July 23, 2026 | UCLG ASPAC is pleased to welcome four 2026 JBICA International Student Programme (ISP) interns—Dasun Park, DongHun Kim, Jaeyoung Kim and Yeongeun Cho—to its Secretariat Office in Jakarta. Selected through the Jeonbuk International Cooperation Agency (JBICA) of the Republic of Korea, they are undertaking their internship as part of the ISP, a UCLG ASPAC initiative that provides international students and young professionals with hands-on experience in regional cooperation, local governance and sustainable development.
This internship programme reflects the shared commitment of JBICA and UCLG ASPAC to nurturing future global leaders while strengthening connections between the Republic of Korea and the wider Asia-Pacific region, including people-to-people exchanges. For JBICA, the programme provides young people from Jeonbuk with an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in local governance and regional cooperation beyond the classroom. For UCLG ASPAC, it connects emerging Korean talent with the priorities and collaborative work of its members and partners across the region.
Throughout the programme, the interns will receive professional guidance and hands-on opportunities to participate in the Organisation’s diverse programmes, activities, and regional networking. This practical learning experience offers direct insights into how a regional network of local governments operates and how local priorities are connected to regional and global development agendas.
Assignments cover a wide range of UCLG ASPAC’s work, including research and analysis, communications and outreach, advocacy, knowledge management, programme and event support, and international networking. Interns may contribute to research and policy reports, develop communications content, prepare meeting materials, document good practices and lessons learned, and support UCLG ASPAC’s regional activities, networks, projects and programmes. Through these responsibilities, interns gain first-hand insights into how ideas evolve from research and policy discussions into communication, knowledge exchange and practical cooperation.
Working alongside professionals in a multicultural environment also exposes interns to the realities of local governance across Asia and the Pacific. They develop a deeper understanding of how international cooperation enables cities and local governments to address shared challenges and translate sustainable development commitments into locally relevant action.
At the same time, interns can apply their academic knowledge, develop practical skills, build their professional portfolios, and strengthen their confidence and adaptability. In addition, the programme creates shared value for both the interns and UCLG ASPAC. Interns gain regional and international exposure while developing a deeper understanding of urban and regional issues. In turn, UCLG ASPAC benefits from their diverse perspectives, digital competencies, and youth’s forward-looking ideas. Their insights and contributions can inspire fresh approaches to programme implementation, communications, and knowledge sharing.
Ultimately, the ISP reflects UCLG ASPAC’s commitment to meaningful youth engagement by providing young people with real responsibilities, mentorship, institutional exposure and space to contribute their ideas, treating them as active contributors rather than observers. Through practical experience and cross-cultural learning, UCLG ASPAC and JBICA are helping to prepare a new generation of professionals and change-makers equipped to support more sustainable, inclusive and responsive communities in the face of growth and change.
