The pandemic didn't stop us - 700 students experienced internships abroad in 2020

2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. It has most certainly had a massive impact on our organisation, members, volunteers, partners and friends alike; we remain thankful for your continued collaboration and for all the work you do to support our mission, our interns and our programmes.

Within IAESTE, we are determined to come out of this situation stronger. Thanks to our values: commitment, trust, friendship, diversity and growth, we have managed to prove our resilience in these uncertain times. We are very proud of the 700 students who experienced internships abroad in 2020 and grateful to all the employers, staff and volunteers who made it possible.

When the whole world switched to working from home, we introduced the international remote internship programme. COVID-19 has pushed all of us to focus more on distance learning programmes, e-learning, virtual mobility and remote internships, but this a natural path, as the development of IT tools democratises access to international experience. We see remote internships as an opportunity to be more inclusive and include marginal, disadvantaged or under-represented groups, enabling them to gain international experience.

What will the future look like? It’s hard to predict, but I am sure we will continue our efforts to provide talented interns to employers, offer outstanding intercultural experiences to students, create a professional cooperation environment for our members, and provide
an international friendship circle for all individuals associated with
IAESTE. We will look for opportunities, not obstacles.