The innovation internship

What is an innovation internship?

A(n) (almost) graduate in engineering science, bio-engineering, business engineering or engineering technology will work as a trainee on an innovation project on demand of and tailored to your company. A mentor from the company (substantive) and a coach (personal and process) from the university will offer supervision and guidance to the student.

The student's innovation project is financed by the internship company. You will be intensively involved in the selection procedure of the candidate trainees so that you can check whether they meet the desired profile for your innovation project and fit within the company culture.

Innovation projects within a company ('in-company project'):

Start each academic year in September or February
Run for a term of one semester (13 weeks) or a full academic year (26 weeks), with students working on the innovation project 3.5 days a week on average
Are executed by one or two students
Are unpaid

Further information about the conditions for participation and the price.

Submit your innovation internship!

Why offer innovation internships?

Realising innovation in spite of limited means
Continuing to have a competitive edge thanks to innovation
Stimulating 'intrapreneurship' within your organisation
Getting projects out of the pipeline
Stimulating technical, social and personal competences of students
Being the first to recruit young talented engineers when they graduate
An intensive, extended application and observation process
Bringing new knowledge and insights from the university to your organisation
All projects are treated confidentially and the intellectual property rights stay with your organisation
Diminishing the gap between education and industry

Criteria

The project is evaluated based on the following criteria:

Innovative nature

New for the organisation:

The innovation goal is clear, to the point and verifiable. The project clearly aims to develop a new or upgraded company product, process, service or concept
The projects generate relevant added value in terms of knowledge for the company: the aim is to arrive at original and new knowledge and insights, that are relevant for the company and the innovation goal
The proposed approach is clear and in line with the innovation goal.

Learning objectives

Corresponds with the project’s learning objectives

The project comprises clear development and implementation aspects. Typical activities that might be part of an innovation project can be found here.
The innovation internship allows students to develop various entrepreneurial and communication skills.
Innovation projects allow students to work on the compulsory learning outcomes.

Feasibility

Feasibility within the proposed time frame and with the number of students available:

The work programme is realistic, logically designed has feasible deadlines.