From the classroom to the UN: How Forward College opened the door to a global internship
Tassilo shares how his time at Forward College — the journey, the network, and the curriculum — allowed him to pursue an internship at the United Nations.
When Tassilo first arrived at Forward College, a United Nations internship was an aspiration, not yet a plan. We sat down with him to hear how he got there – and what role Forward College played.
Q: Let’s start with you. What were you doing before Forward College, what brought you here, and where are you now?
Tassilo: Before joining Forward, I spent nine months working as a paramedic as part of Austria’s mandatory civil service. At the time, I was ready to leave Vienna and experience a completely new environment. Forward offered not only a degree from a respected institution, but also the chance to be part of an international journey and community. After graduating with a Double-Bachelor’s in Economics & Politics, I completed a three-month internship at the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations in New York. I am now pursuing a Master’s in Economics & Governance at Leiden University.
Tell us about your UN internship — what did you work on, and what was the experience like?
Tassilo: I was part of the team covering the UN Security Council and the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly (Special Political and Decolonization Committee)
My work included attending meetings concerning the situation in Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine, Colombia, as well as topics such as food security and the working methods of the Security Council. I prepared reports on these meetings, informing the Austrian Foreign Ministry about current developments.
In the Fourth Committee, I worked on topics such as the question of Palestine, decolonization, peacekeeping operations, information, and the peaceful use of outer space. I followed informal consultations, side events, amendment negotiations and helped prepare formal statements for plenary meetings.
Overall, it was an incredible experience. I met inspiring people, amazing friends and gained a much deeper understanding of multilateral diplomacy.
Q: How did Forward College specifically prepare you — whether through the curriculum, the international setup, the mentorship, the network…?
Tassilo: Forward prepared me especially through the “three years, three cities” journey and the double bachelor’s programme. It helped me not only in getting the internship, but also in adapting quickly to new environments, working both independently and in teams and being used to English in professional contexts.
It also helped to have Forward friends like Caro and Flora doing internships in New York at the same time which meant I had a support network from the very beginning.
Q: “What would you tell a student who has big ambitions but isn’t sure a place like Forward College can really get them there?
Tassilo: I’m not sure whether a university’s long-standing reputation alone still opens the same doors it once did. In the end, it is really about what you make of your time there.
Forward provides space for you to grow beyond exams by giving you an international journey, a close network of inspiring people and the chance to create things hands-on instead of only learning theory. I think that combination gives you a strong foundation to pursue your ambitions.
