From Campus to Global Stage: An Exploratory Study of Chinese Interns’ Global Competency in International Organizations

Abstract

Internships in international organizations are highly valued for the development of global competency. Drawing on the combination of the United Nations Competencies for the Future and the onion competency model as a theoretical framework, this study examines the global competency of Chinese university students by conducting in-depth qualitative interviews with 44 interns stationed at international organizations. The thematic analysis reveals that the global competency of Chinese interns in international organizations is characterized as multifaceted, which characterized by high level of professionalism, underdeveloped communication competencies, practical competency gaps and creativity deficiency from a knowledge and skills perspective. In terms of roles and attitudes, Chinese interns tend to view the internship as international civil servants and display a growth mindset. Regarding motivations and personality, they exhibit a high degree of intercultural disposition and demonstrate a combination of cosmopolitan identity and patriotism. Strategic implications are discussed regarding how Chinese universities cultivate students’ global competency, particularly as an adaptive response to the shifting complexities of a globalized and multi-polar world.

Plain Language Summary

Navigating Global Compatency: Chinese Interns in International Organizations

International internships serve as an effective approach to enhancing global competency. Regarding the global competency of Chinese university students in international workplace, we adopted a qualitative research method to conduct an global competency survey among Chinese interns at international organizations. We found that while Chinese university students possess strong professional skills, intercultural disposition, and learning capacity, they exhibit deficiencies in communication, practical skills, and creativity. Furthermore, these interns perceive cosmopolitan identity and patriotism as complementary and have fulfilled the duties of international civil servants during their internships.

Introduction

In the context of accelerating globalization, various sectors of Chinese society have been in urgent need of globally competent international talents. In order to promote the training of international professionals, Chinese top-tier universities launched specialized international internship programs, which focus on fostering global competency as the core objective. As preeminent transnational authorities in an era of globalization, international organizations (IOs) exert substantial influence over global governance. Their mission to foster international order and cooperation consequently demands personnel who embody high-level professional competencies (Iriye, 2002). To address the growing demand for highly qualified graduates with competencies relevant to IOs, leading Chinese universities have established targeted training programs designed to cultivate professionals equipped with the global competencies required by IOs. Internship programs offered by IOs have pioneered a practical training model for cultivating global competency among Chinese university students in overseas professional settings. Such strategic initiatives are essential for enabling China’s higher education system to respond to the complex demands of globalization and to strengthen its presence within the international academic and professional arenas.

Extensive immersion in international environments is considered an effective approach for developing global competency (Wu, 2025). With regard to the role of international internships in fostering students’ foreign language proficiency, communicative skills, adaptability, open-mindedness, confidence, self-reliance, cultural awareness, critical thinking, professional skills, teamwork and employability (Di, 2015; Doerr, 2020; Hay et al., 2018; Leonov et al., 2025), the competency-based approach has been widely invoked. In Chinese universities, the promotion of global competency and international employability has similarly emerged as a central aim of internship programs associated with IOs. Although the global competency of Chinese university students has been examined in domestic settings and is often discussed in comparison with that of international students in Western institutions (S. Liu & Ding, 2022; Wu, 2020), existing research tends to adopt a student-centered discourse framed by neoliberal rationales. Such an approach emphasizes personal development in a utilitarian terms rather than as a process of cultural enrichment. Chinese university students’ global competency as it pertains to the role and relevance of work-based learning experiences in international internships remains insufficiently explored. This study explores the global competency of Chinese university students, with a specific emphasis on interns based at IOs and the developmental pathways of their intercultural attributes. This study addresses the existing gap by probing a fundamental research question: What are the key components and characteristics of global competency as enacted by Chinese university student interns in IOs? It empirically seeks to define the core attributes and distinctive features of this competency within authentic IO workplaces.

Literature Review

Competency-Based International Internship

International internships are work-integrated learning activities in a foreign setting that promote professional development and personal exploration (Kattiyapornpong & Almeida, 2022). By combining hands-on experience with global skills development, those programs meet the contemporary requirements of employers in the field of transnational affairs (Hay et al., 2018). Existing research on international internships predominantly focuses on high-prevalence disciplines, such as engineering, nursing and education, with an emphasis on evaluating their efficacy through competency-based frameworks. Research has verified that international internships significantly impact work-related competencies. These include the consolidation of knowledge and skills, the development of international professional networks, increased self-perceived competency, and the cultivation of global career adaptability and career trajectories (Di, 2022).

Regarding the significance of international internships in a globalized context, Murphy and Gardoni (2019) argued that these experiences foster the moral imagination and empathy required to train professionals committed to the public good. Within international internship programs, IOs internships represent a significant area of focus. Existing studies predominantly address how these programs can be improved to support career development. According to Mather (2008), the career impact of IOs internships is driven primarily by academic intellectual curiosity, international travel, relationship building, and transformative life events. Evidence from the United Nations system indicates that these programs yield reciprocal advantages for both the organization and the interns (Wynes & Posta, 2009). Rast et al. (2018) specifically examined Asian employees, showing that competencies serve to mediate the relationship between the willingness to engage with out-groups and the resulting levels of inter-group uncertainty and stereotyping. However, interns from non-Western backgrounds in IOs are often subject to stereotypes. Drawing on the theoretical work on competencies of IOs staff, a substantial body of research on international civil servant has focused on their legal status and ethical responsibilities within IOs. Sending (2014) argued that the roles international civil servant differ significantly between professionals representing national interests and those representing international mandates. Furthermore, scholars suggest that international civil servant operate across legal, moral and expert modalities, with their capacity shaped by organizational structure, competency, legitimacy and culture (Sinclair, 2015). Given that existing competency-oriented literature primarily focuses on IOs senior officials, analyzing the competency framework of interns facilitates staff professionalization amid the global shift from state-driven to competency-based recruitment and career development.

Global Competency of International Internship

Global competency is defined as the willingness and ability to engage with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and to apply intercultural skills effectively across various contexts (Hunter et al., 2006). This concept was further solidified as a core assessment domain for PISA 2018, where it is conceptualized as a measurable outcome derived from educational interventions or intercultural interactions (Grotlüschen, 2018; Y. Li, 2013; Meng et al., 2018). The demand for globally competent citizens has fostered the expansion of global competency education. Cultivating internationally minded individuals and enhancing graduate employability in the global market have emerged as national priorities for higher education. As a strategy for competency development, international internships enable students to engage with cultural diversity and adopt a global perspective, thereby preparing them to participate as members of the global community (Mason & Martel, 2021). Researchers have demonstrated that global competency is closely aligned with the aims and outcomes of international internship. Specifically, engagement with diverse and unfamiliar cultural contexts significantly enhances students’ cultural sensitivity, while simultaneously fostering cosmopolitan values and a commitment to social justice objectives (Ackers et al., 2019).

