IS Student René Jack Advances Global Development with the United Nations Development Programme

Written by René Jack

Pursuing a United Nations opportunity has been a dream of mine since I started my undergraduate career at Simon Fraser University. Through the support of the School for International Studies and the International Studies Travel Award (ISTA), I was able to make this dream come true. My time at the United Nations Development Programme – Regional Bureau for Arab States in Jordan has been nothing short of amazing.

I had the opportunity to work with the diverse Regional Programme team at the Amman Regional Hub, implementing ongoing and new initiatives in the Arab States region that dealt with areas ranging from the climate crisis and youth unemployment to economic resilience. It has been an insightful experience, especially considering the implementation of these initiatives in proximity to various active conflict zones. My work involved supporting the strategic partnership engagement for the new UNDP Strategic Plan for 2026-2029, conducting research, data analysis, and visualizations. I also conducted donor mapping for ongoing and future initiatives, analyzed funding flows, and created tools to strengthen resource mobilization with the Regional Programme.

This experience has reshaped how I approach complex challenges in such settings and the way I approach my studies in International Security and Conflict. I have come to appreciate the interconnectedness of developmental challenges and realized how these challenges are perceived differently in the Arab States region. It remains a region that is overshadowed by climate risks, a lack of youth engagement, and limited empowerment of persons with disabilities. UNDP tackles these issues in a very interdisciplinary manner, with different teams collaborating on initiatives. I have had many opportunities to learn from my colleagues, through both webinars and discussions on donor engagement and results-based management.

This experience has sharpened my cultural awareness, compelling me to look beyond the data and to consider the real-world impact these initiatives have on communities. I learned that meaningful changes often unfold quietly, beyond the immediately visible. This opportunity has sparked many new interests in the development field, particularly in understanding initiative dynamics in conflict-affected contexts, where multiple issues need to be addressed at the same time. Because of the Regional Hub’s close work with the Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP), I have had the opportunity to see the real-time development of crisis plans and recovery missions in Gaza, and saw how the conflict was impacting climate in the region, affecting everyone who lived there. I want to explore this further as I continue my undergraduate studies.

I had the opportunity to engage with projects not just across Arab countries, but with global donors, which has bolstered my understanding of international project planning as well as how local contexts and global dynamics influence strategic priorities. I absorbed valuable insights on how donor and partner expectations shift based on geography and political climate, highlighting the complexity and fluidity of international development work. This dynamic environment has been intellectually stimulating and has significantly contributed to my professional growth. In my personal time, I also dedicated effort towards learning Arabic as a beginner with no prior knowledge. Although I don’t consider myself fluent, I was able to pick up the basics, which allowed me to engage with locals better, expanding my reach as I continue to prepare for my professional journey.