From a Student to an International Civil Servant—Liu Meng’s Lecture on “Global Competency” Was Successfully Held

In order to improve the global competency of students and cultivate outstanding personnel with international vision, the lecture on “global competency” of QMES was held online on October 18, 2022. Liu Meng, a staff member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was invited to give a special lecture on “Get to Know International Organizations, Get to Know the United Nations, and Becoming an International Civil Servant from a Student”.

Liu Meng graduated from the School of Foreign Studies of NPU in 2020 with a master’s degree in interpretation of MTI. In the same year, he obtained a master’s degree in development management jointly trained by the University of Turin and the International Labor Organization. With the support of China Scholarship Council(CSC), he worked in the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) successively, and later worked as a global communication consultant in the Natural Science Department of UNESCO. In 2022, he joined the African Priority and External Relations Department of UNESCO and was responsible for coordinating African affairs.

In the current special international environment, Liu Meng introduced the development history, current situation and organizational structure of the United Nations, shared new understanding and new thinking on the work of the United Nations and international organizations with students, aiming to help Chinese youth go global. He stressed the importance of international organizations and the significance of serving in international organizations. At the same time, based on his rich experience in international organizations, he interpreted the definition and responsibilities of international civil servants. He emphasized the core qualities required to become an international civil servant and how young students can cultivate their own qualities to become youth who have family and country feelings and global perspective, who are proficient in using foreign languages and proficient in international negotiations and who are familiar with international rules in the new era.

During the lecture, based on his own work experience in the United Nations, he stressed the importance and necessity of having comprehensive knowledge as a staff member of the United Nations. He also gave substantive suggestions to students who feel like entering international organizations and encouraged students to strive to become compound personnel of “foreign language+”, and make contributions to national development and social progress on the larger international stage.

The lecture helped students fully understand the development process of international organizations and the standards of being international talents, and further clarify the development path from universities to international organizations. QMES will continue to hold a series of lectures of “Global Competency” about different themes to help students to improve themselves, expanding their international vision and making them strive to become compound personnel with family feelings and global competency.

Text: Chen Yiran

Picture: Bi Jialong

Editor: Wu Sijia

Review: Cheng Yin

Translator: Li Qianqian