Aims

Learning outcomes:
L1. The student will gain a better understanding of the varying aspects inherent to a professional work environment (e.g. explore workplace conditions, the workplace culture, … ). Furthermore, the student will acquire relevant professional experience by active participation in formal functional activities of an organization, but also by becoming familiar with informal organizational interrelationships.
L2. The student is provided with opportunities for acquiring new understandings and perspectives on required core competencies and for strengthening theory to practice transfer. The student will integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience and thereby grow in excellence within a particular discipline or area of expertise.
L3. The student is able to critically analyze and interpret new and complex information, define, formulate and apply solutions to emerging problems in a real-life situation, thereby relying on relevant theoretical and methodological strategies and models.
L4. The student is moreover familiar with the translation of experience-based information from practice settings into useful and transferable knowledge.

General competencies:
G1. Internships contribute to students’ career development and formation of a professional identity, resulting from obtaining a more tangible idea on future professional activities.
G2. The student is stimulated to engage in lifelong learning and is able to take responsibility for his/her own immediate employability (self-regulation skills). The student grows in confidence in abilities he/she possesses, becomes aware of his/her own strengths and learns to identify weaknesses that are subject to improvement.
G3. The student learns to develop or improve personal competencies required to function within a professional environment. A number of specific competencies that should be developed are listed (see Lombardo & Eichinger, 2011):
- The student is action oriented, identifies opportunities and is vigorous for the things he/she sees as challenging.
- The student is willing to learn (from others).
- The student is resilient and not easily taken aback by obstacles.
- The student regularly conducts a self-evaluation and holds timely discussions. 
- The student exerts effort and is committed to meet the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers, considering all available information.
- The student is result oriented and makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, experience and judgement (problem solving skills).
- The student quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of ideas, projects, proposals, ...
- The student clearly assigns responsibility for tasks and decisions.
- The student manages time, sets priorities and is able to plan and schedule his work.

Previous knowledge

The internship project must be consistent with the compulsory programme or the chosen major/minor.

The student is responsible for finding a valid internship position, thereby taking into account the requirements of both the respective company/ organization and the FEB.

The student, in consultation with the supervisor in the company, develops a project proposal prior to the start of the internship. This project proposal must be approved by the academic assessor who will also evaluate the final report and presentation. The profile and role of the academic assessor as well as the procedure to be followed for applying for this internship project are described on the FEB student portal.

Is included in these courses of study

• Master of Economics (Leuven) 60 ects.
• Master of Business Economics (Leuven) 60 ects.
• Master of Business Engineering (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Master of Business and Information Systems Engineering (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Master of Actuarial and Financial Engineering (New programme as from 2018- 2019) (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Master of Business Administration (Antwerp) 60 ects.
• Master of Environment, Health and Safety Management (Brussels) 60 ects.