Thus far, however, discussion regarding international internships and global competency have been disproportionately centered on contexts within the Global North with “western centralizing” genealogies. From the perspective of developed countries in a post-colonial framework, the promotion of global competency is often interpreted as ultimately aiming to enable graduates to compete successfully in the global labor market and to assume leadership roles as global citizens. Scholarly attention has frequently privileged Western discourses, owing not only to their extensive experience with international internships but also to the theoretical underpinnings of global competency, which are partly shaped by the framework of the competencies for democratic culture. This policy-oriented framework is well-aligned with the interests of knowledge-economy proxies (Martini & Robertson, 2022). Robertson (2021) further contends that prevailing conceptions of global competency remain provincial, as their conceptual foundations are tie to U.S. corporate interests, and their pedagogical orientation contributes to the culture of new capitalism. While research on global competency in international internships prioritize global and cultural dimensions, the specific professional competencies required for students to succeed in a multi-polar international system remain under-examined.

Chinese University Students’ Global Competence

Current studies on the global competence of Chinese university students are centered on theoretical concepts, contributing factors and teaching strategies. Zha and Wu (2021) find that global competence in China emphasizes national and individual well-being. Expanding on this framework, Mansilla and Wilson (2020) apply principles of Chinese philosophy to define global competence as a lifelong process of self-cultivation aimed at understanding and improving the world. Building on this view, Ying and Duo (2025) advance a central-marginal-peripheral model of global competence for Chinese university students, which conceptualizes moral grounding and national values as its integral components. Although Chinese university students typically demonstrate positive global attitudes, research suggests they lack sufficient global knowledge, cross-cultural communication skills, and international academic proficiency (Jiang et al., 2024; Meng et al., 2017). Research has shifted from focusing on cognitive aptitude toward affective domains such as student attitudes and values. Additionally, scholars have investigated the antecedents of global competence in the Chinese higher education context. These studies show that the growth of such competence depends on a combination of individual characteristics and structural influences (X. Li et al., 2025). Variables such as cultural capital, global engagement, intercultural contact experiences, and language proficiency are positively and consistently associated with the attainment of higher levels of global competence (Mai et al., 2024; Wu, 2025; Zhang et al., 2025). The third research dimension examines instructional strategies used to enhance global competence in higher education. Traditional pedagogy primarily relies on specialized programs or integrated courses designed to transmit knowledge, which emphasizes the role of extracurricular activities, such as co-curricular programs and the establishment of international internships (Zhuang et al., 2024). However, this prevalent model is subject to critique for its deficiency in providing a practice-based training model for global competence development (Zha & Wu, 2021).

Most research on the global competence of Chinese university students are grounded in Western theoretical frameworks, the empirical studies are usually conducted in international learning environments. Currently, the field is shifting toward a stronger emphasis on value-based components and the practical application of these concepts within the Chinese educational system. However, empirical evidence from international internship settings remains scarce. Examining the multifaceted global competency of Chinese graduates during internships at IOs provides a significant opportunity to expand the existing literature.

Theoretical Framework

Global competency is inherently multidimensional, drawing on a comprehensive review of the literature, Y. Liu et al. (2020) and Meng et al. (2017) developed a three-dimensional model comprising knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Shen & de la Garza (2025) suggested that the global competency framework’s focus on knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values reflects traditional Chinese philosophy. This framework is firmly rooted in the onion competency model. Evolving from the competency iceberg model, the onion competency model is designed to structure competency-based educational programs. It categorizes motivations, personal traits, interpersonal skills, and knowledge into three tiers. These elements are organized from the outer to the inner layers, representing varying degrees of observability and measurability (Spencer & Spencer, 1993).

In contrast to the iceberg model’s focus on visibility, the onion model provides a conceptual framework for explaining competency composition and development. It emphasizes a hierarchical progression, suggesting that while outer layers are more easily developed, the inner layers consist of more stable, intrinsic attributes (Shoikova & Krumova, 2009). According to onion competency model, explicit competencies reside in the outermost layer, while potential, internal competencies are located at the core. The difficulty of observing, cultivating, and evaluating these competencies decreases from the inner layers outward. However, the internal levels ultimately determine the external performance. Furthermore, deeper layers are more predictive of future professional success, with core motivations and personal characteristics being the most reliable and stable competencies. Given that professional skills and cultural values are integrated within the competency frameworks of major IOs, this study employs the onion model as its underpinning theoretical framework.

Competency is context-specific, shaped by organizational core competency and variables such as shared values and mutual trust (Chen & Chang, 2010). A key concern for interns is fulfilling the specific staffing mandates of IOs. Global competency enables individuals to understand the nature of shared planetary challenges. The UN views the development of global competency as a catalyst for a more open and inclusive world and as a vital mechanism for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4.7-global citizenship-by 2030 (Robertson, 2021). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may serve as a blueprint for a global education framework of global competence within higher education (Zha & Wu, 2021). In response to the increasing demand for graduates capable of addressing global challenges, global competencies, including self-awareness, intercultural communication, and global knowledge have emerged as central elements of global citizenship (Morais & Ogden, 2011). Major organizations such as the UN and UNESCO have therefore declared that enhancing youth global competence is essential for cross-cultural collaboration and the resolution of global societal issues. The UN defines competency as a synthesis of skills, attributes, and behaviors directly linked to successful job performance. This definition underpins the UN Competencies for the Future, which is utilized for job profiling, recruitment, performance management, and career development. Core competencies represent the essential skills, attributes, and behaviors required of all staff members of an organization, irrespective of their specific function or seniority levels (UN, 2009). The UN Charter mandates that staff selection be predicated on competencies and integrity. At the country level, these qualities are proxied by a university-educated population (Novosad & Werker, 2019), thereby offering a comprehensive and contextualized analytical global competency framework for university students, especially those who come from non-Western nations. The onion competency model and the UN Competencies for the Future provide psychological and organizational behavioral perspectives, respectively. By integrating literature on Chinese graduates’ competencies with UN institutional requirements, this study utilizes the onion model to analyze the structural layers of Chinese interns’ global competency. This layered analysis provides a theoretical reference for refining competency development models. Ultimately, this research proposes an integrated framework that bridges the onion model with the UN competency standards (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Theoretical framework based on onion competency model and UN Competencies for the Future.

