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By Anna Kalamkarian, 2024 High Level Political Forum Delegate
My first day at the UN was full of small unexpected learnings. The first occurred quickly, when the President of the Economic and Social Council began her opening remarks in Spanish, and I watched everyone around me reach towards strange ear-shaped devices attached to their seats. I scribbled notes on curious things like “international architecture,” and tried to discreetly search for translations to newly-heard English terminologies. I would go back to the hotel to study the numbers of the SDGs, country contexts, and would spend days agonising over what the MGoS signs on the seats stood for (turns out it’s Major Groups and other Stakeholders).
Inside the UN Headquarters were large 1950s buildings with deep and impressive conference rooms, and never-ending corridors that seemed to loop back to the same place. Beautiful art hung on the walls, donated by member states. Though it was easy to become lost in the maze of the complex, everyone seemed to move around with seasoned proficiency. The main schedule was based in the Conference Room pictured above. There would be a panel of 5-6 speakers per session and the floor would open to country delegates who would have 2 minutes to respond. We all listened attentively through our ear pieces and took notes. Concurrently, numerous side events were running all over New York and online. These side-events ranged in quality, though generally were situated in a smaller space with an expert panel of speakers and the opportunity to ask questions and mingle. A variety of views, country examples, and calls for action were to be gained from attending these side events. Occasionally, we would then be invited along to a meeting, lunch or reception dinner and the schedule would change very quickly.
I was an early academic from the world of public health peering into an unfamiliar land, trying to acclimatise to the language of the UN system. I searched for other PhD students or academics but could not find many, and still wonder whether there is a gap on the other end - does the UN need more academics and students present at these meetings?
As a student researcher, I have long learnt that research cannot be separated from policy. One of the reasons I sought this opportunity was to better situate my research in the broader national and international context. Research students are familiar with questions such as “what are other countries doing about this?” or “how is your research relevant outside of Australia?” Once, in a scholarship interview, I was also asked “what is your perspective on the geopolitical climate?” These are important questions but the tricky part is that many students, myself included, can feel out of depth answering them. This uncertainty stems from lack of exposure in national policy, let alone foreign affairs.
As the days stretched on and the UN norms grew familiar, I tried to soak up as much information as I could. I watched country delegates report on interventions that I had previously only read about. Speakers reported on multidimensional poverty reductions, discussed cash transfer programs and homelessness initiatives. Though I saw glimpses into the bureaucracy and accountability challenges of the UN system, I also felt hope and admiration in the way that country delegates, experts, NGOs and major stakeholders came together. I also became accustomed to interacting with high-level experts and asking my own questions on policy and research at side-events. A surprising and relevant insight was the specific examples from country delegates about the extent that the social determinants of health, which I give lectures on, are influenced by broader structural determinants such as debt stress, climate and conflict.
It can be difficult to stray from familiar study in a PhD, and geopolitics and international affairs can feel off the beaten path. But after returning from this experience, I found immense value in engaging with policy and international affairs to facilitate a better understanding of one’s own research and its relevance to the world. Broad exploration is necessary to comprehensively understand the extent of work that needs to be done. For me, it’s helped me critically question how to best convene and collaborate to address the multidimensional issues that my PhD focuses on.
During your PhD may be the best time to step out of intellectual comfort zones, when there is more freedom to pursue new experiences compared to the rigid timelines and expectations of being a coursework student or a full-time employee. Scholarships and grant awards, such as Global Voices, also make this financially possible. By learning and contributing to the intersection of research and policy, PhD students can become better equipped at tackling global problems.
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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.