Foreword

An internship or other comparable work placement period plays an important role in a university degree – an internship can bridge theoretical knowledge with practical skills that are needed in working life. Particularly these days, as the pressure to shorten study times has increased, internships have become more important, because they offer students a chance to gain some work experience before graduation. A well-planned internship can benefit everyone: the student, the university, and the employer.

At the moment, internship practices differ across universities and degree programmes, which can place students in different fields in unequal positions. Of course, each degree programme should be able to choose the internship model that best suits it. However, many aspects of internships could be harmonised, and developing the internship system would benefit students, universities and internship providers alike.

This guide was written as part of the ESR funded TYYLI project (Työelämäjaksoja ja työssäoppimista yliopisto-opintoihin – Bridging the gap between university studies and working life). This guide maps out the strengths and weaknesses of current internship practices at Finnish universities and gives recommendations for areas of development and operating models, covering the different stages of the internship process and all the parties – the university, the student and the organisations that offer internship opportunities. This guide was commented on by a large and varied group of actors in the university sector, student unions, companies and employers’ associations, and we would like to thank everyone for their valuable contribution.

Practice makes perfect!