Method

Research Design

This study employs a qualitative research design utilizing conventional content analysis. This approach is justified by several factors. First, as internships for Chinese university students within IOs represent a pioneering educational endeavor for fostering global competency, the existing body of empirical research remains relatively sparse. By focusing on the lived experiences of these interns, this study addresses a significant gap in the literature through exploratory and qualitative lens. Secondly, rooted in the principle of naturalistic inquiry, qualitative methodology prioritizes the interpretation of behavior as a fundamental source of knowledge. This approach is uniquely suited to elucidating complex questions regarding lived experience, subjective meaning and individual perspective which derived from in-depth, small-group discourse (Creswell, 2013). In alignment with a qualitative research paradigm, this inquiry investigates the conceptualization of global competency among Chinese IOs interns and examines the developmental trajectories they employ to refine these competencies in professional settings.

Setting

Parallel to the global trend of internationalizing higher education, China initiated its World-Class University strategy in 2016. Central to this mission is the cultivation of top-tier talent possessing high levels of global competency. As a vital pathway for enhancing institutional influence and competitiveness, the development of these competencies has become a core requirement for achieving world-class status. Thus, global competency serves as both a strategic goal and a functional mechanism for university advancement.

Echoing the national imperative to cultivate globally competitive talent and advance world-class university construction, Chinese universities have, since the 2010s, actively encouraged students to undertake international internships and established a range of collaborative programs with IOs. Leveraging these resources and platforms, China’s leading universities have taken a further step by creating special funding schemes to assist students in securing IOs internships. Potential candidates for these programs are high-achieving university students who must succeed in a fierce, multi-stage competition at both the domestic and international levels. Accordingly, we recruited participants for this study from those Chinese leading universities specifically targeting students who had completed internships in IOs under these dedicated programs.

Sampling, Data Saturation, and Participants

Given the specialized nature of the target population, this study utilized a hybrid sampling strategy incorporating both purposive and snowball sampling. Data collection was conducted via online, one-to-one, semi-structured interviews. Recruitment was facilitated through advertisements posted on social media platforms which were frequent used by IOs’ Chinese interns. Potential participants were identified through direct engagement with the research team, referrals from gatekeepers, and the purposive screening of blogs detailing internship experiences.

Data saturation constitutes a critical methodological benchmark for determining sample size, verifying coding reliability, and establishing external credibility. Saturation is achieved when the depth of data permits a robust replication of the study and when incremental sampling yields diminishing returns in the form of new thematic insights or conceptual categories (Fusch & Ness, 2015). In this study, the adequacy of the dataset was continuously evaluated through an iterative process of coding and theme refinement. Initial thematic saturation was observed after the analysis of 35 interviews at which point further data collection was concluded as no novel concepts emerged. Data collection was extended to a total of 44 interviews to allow for further verification and to strengthen the robustness of the coding process. All the participants ever interned at least 11 months in IOs. Table 1 summarizes the demographic profile of the participants. There are 17 host IOs, which all are UN system organizations, including United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC). To ensure participant anonymity, this study employs a coding system to identify research participants, incorporating the interview sequence number, the specific IO of the internship, and the IO’s geographic location.

Table 1.

Demographic Profile of the Participants.

Category	Sub-category	Number	Category	Sub-category	Number
Age	18–26	34	Discipline	HSS	23
	27–35	10		STEM	21
Gender	Male	12	Internship Experience	1 IO	36
	Female	32		More than 2 IOs	8
Education	Undergraduate	5	Duration of Internship	11–12 Months	37
	Graduate	39		13–36 Months	7

Note. HSS refers to Humanities and Social Sciences. STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Research Context and Parameters

This study is situated within the unique ecosystem of major IOs, such as the United Nations and its specialized agencies, a deliberate narrowing from the broader category of IOs. These entities prioritize a distinct set of global competencies, multilateral diplomacy, and a professionalized international civil service. Participants were recruited based on their affiliation with leading Chinese universities and the successful completion of a formal internship within a major IOs.

The research examines the domain and characteristics of global competency for Chinese university students, specifically exploring the professional socialization standards mandated by IOs. Accordingly, internships within non-governmental organizations or those undertaken by students from non-elite Chinese universities fall outside this study’s parameters. This intentional boundary allows for a more rigorous, contextualized analysis, aligning the results specifically with IOs organizational culture and the experiences of high-achieving Chinese students.

Ethical Consideration

This study was conducted in strict accordance with established ethical guidelines for qualitative inquiry. The study design proactively minimized any potential risk of harm through a multi-layered ethical approach. First, ethical approval for this study was granted by the Institutional Review Board. Prior to data collection, the research protocol was reviewed and formally approved, which guaranteed full adherence to international ethical standards. Second, participants were thoroughly briefed on the study’s objectives and procedures. They were assured that their participation was voluntary and that they could withdraw at any time. Formal oral and written consent was obtained from all participants, stipulating that data would be used exclusively for research purposes. Third, to safeguard privacy and confidentiality, all transcripts, field notes and reports were anonymized using alphanumeric codes, and any personal identifiable information was excised from the final dataset. All data were securely stored in encrypted, password-protected files with access restricted to the research team, ensuring full compliance with data protection protocols.

A balanced assessment confirms that the study’s significant potential benefits justify its minimal risks by virtue of its direct contributions. Specifically, it addresses a critical gap in understanding the structure of global competency for Chinese student interns in IOs. The findings will advance theoretical models and improve practical training designs, thereby cultivating more competent global talent. For participants, engagement offers both scholarly contribution and reflective insight. We contend that these tangible benefits render the carefully mitigated risks ethically acceptable.

Data Collection Procedure

Interviewees sessions commenced with preliminary questions designed to elicit demographic profiles, including educational backgrounds, academic majors, host IOs, and prior overseas experiences. The semi-structured interview guide, developed with reference to the UN Competencies for the Future and onion competency model frameworks, specifically addressed internship motivations and perceived benefits. Participants were encouraged to provide thick descriptions of significant incidents during their tenure and to reflect on how these experiences facilitated the development of their global competencies. Where appropriate, spontaneous probing and follow-up questions were utilized to explore specific issues in greater depth. The full interview protocol is available in the Appendix A. Each interview, lasting 40 and 90 minutes, was digitally audio-recorded and supplemented by researchers’ field memos to capture immediate insights and key contextual information. Data collection spanned from October 2021 and December 2023.

