Why?
Benefits
The three stakeholder groups can benefit from the organization of international, virtual or blended work placements.
As a student
Why would I undertake an international work placement?
- cross-border professional experience is becoming more and more important to future employers
- to gain intercultural competencies in a professional environment
Why would I be interested in integrating virtual mobility?
- increased possibilities for a flexible set-up of international placements (combination of study@home and work abroad)
- possibility to undertake an international work placement at-a-distance
- possibility to continuously interact with academic staff and/or peer students during a stay abroad
- development of technology and virtual communication skills
As a higher education institution
Why would we organize international work placements?
- to support and enable the internationalization of curriculums
- to provide extra opportunities for students
- to enlarge international attraction of the study programmes
- to stimulate knowledge exchange with the international professional field
- to offer student flexible opportunities to undertake an international placement
- to make international internships more accessible to all students
- to enhance the learning experience abroad through continuous mentoring and (peer) feedback
- to enhance quality control of international work placements
As a business/organization
Why would we offer work placements to international students?
- they can act as a bridge to foreign markets and networks
- because of the need for native speakers
- because of the need for very specific knowledge
- to experience other business cultures
- to bring in new ideas and perspectives
Why would we invest in integrating virtual mobility activities?
- continuous feedback from the HEI and/or peers will result in better task performance
- the placements can serve as ‘hotbeds’ for testing new collaboration methods as part of a larger evolution towards a globally integrated enterprise
- the placements can serve as recruitment instruments in the ‘war for talent’
