Program Overview for Faculty
Thank you for taking time to familiarize yourself with the IE3 Global Internships Program. Internships are a valuable part of a student’s learning process and your participation is crucial to making this program available to students. Please don’t hesitate to contact your Campus Advisor or any of the IE3 Regional Directors if you have questions about the academic credit process or the content of the internship.
Program Goals
IE3 Global Internships was created by the Oregon University System to provide its students with an improved understanding of global issues and equip them with professional experience and international competence. As an OUS program, we serve the students of all public institutions in Oregon, and have partnerships with a number of private institutions as well. Our out-of-state partners include the University of Washington, Central and Western Washington Universities, the campuses of the University of Alaska, the University of Montana, and the University of Utah. Our team is based around Oregon at public universities, and we operate under the umbrella of OUS International Programs, based in Corvallis.
Student Support and Selection
IE3 supports students from their initial application for an international internship through their return to the United States. We provide pre-departure orientation, professional development tools, in-country monitoring and intern and host organization support. The Campus Advisor on your campus and an IE3 Regional Director review applicant materials and interview students before submitting their materials to the host organization for final selection. Internship placements are competitive; interns are selected on the basis of:
- Academic performance and knowledge in relevant fields
- Interest in specific sites and career paths, and motivation to further the goals of the host site
- Language proficiency (in foreign-language sites) and professional skills
- Relevant work experience
- Previous international experience
The Importance of Academic Supervision
You play an essential role in enabling students to intern abroad, as well as awarding the academic credit that they earn for their successful completion of an IE3 internship. The IE3 program helps students make the link between academic pursuits and professional goals. Our international internships provide students with real-world, practical and problem-solving positions with host organizations and institutions throughout the world. Interns are expected to be professional, mature, adaptable, and self-motivated. In their internships and in their daily life abroad, they apply the theory, knowledge and skills they acquire in the academic setting to a dynamic context. That is why your role, as an academic supervisor, is so important!
For your information, all interns:
- Have a position description developed by the host organization
- Develop a specific written work plan upon arrival
- Have a qualified supervisor/mentor
- Perform at least 10 weeks of professional, full time work
- Are evaluated in writing by their internship supervisor
- Prepare a substantial final written report
- Are provided a structured journaling guide and an IE3 Internship Handbook with other suggested in-country reflective and analytical exercises
- Are strongly encouraged to share their internship experience with others
Working with IE3
The IE3 Regional Director team is responsible for developing sites and evaluating and placing interns around the world. We know that students often rely foremost on the faculty who know them to decide which sites will best suit their academic and professional goals. We welcome any chance to talk with you about our internships, to answer general questions, or to discuss particular sites as they pertain to your students. If you have any questions about the sites and what sort of work students will be doing, professional requirements, or any other issues, feel free to be in touch with the appropriate Regional Director.
Credit-granting arrangements and assessment issues are best addressed with your Campus Advisor. They are the experts on how the internship coordinates with your students’ academic programs, and are the primary contact on campus for your students. Each of our partner campuses has a separate page on this website.