Data Analysis

While inherently inductive qualitative research requires that investigators engage with theoretical frameworks, rendering data analysis an iterative rather than a purely inductive process (Taylor et al., 2015). Correspondingly, the analysis approach adopted in this study was iterative, integrating both inductive and deductive strategies. Initially, open coding was applied to the transcripts to identify salient concepts. Subsequently, deductive lenses derived from the constructed theoretical framework were employed to further refine and organize these codes into broader thematic categories.

Data analysis was conducted iteratively and concurrently with the data collection process. The data were analyzed using a three-step thematic qualitative process, which comprises open coding, axial coding, and selective coding grounded in a social constructionist methodology. This analytical process was guided by the study’s theoretical framework, ensuring a robust synthesis between the empirical data and the underlying conceptual models (Creswell, 2013). N-Vivo 11 qualitative data management software was employed to store, organize, and categorize the data through inductive thematic analysis. During the open coding stage, all transcripts were read in their entirety and coded line by line to condense meaning units. Axial coding was conducted to interpret and enrich the descriptive depth of data. Coding nodes with similar or repetitive meanings were merged, and the data were refined and abstracted to identify broader conceptual categories, from which sub-themes emerged. In the final stage, selective coding was applied to organize the sub-themes into overarching themes across all data sources. The final themes were identified and refined in alignment with the research questions and overall aim of this study (Table 2).

Table 2.

Sample Illustrating the Qualitative Coding Procedure.

Main codes	Sub themes	Theme
A multidisciplinary background enhances professional competency; An engineering background constitutes a professional advantage; The International Relations major matches the competency requirements of the internship position; Research capability contributes to qualifying for the internship duties; The work projects fall within the domain of my doctoral research.	High level of professionalism	Knowledge and skills
Communication is context-dependent; The mode of communication influences its outcomes; Linguistic fluency constrains communication; Prolonged learning within an examination-oriented system has led to a lack of proficiency in expression; There is a deficiency in public speaking skills; Lacking of the dedicated training of communication skills; Communication skills affect career advancement	Underdeveloped communication competencies
Primary identification as an international civil servant; Sense of calling; Transcending self-interest in the non-profit IO context; Prioritization of IO interests as the primary stance; Altruistic orientation in international internships; Alignment with the intrinsic value of international missions; Actualization of transcendent self-value	International civil servant	Roles and attitudes
Learning capacity as a core competitive advantage; High degree of learning volition; Enhancement of comprehensive competitiveness through learning ability; Learning capacity as a prerequisite for job competence; Practical application of acquired knowledge; Bridging competency gaps through self-directed learning	Growth mindset
Possession of inclusive qualities; Possession of an extroverted personality; Adoption of a cultural relativist stance; Cultural inclusiveness and openness; Aspiration for multicultural engagement; Predilection for novel environments; Affinity for the inherent mobility of IO internships	Intercultural Disposition	Motivations and personality
Conceptualization of national interests as nested within global welfare; Co-construction of personal values via UN and national tenets; Global contribution as a form of national service; Reinforcement of national identity through prolonged IO tenure; Balancing international obligations with national interests	Cosmopolitan identity and patriotism

Trustworthiness

To enhance the trustworthiness and credibility of the analysis process, this study employed member checks and theoretical triangulation (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000). To ensure inter-coder reliability, two researchers acting as “outsiders” independently coded the data. Cross-coding was conducted on a subset of the data to ensure consistency. Any discrepancies were discussed by research team until consensus was reached. The coding references capture the overall frequency and volume of discussion devoted to each theme. For each sub-theme, the sources and corresponding coding references, as generated in N-Vivo, are presented. Member checking was subsequently conducted with three participants, who reviewed the transcripts and coding framework. They confirmed that the findings accurately reflected their experiences. Furthermore, data triangulation was conducted achieved by observing interns’ online career development webinars. The consistency between the interns’ competency-based career perceptions and the study’s emergent themes provided further analytical validation.

Findings

The conception of global competency is continually evolving, with its dimensions and characteristics being informed by local social, cultural dynamics and educational systems (Ying & Duo, 2025; Zhang et al., 2025). Guided by this theoretical perspective, this study identified three overarching themes concerning the global competency of Chinese university students interning in IOs The outer layer of knowledge and skills, the attitudes shaped by organizational values and diverse working cultures within IOs, which influenced how interns perceived themselves as professionals, and the personality traits and motivations recognized as integral components of competency. As visualized in Figure 2, the resulting model integrates these elements into a coherent structure. By systematically articulating Chinese university students’ situated characteristics of global competency in international organizational contexts and organizing them into a refined conceptual framework inspired by the onion competency model, this study contributes to the literature on global competency for this specific population.

Figure 2.

Chinese university student’ global competency in the context of international internship.

Knowledge and Skills

High Level of Professionalism

The operations of IOs are managed by specialists, what originated as philanthropic endeavors has evolved into a realm of rigorous professionalism (Noah & Eckstein 1969). The IOs are highly specialized institutions that impose significant demands on professional capabilities of their personnel. Specialized knowledge and technical skills constitute the core competencies required to execute specific mandates within these organizations. The recruitment process is exceptionally rigorous, with internship positions secured only by the most qualified university students through highly competitive selection procedures. This study identified the professional proficiency of Chinese interns within their respective disciplines as a primary core competency. This finding is supported by 36 unique sources and 48 coding references, demonstrating that their skill sets align closely with the requirements of their target IO positions. Numerous studies on international internships have addressed professionalism (Leonov et al., 2025; Predovic et al., 2022), however, its specialized expertise dimension has been largely overlooked in the literature on global competency. The exploration of professionalism in this study not only bridges the conceptual gap between research on international internships and global competency, but also extends the connotative boundaries of global competency within the context of internships in IOs.

