PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT:

Global Virtual Internship 2021

What challenges affect our lives most in an ever-increasingly globalized environment?

In partnership with the Global Learning Collective team, we developed the 1st Global Virtual Internship Program

Welcoming  32 students from over 10 different countries and over 11 different universities to work virtually with 5 companies to promote tangible solutions on multiple problem-based projects related to the United Nations SDGs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

10
Students
0
Universities
0
Companies
0
UN's Sustainable Development Goals

Pictured: SDG intro session led by the program’s Faculty Lead, Jessica Thomas.

THE SOLUTION

By means of a global strategic partnership, we developed a Global Virtual Internship with 5 companies: Demeter (Europe), Eaton (Asia), Habitat for Humanity (Asia), Sustainability Institute (Africa) and Raízs (South America).

Composed of global multidisciplinary teams,  they worked with companies to develop new policies, present ideas, and explore strategies to propel global leaders and companies towards achieving the SDGs. During the internship experience, students met weekly with the partner organization, attended sessions with team mentors for feedback and support, participated in a variety of cross-cultural activities and traveled virtually for regional cultural engagements. 

Jessica Thomas

Assistant Professor and Director of the Business Sustainability Collaborative at NC State’s Poole College of Management.

“As Faculty Lead, my role was to provide intern support by offering participants a virtual orientation to the academic foundations of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and guide student project development. I was thoroughly impressed by the design of the program and the engagement of the students from over 10 different countries, all working collaboratively to tackle real-world projects and contribute. After participating in the program, I’m more hopeful than even that we can achieve a sustainable future for all.”

Project-based learning
with real company partners

Immersive learning experience

Small diverse teams

This global virtual internship program involved students from 11 universities across 4 global regions: North America (Texas A&M University-Texarkana,University of Southern California, and Lehigh University) Africa (Varsity College, South African College of Applied Psychology, and Stellenbosch University)  Asia (Beijing Foreign Student University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University)  Europe (University of Sheffield) and South America (ESPM and Mackenzie Presbyterian University) with the main objective of solving real-world organizational challenges to the UN SDGs (#2: Zero Hunger,  #3 Good Health and Well-Being, #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities & #12 Responsible Consumption and Production).

"When i saw this opportunity, i saw a chance to make an impact in another country where i probably wouldn't have got the oportunity to work beforehand. This experiential learning gave me a chance to work with a variety of people with different background, impacting a country that i never had been to before."

Murad Jah

Student at the University of Southern California - Worked with EDU Africa and the Sustainability Institute

Connections

We promote the connection of countries, universities, students and companies creating the opportunity for the parties involved to have a constructive and impactful dialogue.

Through this international networking everyone involved was able to exchange experiences and get out of that experience having added in several aspects of their lives.

In addition to company interactions, we had the expertise of Jessica Yinka Thomas acting as the Faculty Lead of the program, providing support and guidance to the students throughout their project development, in addition to local mentorship from the following mentors: Cornelia Hack and Sam Soudai  (European team), Marcus Nakagawa, (South American team), Barry Rawlings (African team), and Paul van Brenkelen and John Storm, (Asian team), that offered great insights and were able to support our global network and help our students to find a tangible solution for each company. 

"It was an incredible experience for me to learn new things and improve my communication skills. I learn how to develop a project from scratch, and also how to adapt to this new virtual model."

Giovanna Cabral

Undergraduate Student at Insper

Rebecca Smietana

Director of Partner Relations at GLC

“I’m excited to once again be working with the Campus b team and other members of the Global Learning Collective on a global virtual internship experience for students from around the world to participate in this summer.  The 8-week program allows participants a chance to: Collaborate with a team of fellow student interns from around the world; Support real companies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America; Work on projects relating to sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (from a multi-disciplinary perspective); Participate in mentorship, professional development, and cultural activities; And strengthen cultural awareness and professional skills.”

Our passion in the academic field has given us the privilege of actively collaborating with more than 80 universities, offering professional and extracurricular experience journeys directly impacting more than 4000 students.

Written by:

Andre Siffert, PhD
Andre Siffert, PhD

Institutional Relationship Manager at Campus b

Share this article on:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
Logo Campus b branco sem tagline-05
to go beyond

Rua Helena, 140 cj 103

São Paulo – SP – Brazil, 04552-050

+ 55 11 2679 0555

info@campusb.org

OUR SOCIAL MEDIA: