MyGlasgow Students

CULTURAL IMMERSION: WBL abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in a different culture. You are no longer limited to just being a tourist or abroad in an academic capacity. You are a part of the work force, providing a unique understanding of your host country’s day to day living, working hours and culture. You will be immersed at all levels rather than just as a visitor. Immersing yourself in the workplace will also help with your wider engagement with the host country, providing you with tips on cultural events, local recommendations for eating and drinking, places to explore and what to do in your spare time. It will provide a truly holistic experience on the host country’s culture. If you have pursued an internship in a different language, you will feel this immersion quite keenly as you develop a profound understanding of the language in a business or professional context. You will develop a clearer understanding of the language’s nuances, as well as how to use formal or business language appropriately. Even if you are not working in a different language, you will still pick up some through day-to-day life and may even spark a passion for further language learning.

PREPARATION FOR A GLOBALISED JOB MARKET: It is becoming increasingly rare that you will not engage internationally in some shape or form when in the world of work. Jobs and careers have become global in nature due to supply chains, markets, partnerships, a multicultural workforce, and the need to combat global issues society faces such as climate change. Interning abroad makes you stand out when joining this work force.

It will enable you to:

• Understand different working cultures and develop communication skills which facilitate your ability to adapt to them.
• Expand your perspective and critical thinking skills through experiencing different approaches to challenges and solutions whilst abroad.
• Increase your intercultural awareness and competency.
• Develop an understanding of how international organisations work both locally and globally.

BROADENS CAREERS PERSPECTIVES: You may currently be focused on a specific career or job after you graduate but undertaking an internship abroad can change this outlook. It could show you how this job or career path is conducted abroad and what progression lies there, helping you realise that it might be possible to apply for jobs in your field of choice abroad rather than in just your home country. It could also show that there are different options outside of the career path you envisioned. You do not have to undertake an internship which directly aligns with your career goals as the skills developed on your degree and the internship will be transferable. An internship abroad provides the opportunity to gain an insight into other possible career paths. It shows how specific skills in your degree are relevant to a variety of fields across the globe. This is a good lesson to learn as it means that when you are looking to apply for full time work, you will have a much wider and clearer perspective on what would be best suited to your ambitions and passions.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: WBL opportunities contribute to more than just professional development. They are significant in your own personal growth. They give you the opportunity to build up your confidence, resilience and abilities to handle any situation you may face. They provide life skills which are useful in any situation. This can include making appointments, applying for visas, arranging favourable travel, engaging with diverse groups of people and being resilient to an unexpected scenario. It is also an opportunity to create a network of friends from across the globe, build new relationships and acquire a better understanding of where you could go in the world. It is an opportunity which really allows you to expand your understanding of what you want in life.

For further information on short term work based learning abroad, please sign up to our Moodle page for up to date opportunities, and consult our webpage on Third-Party-Providers. 

For further information on longer term work-based learning abroad, please speak with your relevant mobility coordinators, visit the student opportunities hub, and consult the international internships website for any self-sourced opportunities.  

For further information on sourcing work-based learning opportunities in the UK, please consult the hub, which primarily offers UK based opportunities, and the CEO internships site.

If you have secured an internship outside of the UK, the host employer may wish both you and the University of Glasgow to sign an Internship Agreement with them. This is a legal requirement in some countries. In France this is often known as a Convention de Stage. In Spain, it is commonly referred to as a Convenio de Colaboracion.

For self-sourced internships, the University of Glasgow is not generally able to sign an agreement provided by a host employer. This is because we do not have the resources to have each such agreement legally reviewed (and, in some cases, translated) and negotiated. We do have an approved template agreement which the university Legal and Contracts Team can sign and so, if an Internship Agreement is required, you should check with the host employer that they are happy to use our template agreement.

International internship agreement (Conv de stage) (pdf)

‌International internship agreement (Conv de stage) (French)(pdf)

The completed Internship Agreements should be sent to the Legal and Contracts Team. Please put ‘Internship Agreement’ in the email title.

Please also note that the university can only sign an Internship Agreement if you are and will remain a current registered student for the full duration of the internship. If you are a graduate or will not be a current registered student for the full period of the internship, the university cannot sign an Internship Agreement.