The implementation of China’s world-class university initiative, alongside decades of “open-door” policies in higher education, has significantly elevated the overall quality of graduate education and international education. A majority of participants from HSS possessed double-major background directly relevant to their institutional mandates, these included high-correlation disciplines such as French and Thai, international relations, international negotiation, marketing, management, journalism, and communication. Such interdisciplinary expertise substantially bolstered the intern’s professional competency. Conversely, participants from STEM backgrounds typically secured interned within specialized organizations aligned with their technical fields. As a high proportion of participants were postgraduate students with over 5 years of specialized training. Their advanced academic foundations served as a primary conduit to IO internships. Furthermore, in an environment where the majority of supervisors and colleagues hold doctoral degree, the capacity for rigorous academic research was identified as a critical technical asset or hard competency within the highly professionalized institutions. One intern from UNESCO mentioned as follows.

I studied architecture and design when I was an undergraduate and postgraduate student. Heritage protection is a key field of the UNESCO’s culture dimension. I applied a position which in charge of heritage protection in a UNESCO field office, my education background and my professional knowledge fit this position very much. (36-UNESCO, Venice, Italy)

Recognition of interns’ professionalism by supervisors has a significant positive effect on their self-confidence and accelerates professional maturity (Wynes & Posta, 2009). Alignment between interns’ academic disciplines and the disciplinary requirements of the internship not only enhances Chinese interns’ competency but also strengthens their confidence in the workplace. A relevant academic background further facilitates interns’ integration into the team. Conversely, a discipline-internship mismatch constituted a factor that impeded the development of professional competencies.

Underdeveloped Communication Competencies

Communication skills are increasingly prioritized by global employers. As evidenced by the UN Competencies for the Future, where communication is listed as the primary core competency. The emphasis on global communication within IOs centers on the ability to navigate diverse cultural boundaries and function effectively in unfamiliar contexts (Dauber & Spencer-Oatey, 2023). The thematic analysis regarding language and communication proficiency yielded 55 coding references across 42 sources, with a specific focus on the linguistic barriers and working language challenges faced by interns. Proficiency in English is considered a fundamental communication skill and a prerequisite for interns in IOs. Effective communication is further contingent upon a synthesis of disciplinary expertise skills correlate to background knowledge, emotional intelligence, interpersonal acumen and cultural awareness (Jadhav & Gupta, 2014), the ability to recognize and respect cultural plurality is essential for successful global engagement.

Communication is a process of discovering the core intention of the speaker. It serves to deepen mutual understanding, diminish prejudice, and increase work efficiency. As personnel execute mandates member states, their linguistic and communicative practices exert a tangible influence on the fabric of international relations. IOs, as entities tasked with addressing multifaceted and evolving global challenges, place significant emphasis on the development of inclusive language. The distinct institutional languages and discursive styles within various IOs serve not merely as communicative tools but as constitutive elements that shape institutional logic and exert normative authority. Within this framework, Chinese interns characterized themselves as “English refugees” in environments dominated by native speakers of the organizations’ official languages. This study indicates that even interns with prior international education encountered substantial barriers regarding accents, idiom expressions, rhetoric nuances, and the culturally specific humor embedded in Western discourse. Such linguistic challenges negatively impacted both interpersonal engagement and professional initiative. The restricted prior exposure to multicultural environments may present a challenge to the development of robust intercultural communication competencies, causing Chinese interns to encounter significant barriers when articulating their perspectives in professional setting. Participants identified that introverted personality, the emphasis on modesty in traditional Chinese culture, and extensive experience within a test-oriented educational system collectively hinder the development of robust communication and self-expression skills among Chinese interns. As an intern holding a degree in Linguistics and International Relations, who was responsible for coordinating regional projects noted that: “If Chinese interns always perform discreetly, there is a risk that they will be stereotyped as less competent”(16-UNDP, Manila, Philippine). The findings resonate that the determined factors of competency disadvantages of Chinese college students are insufficient English language competencies and a lack of Western sociocultural knowledge (Y. Liu et al., 2020). Since communication techniques can be cultivated through targeted training, the importance of language skills must be a central pillar in cultivating global competency among Chinese students. While existing research has well documented the gains in language proficiency and underscored the significance of communication in international internships (Di, 2022; Zembylas, 2023), this study advances the discourse by examining the specific construct of language-mediated communication competence. Grounded in a dual emphasis on cross-cultural interaction and practical application, it not only refines the conceptual focus but also expands the scholarly understanding of the linguistic dimensions inherent in global internship experiences.

Practical Competency Gaps

Internships are designed to socialize young professionals into the operational frameworks of IOs, specifically by deepening their knowledge and understanding of IOs’ mandates, policies and strategic objectives. Fundamentally, these programs facilitate the accumulation of practical knowledge, requiring students to synthesize theoretical concepts with professional application, which is a process that underscores the nexus between work-based learning and competency development. This study reveals that Chinese interns emphasized the critical role of ex-ante practical experience in shaping internship outcomes and overall satisfaction, they confirmed that a lack of prior experience in relevant work settings, especially the international workplace, was identified as a key factor contributing to deficits in competency.

According to the five-stage skill acquisition model proposed by Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1980), professional competencies develop from novice to advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and finally an expert. As internships represent a critical school-to-work transition, the prevalence of non-situational tasks and an unfamiliarity with the organizational culture often characterize the “novice” or “beginner” phase. Chinese interns in this study identified their deficits in practical expertise as a significant barrier to reaching the “competent” stage within international workplaces. Nevertheless, such experiences remain vital for long-term career development. Consistent with the evaluation of the EU internship Program, acquiring practical experience was cited as the primary motivation for pursuing internships in IOs (Herz et al., 2005). This study reaffirms the value of the IO internships and offers insights into program orientation by emphasizing the critical roles of workplace training and applicants’ ex-ante professional experience. Participants indicated that the internship served as a vital platform for filling the practical competency gaps. Specifically, they noted improvements in time management, normative compliance, and collaborative teamwork and communicative efficacy within international settings. This theme was substantiated by 25 coding references derived from 20 sources.

Furthermore, the data suggests that implicit biases within IOs compounded the challenges arising from a lack of practical skills in international workplaces among Chinese interns. Occupying the role of novice actors with limited exposure to organizational norms and operational protocols, these interns often employed problem-solving approaches that appeared incongruent with the dominant institutional culture. Consequently, participants reported experiencing subtle forms of marginalization, some described themselves as “outsiders” or “aliens,” a phenomenon that suggests a degree of implicit discrimination rooted in cultural and professional misalignment.

