Course

INN332 Internship Abroad

Credits (ECTS):25

Course responsible:Stephen Sirris

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:None.

Course frequency:Anually.

Nominal workload:

750 hours.

380 hours in company/institution (12 weeks, 4 days per week), 80 hours host seminars and workshops, 290 hours work on literature, logs and the reflection report.

Teaching and exam period:The course is given in the Spring parallel.

About this course

An international internship in entrepreneurship and innovation provides cross-cultural work experience in a relevant company in another country. Students get to try out theories and methods in practice in a new cultural context, while also contributing their own resources, research-based knowledge, and external perspectives. This way, the internship will be beneficial for both the student and the organization they work in, providing ample learning opportunities for both parties.

The course is based on cross-cultural action-oriented learning within the field of entrepreneurship and innovation. The purpose of the course is to gain relevant practical experience and to apply academic knowledge in practice. Collaboration between universities and the organizations has led to many innovations. Efforts to find solutions to complex social, environmental, and economic challenges have increasingly required collaboration between universities and work organizations, both locally and cross-culturally. Incubation collaboration between the workplace and universities is central. Currently, our partner institutions are Stellenbosch University in South Africa and Rice University in the USA.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes, divided into knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

  • has good knowledge of practical work with entrepreneurship and innovation in actors in a cultural context different from the Norwegian one
  • has good knowledge of the application of entrepreneurial competence to create new knowledge and understanding that challenges established thinking and practice

Skills

The student

  • has the ability to collaborate in identifying new opportunities that can contribute to new and creative ideas, transformation, and growth
  • can analyze, formulate, communicate, and use entrepreneurial solutions and make well-founded professional choices by reflecting on theory and practice in a new cultural context
  • can relate their own practical experiences from the internship to the theory and methods in the study program
  • can analyze, reflect on, and communicate practice-based experiences

General competence

The student

  • understands the importance of a cross-cultural context for professional development within entrepreneurship and innovation
  • can work independently, participate in the organization as a team member, and contribute as a partner with an external perspective on innovation challenges
  • can reflect on and communicate about practice-based cross-cultural learning
  • Learning activities

    The learning context is start-up companies in and around the university, the university environment and the regional ecosystem.

    Students will participate in various network and course activities, for example introductory seminars, courses in innovation and entrepreneurship at the university, attendance at seminars and workshops organized in collaboration with our partners at the university, as well as visits to local business actors and entrepreneurs. Initiatives are also expected to participate in local networking events during the practice period.

    The student will write a reflection report of 20 pages where they are supposed to link theory, methods and practice and reflect upon the internship as well as your practice-based learning in a different cultural context. The reflection report shall show ability to reflect based on learning in practice in close relationship with required and self-chosen literature. Further information about the report format and content will be provided at the course outset.

  • Teaching support
    Students will be assigned a supervisor in the host community who will oversee all activities. The person in question will act as internship coordinator and have close supervision of the students' activities.
  • Prerequisites
    Previous courses in the master's program in entrepreneurship and innovation.
  • Recommended prerequisites
    Competence in the professional field equivalent to the progression in the master's program in entrepreneurship and innovation.
  • Assessment method
    Reflection report written in English. Reflection report counts 100% of the grading. The student will document your practice-based cross-cultural learning through two reflection logs throughout the internship period. The final academic delivery is a reflection report, which is to be written individually. The reflection report is graded pass/fail.

    Reflection report Karakterregel: Passed / Not Passed
  • Examiner scheme
    Ekstern examiner controls the quality of the syllabus and the principles for the final assessment.
  • Mandatory activity

    Mandatory activity:

    • Compulsory internship in the startup/firm. Full days four days weekly) (32 h) in 12 weeks.
    • Compulsory participation one day per week in all the prescribed entrepreneurship activities in host country including Industry Immersion and visits, attendance in seminars, and other required assignments to be specified in host country.
    • Two logs from reflection upon practice.
    • Reflection report about own entrepreneurial learning and cross-cultural learning.

    Compulsory activities must be taken anew if participating in the course again.

  • Notes
    None.
  • Teaching hours
    Internship in an organization four days weekly and one day weekly at the university.
  • Preferential right
    Students at the master's program in entrepreneurship and innovation.
  • Admission requirements

    This is an internship and exchange offer for master students. There will be a seperate application process in the autumn semester. You can find more information here: www.internabroad.no/

    There is a tuition fee for Internship Abroad. The student commits according to given deadlines. If the student withdraws from the internship agreement after the deadline has expired, tuition fee payment must be expected.