2025 Internship Report - Bonnie QUAN

Name: Bonnie QUAN

Degree: MSc Marketing

University: The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Position: PR and Research Intern

UN Host Agency: United Nations Industrial Development Organization Investment and Technology Promotion Office ((UNIDO ITPO), Beijing

Duration: July 2024 - January 2025 (6 months)

Sponsorship: Peace and Development Foundation (PDF)

Supervisor: Mrs Sixun LI

Assignment:

• Engaged in organizing the CIFIT, handling preparations, onsite support, and post-event promotion

• Coordinated with representatives from companies like Honor, Tencent, and Yili to initiate sustainability-focused collaborations

• Met with representatives from the University of Hong Kong Beijing Centre and HKU Business School to explore collaboration on executive training

• Performed desk-based work, including but not limited to collaboration proposals, external promotional materials, and ESG research reports

Some Memorable Experiences:

I was deeply involved in organizing The 24th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT). Specifically, I was in charge of the preparations, onsite support, post-event promotion for the “Global Investment Dialogue: The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Smart City” at CIFIT, including drafting the proposal, arranging seating, producing materials, drafting speeches for keynote speakers, managing onsite logistics, drafting the conference newsletter, and summarizing guest interviews. Finally, this dialogue secured media coverage from 15 outlets, generating over 3 million views.

What sets our office apart from other UN agencies is our ability to directly establish partnerships with private enterprises. This enabled me to work directly with stakeholders from companies like Honor, Tencent, and Yili as a representative of UNIDO ITPO Beijing. I was involved in organizing the Honor R&D and Design Capability Closed-door Roundtable, the Honor Developer Conference Design Summit, the Tencent Sustainable Social Value Innovation Conference, and the Yili Annual ESG Case Selection Conference.

In addition, I worked closely with my supervisor to advance our office’s collaboration with the University of Hong Kong Beijing Centre and the HKU Business School in the field of executive training. We made several visits to the HKU Beijing Centre and held multiple meetings with the Centre’s director to explore potential areas of cooperation. I also drafted the cooperation proposal, which is now in the process of finalizing.

The Things I learned:

Overall, United Nations has provided me with an incredible platform, allowing me to access resources that would be hard to reach elsewhere. I’ve had the chance to directly collaborate with representatives from leading companies across various industries, organizing major international events, conducting industry research, and working towards the achievement of SDG 9. Here, I would like to discuss my takeaways from three main aspects.

Firstly, I’ve been entrusted with a lot of responsibilities. Organizing events required attention to countless details and the ability to manage unforeseen circumstances. This was a new challenge compared to my previous internships, where I was primarily an executor. Here, thanks to my supervisor’s full trust, I’ve had the opportunity to take charge in many events. This has allowed me to engage in various projects with a more proactive role, giving me a stronger sense of ownership and teaching me to think critically about how to improve and achieve better results.

Additionally, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and engaging with numerous experts from various fields. Many of our events and business negotiations have brought together many industry leaders, offering me the opportunity to not only learn from their experiences but also to be inspired by their passion and vision. Through these conversations, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities across different industries, as well as diverse life philosophies. More importantly, I’ve learned what it takes to become an expert in a given field: effective time management, sustained commitment to one's chosen area even when progress is not immediately visible, the constant pursuit of external resources to explore possibilities, and the humility to learn from others. These encounters have motivated me to continue growing both professionally and personally.

Finally, much of my work inevitably involved desk-based tasks. The UN has very strict requirements for document content and formatting, and many key pieces of information need to be verified with multiple sources before being included. This has helped me develop a meticulous and rigorous work ethic.

Closing Remarks:

Above all, I would like to thank my supervisor for her unwavering trust and encouragement throughout this journey. I’m also deeply grateful to have met so many wonderful friends here -- Christina, Blanca, Megan, Freya, Bill, Kiki, and Nicole. We’ve shared professional experiences and built lasting friendships, making this experience even more special for me. Additionally, I sincerely thank the Peace and Development Foundation (PDF) for providing this invaluable opportunity. I hope many more people can benefit from this program in the future.