Creativity Deficiency

Although intrinsic capabilities such as critical thinking and a learning orientation have been shown to significantly enhance internship outcomes (Bhattacharya & Neelam, 2018), Chinese interns consistently report a notable shortfall in these very competencies. While creativity remains underexamined within the global competency literature, the broader deficit encompassing critical thinking, creativity, and leadership is substantiated by 21 sources and 25 coding references. This pronounced gap, as surfaced in the present study, underscores a critical barrier to professional viability.

According to To and Lung (2020), proactive behavior is driven by perceived functional value. However, while Chinese interns excel in technical execution, this proficiency remains decoupled from the proactive innovation demanded by IOs. By characterizing themselves as “doers, not makers,” these interns reveal a perceived deficiency in essential soft skills, resulting in a professional identity centered on implementation rather than origination. This “follower” mindset, reinforced by the localized and structured nature of their tasks, leads interns to prioritize the execution of existing frameworks over the conceptualization of new ones Confucian values of modesty often manifest as organizational compliance, leading Chinese interns to be marginalized as “peripheral labor” in IO settings. This perceived junior status inhibits proactivity and creativity. Given that deep engagement in core tasks is essential for achieving learning outcomes, and considering that creativity, which includes unconventional thinking, entrepreneurial skills, and innovative capacity, constitutes a vital component of professional development, such professional marginalization significantly compromises the effectiveness of their internship experience (Di, 2022). In terms of personality traits, a preference for introversion over extroversion which is often manifested as being “prudent in speech and action” can be misinterpreted in Western-centric IO environments as a lack of self-confidence, despite the interns’ actual technical competence. Empirical evidence indicates a positive correlation between creativity and leadership within organizational settings, both are recognized as critical determinants of individual and institutional success in an increasingly competitive global landscape (Guo et al., 2016). The stability of creativity as an intangible construct necessitates systematic, early-stage cultivation.

Roles and Attitudes

International Civil Servant

International civil servants are characterized by their commitment to the welfare of others, particularly their capacity to influence outcomes within IOs (Kellow & Carroll, 2013). The very notion of international civil service is grounded in this combination of discreet and persevering dedication. As an intergovernmental, non-profit institution, the United Nations recognizes its staff as international civil servants, emphasizing qualities such as humanity and a willingness to make personal sacrifice. Integrity serves not merely as a professional ethos but as a core organizational mandate. The role of an IO staff member constitutes the primacy of Chinese interns’ professional identity, necessitating that organizational missions and objectives take precedence over individual or national interests. Regarding the broader mission of serving people worldwide, Chinese interns increasing identified themselves as international civil servants as they gained a deeper understanding of the values and objectives associated with their internship roles in IOs. Kastorff et al. (2026) demonstrated that social norms, perceived behavioral control, attitudes toward behavior, and behavioral intention significantly shape the roles and attitudes associated with global competency. In line with this view, the self-perception of Chinese interns in IOs as international civil servants reflects how the conceptualization of global competency is context-dependent and influenced by social norms.

International civil servants are frequently marginalized in the analysis of IOs, as states are often presumed to be the primary determinants of organizational behavior (Yi-Chong & Weller, 2008). However, this study finds that a burgeoning self-understanding as international civil servants serves as a catalyst for expanding the professional roles of Chinese interns. Participants highlighted the perceived social and functional dimensions of the internship, suggesting that values cultivated within a collectivist culture, which are loyalty, impartiality, altruism, benevolence, and fraternity, facilitated their integration into IOs environments. A profound alignment with the mission of IOs emerged as a primary driver for pursuing an internal position, as the international arena offers a significant platform for the realization of personal and professional values. Notably, the perceived attractiveness of IOs increased following immersive engagement in the internship. This heightened sense of institutional worth bolstered the interns’ sense of achievement, echoing the findings of To and Lung (2020), who posit that perceived social value exerts a direct and significant influence on internship satisfaction.

Growth Mindset

A growth mindset, defined as the belief that intelligence is malleable and can be developed through effort, has been empirically shown to strengthen the relationship between global mindedness and global competency, as well as between respect and global competency (Nob et al., 2025). Notably, the commitment to continuous learning associated with this mindset is formally recognized as one of the eight core competencies within the United Nations competency framework. This study identifies a clear congruence between the motivations of Chinese interns and their subsequent performance. Driven by elevated academic and professional expectations, these interns demonstrated a persistent commitment to continuous learning, characterized by a capacity for self-initiated exploration and rapid knowledge acquisition. This specific coding node is substantiated by 24 sources and 31 individual references. This high level of achievement-oriented motivation prompted interns to transcend their familiar professional boundaries to remediate existing competency gaps. They leveraged their internship opportunities to proactively cultivate their professional capacities as engaged and active learners.

A commitment to continuous learning is identified as a key factor supporting Chinese interns’ transition from students to competent professionals, allowing them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to perform specific tasks. Participants emphasized that engaging in communication and sharing experiences with supervisors and colleagues facilitates ongoing learning. Consistent with the notion that a learning-oriented approach enhances the value of internship experiences, vocationally focused learning was found to build interns’ confidence and strengthen their sense of fulfillment within international workplace settings. Understanding students’ motivations for undertaking international internships is therefore critical for evaluating the effectiveness of such programs. This research demonstrates that a growth mindset functions as a foundational motivator and an essential competency for Chinese interns navigating the competitive internship landscape of IOs. Participants noted that individuals who apply for IO internship programs are typically driven by a desire for substantive professional impact, necessitating a steep learning trajectory. The internship serves as a critical bridge for translating disciplinary theory into professional practice and cultivating applied skills. As one intern emphasized: “When I was exposed to new things, I was very willing to learn, because I entered the organization as an intern, and for me it was a learning process. The software we use now, such as learning management platforms, was something I had never encountered before, but I was able to pick it up relatively quickly” (7-UNSSC, Turin, Italy).

