested to provide details of all relevant work experience to date, specifying as follows: contract information, description of your duties and achievements, as well as reasons for leaving. Please use a separate record for each post. You may also include voluntary work and internships. For each experience you will be requested to specify if full time or part time.

6. Motivation letter
This section allows you to outline your reasons and motivations for applying to the selected JPO position. You may also highlight here your strengths and interests.

7. Additional information and Submission
This section allows you to list your membership or participation in professional societies and networks related to civic, public or international affairs, as well as information regarding any fellowships held and/or periods of residence outside the country of your nationality.

Submitting your application

It is highly recommended to click on the Review/Print Application button before submitting your online application. When you do so the PDF version of your application will be automatically generated in a new window for your final review. 

Note that once submitted, it is no longer possible to edit your application. The submission will be considered final. After clicking on the “SUBMIT” button, the PDF version of your application will be automatically saved in your download folder of your computer.

Be reminded that you will be able to save the PDF version of your application in the download folder of your computer at a later stage by clicking on the “PRINT” button at the bottom of the “My Applications” section.

Multiple applications

Each candidate can apply for a maximum of three positions. Once applied for the first position, the system will allow you to apply again. Press the “Create Application” button and select the second position for which you intend to apply. The system will retrieve the contents of your first application (only if “submitted”) and give you the opportunity to make changes if needed. Go through steps 1 to 7 to submit the second application. To apply for the third position, the same procedure can be followed.

Review the list of available positions

For additional information, please contact the UN/DESA Office in Rome at JPOinfo@undesa.it