Motivations and Personality

Intercultural Disposition

As the world’s most representative international institution, the United Nations identifies the integration of diversity as a cornerstone of its global competency framework (Novasad & Werker, 2019). Within IOs, multicultural competency is indispensable, necessitating the development of specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that facilitate both effective and culturally appropriate intercultural interactions. Intercultural disposition and openness emerge as the most frequently cited competencies required of prospective interns. Successful interns demonstrate high levels of inclusive and cultural intelligence, allowing them to navigate diverse professional environments with ease. Research indicates that extroversion and openness are positive predictors of global mindsets and intercultural proficiency (Cao & Meng, 2020). Correspondingly, Chinese interns with strong multicultural dispositions and an understanding of diverse cultural perspectives exhibited a heightened capacity to adapt to shifting organizational demands. Data analysis reveals that interns perceive their nuanced multicultural understanding and intercultural adaptability as distinct competency advantages during their internship in IOs. This specific coding node is supported by 23 sources and 28 individual references. Internships within IOs and the development of multicultural adaptability are defined by a reciprocal and synergistic interplay, as one participant from FAO noted as follows:

Working in IOs will expose you to diverse cultures, not merely Anglo-Saxon culture. It is clear to me that one thing will manifest differently and operate differently in different cultural contexts and may lead to different results. I got a lot of diverse cultural perceptions during my intern. I know how to speak to my colleagues so they can understand me. A demonstrated sensitivity to cultural differences, a sophisticated grasp of varied normative contexts, and a proficiency in working across differing ideological paradigms are the core competencies that I developed during my internship with IOs. (6-FAO, Rome, Italy)

Beyond fostering cultural proficiency, international internships activate a dynamic where social initiative drives adjustment, and openness mediates diversity appreciation (Ackers et al., 2019). For Chinese interns, a multicultural personality profile, comprising empathy, flexibility, and stability, functions as a predictor of successful adaptation and ethical tolerance (Y. Li, 2013). These traits explain the participants’ enhanced competency in addressing the complex diversity inherent in IO settings, bridging psychological profiles with professional performance.

Cosmopolitan Identity and Patriotism

Individuals with a cosmopolitan identity perceive themselves as members of a universal in-group comprising all of humanity. Its relevance has been heightened by globalization, acting as a primary marker of the social and political divisions emerging in an interconnected world (Schlipphak et al., 2026). As part of international education, international internships inculcate cosmopolitan sensibilities by transcending national borders. Within the context of internships in IOs, cosmopolitan identity and patriotism collectively shape individual identity constructions. This specific coding node is substantiated by 23 sources and 30 individual references.

To protect and preserve diversity and enact the mission of benefiting humankind as a whole, IOs construct cosmopolitan internationalism as a framework to analyze the intersections of difference, located in the practicalities of internationalism, and diversity, tied to the ideals of cosmopolitanism (Huttunen et al., 2023). The interplay between cosmopolitan identity and patriotism remains a contentious issue within the discourse on international mobility. While previous scholarship substantiates that overseas study often reinforces national identity among university students (Dolby, 2004), the pervasiveness of neoliberal governance suggests that the ideal of emancipatory cosmopolitanism remains elusive (Sidhu & Dall’Alba, 2012). This tension underscores the unique environment of IOs, given their mission-critical mandates, institutional integrity is established as a foundational code of conduct and a requirement of paramount significance for their personnel. The nexus between patriotism and institutional integrity within IOs has been a focal point of scholarly contention. Contrasting Lam and Fung’s (2024) view on the tension between nationalism and bureaucracy, this study demonstrates the compatibility of cosmopolitan identity and patriotism among Chinese interns. Participants consistently subordinate patriotic impulses to IO ethical principles. This synergy is rooted in the belief that global and national welfare are interdependent, allowing interns to frame international service as an indirect contribution to their home country.

The synergy between cosmopolitan identity and patriotism among Chinese interns in IOs fosters a dual sense of belonging, effectively bridging their roles as global and national citizens. Prolonged exposure to the IO environment does not dilute nationalistic ties. Instead, it catalyzes a reciprocal intensification of patriotic sentiment alongside the advancement of cosmopolitan aspirations. The discovery of a dual cosmopolitan and patriotic identity among Chinese interns in IOs builds upon the research of Zha and Wu (2021). It demonstrates that the cultivation of global competency in China is characterized by a synchronized pursuit of both national interests and global well-being.

Discussion

The cultivation of globally competent professionals for international workplaces has emerged as a strategic imperative in higher education amidst deepening global integration. While existing scholarship has extensively examined both global competency and international internships as distinct fields of inquiry, this study, firstly contributes to bridge these domains by integrating their respective literature. It extends the analytical framework of global competency into the specific professional context of international workplaces, thereby offering a more contextualized and operationally relevant understanding of the construct.

Secondly, this study contributes to the literature by proposing a structured three-layer global competency model that delineates eight distinct competences and their interrelations. While prior research has primarily focused on identifying the key components and assessing the overall levels of university students’ global competency (e.g., Y. Liu et al., 2020; Meng et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2025), the internal architecture linking these components remains insufficiently theorized. By specifying the relational and hierarchical organization of competences within a defined contextual setting, the proposed model moves beyond descriptive measurement toward a more integrated conceptual framework.

One one hand, this study posits an integrated mechanism underlying the development of educational competencies, representing a fundamental and determining process. The findings reveal that while participants demonstrate strength in professionalism and intercultural disposition, and generally maintain a growth mindset, notable deficits persist in communication, practical expertise, and creativity. By integrating the United Nations competency framework with the onion competency model, this research constructs a polyhedron that not only captures multiple ability dimensions but also reflects the complex interplay of personality, motivation, and experience (Ko & Sidhu, 2012), organizing knowledge and skills in the outer layer while centering attitudes and personality at the core.

On the other hand, building on the structural dimensions of this competency model, the study highlights a relative deficit in higher-order cognitive skills among Chinese university students, particularly in innovative thinking. Moreover, it identifies the cultivation of these cognitive skills as a key driver of the employability benefits derived from international internships. This insight aligns with Bloom’s taxonomy, which positions creativity at the apex of cognitive domains, and corresponds to the high priority employers place on such skills (Predovic et al., 2022).

Thirdly, this study advances the understanding of global competency by challenging the state-centric bias prevalent in existing scholarship on international internships and global competency. It does so by re-centering the analysis on the individual agency of interns from developing nations and, specifically, by conducting a qualitative investigation of Chinese interns from leading universities within IOs. This focus addresses a significant research gap, given the limited scholarly attention to the conceptualization of global competency in non-Western contexts and international workplace internships. The study examines the processes of dimension integration and contextual negotiation that are central to competency development in these settings. Although IOs have sought to enhance program diversity, a persistent representation gap for individuals from developing countries remains, often rooted in narrowly defined competency expectations. By systematically elucidating the actual competency traits of these underrepresented groups and employing a Global South analytical lens, this research not only provides a necessary corrective to talent development discourse but also broadens the theoretical foundations of global competency scholarship (Grotlüschen, 2018), integrating critical perspectives from the margins into its core conceptual framework. Moreover, in response to the scarcity of insights into group-specific and context-dependent variations, particularly regarding Chinese students in international internships, this study reconceptualizes global competency in such environments as a layered and dynamically negotiated construct. This theoretical move advances the field beyond the conventional understanding of global competency as a mere aggregation of generic skills.

All in all, this study extends the onion competency model by examining its layered structure in the context of Chinese university students interning in IOs. It demonstrates that the inner dimensions of competency, such as attitudes and traits, are not static but are actively negotiated within specific workplace cultures. Furthermore, the research operationalizes broad global competency frameworks, including those advanced by the UN and OECD, within a non-Western setting. It highlights how the enactment of these competencies is mediated by educational background and organizational culture, thereby establishing important contextual conditions for applying such frameworks. By incorporating a Global South perspective, the study diversifies the predominantly Western-centric discourse and advances a more situated and group-specific understanding of global competence development. These insights enable more culturally responsive program design in international education and internship coordination. They also support the development of situated assessment tools and inform policies aimed at equitable talent cultivation in global workplaces, particularly for underrepresented groups.

Conclusion and Implications

By integrating the literature on international internships with global competency research, this study extends the existing scholarship on students’ global competency development. It examines the constitutive characteristics and structural dimensions of global competency within the specific cultural and professional environment of IOs. The findings offer evidence-based insights that can inform the cultivation of global competency among Chinese students within broader school-based educational settings in China.

Recognizing that global competency is a foundational requirement for current and future generations, this study delineates the global competency structures of Chinese university students in alignment with IOs talent standards, while also providing practical implications for enhancing their personal, professional, and intercultural development. In alignment with Doerr’s (2020) assertion that international experience enhances high-level cognitive and linguistic skills, this study validates current taxonomies of global competency. Originally viewed as a vehicle for personal exploration, international internships are increasingly institutionalized as essential components of global career training and represent a fundamental pillar of higher education internationalization (Cuzzocrea & Cairns, 2020). These programs enable students to cultivate strategic repositories for enhancing global professional competencies. Beyond internships in IOs, such initiatives facilitate Chinese students’ engagement with overseas professional trajectories amidst frequent global transitions. This study offers a dual contribution by establishing a theoretical basis for competency-oriented cultivation while providing actionable insights for universities to refine global talent development mechanisms.

Global competency development hinges on stakeholders’ ability to recognize evolving professional requirements and adopt robust capacity-building strategies, prioritizing the soft skills necessary for navigating the complexities of the global market. The cultivation of global competency once a hallmark of elite education, has now transmuted into a pivotal objective for mass education. Scholars emphasize the need to extend this global preparation to the broader domestic student population (Meng et al., 2018). However, despite the high value placed on these programs by Chinese universities, implementation remains constrained by the absence of systematic support frameworks necessary to optimize learning gains from intercultural encounters (Dauber & Spencer-Oatey, 2023). On this basis, this study advocates for a strategic transition from elite-centric to inclusive global competency models within mass higher education in China.

Literature shows that although students pick up substantive work experiences while experiencing a new culture, global competencies do not increase automatically by simply being in a foreign culture in international internship programs (Doerr, 2020). Both individual and organizational interventions are essential to promote Chinese university students’ global competency. To facilitate a seamless transition from campus to global workplaces, interns require ongoing professional support to navigate both the shift in their professional roles and the complexities of a new workplace cultural context. Addressing the competency structural inherent in this process and implementing multi-faceted measures to enhance internship commitment are vital for developing a globally competent population. Elective internship experiences do not support the assumption that the more international exposure is invariably better. Such evidence that teaching models and curricula are the primary domains that must be restructured to address these emerging challenges. While English proficiency and interpersonal skills constitute the foundational bedrock of global competency, Chinese university students often encounter limitations primarily due to deficits in cross-cultural communication and strategic learning. Beyond these essential language, intercultural, and value-related dimensions, this study identifies creative thinking as a catalytic and integrative factor that connects and enhances other competencies. This bridging function aligns with Zhang et al. (2025), who emphasize school education as a mediator between culture and competency development, and resonates with concerns that overreliance on memorization may sustain learning at the expense of higher-order cognition (Kember, 2016). Contradicting stereotypes that Chinese students lack critical thinking (Wu, 2020), participants in this study demonstrated strong motivation to develop such capacities. Given that creativity can be systematically nurtured (Niu & Sternberg, 2003), these findings collectively call for an educational transformation in China which moves beyond rote memorization to actively cultivate higher-order cognitive skills, thereby fostering more integrated and adaptable global competency. To effectively cultivate global competency within Chinese higher education, universities must transition from ad hoc placements toward rigorous, institutionalized programs that strategically align student skill sets with global labor market demands. Recognizing that competency building is an iterative and longitudinal process, factors such as cross-cultural contact experiences, English proficiency, and perceived school-based global citizenship education were identified as particularly strong predictors of enhanced global competency (Zhang et al., 2025), a synergistic K-16 framework is essential to progressively foster linguistic fluency, cross-cultural empathy, and creative problem-solving. Furthermore, pedagogical reform should be anchored in an international orientation that prioritizes critical thinking, professionalism, and cultural pluralism as core learning outcomes. Ultimately, operationalizing effective global immersion requires a structural alignment between domestic educational mechanisms and international talent standards, ensuring that higher education internationalization yields tangible professional gains.

Limitations and Future Directions

As global competency is an evolutionary construct, its capacity building remains a longitudinal process. To keep pace with the shifting paradigms of higher education internationalization, future research should prioritize longitudinal inquiries to further elucidate the complex influence mechanisms between international internships and the development of global competency. The findings of this study are primarily based on Chinese students from leading universities who undertook internships at major intergovernmental organizations. Given that leading university background, enrollment in social sciences and humanities, participation in internationalization-related courses, and student motivation have been identified as predictors of global competence among Chinese students (Meng et al., 2017), the generalizability of these findings requires further validation through research that includes broader student populations and a wider range of internship contexts. Furthermore, this study relies primarily on self-reported data. Despite assurances of confidentiality, participants’ recollections may be subject to recall bias or influenced by social desirability bias. This approach achieves an appropriate balance between methodological directness and academic rigor. Future research should adopt a multi-stakeholder perspective, engaging representative samples of interns, supervisors, administrators, and colleagues. Such an approach is essential to triangulate the influence mechanisms of international internships and provide a comprehensive trajectory of global competency development.