The Vesalius Internship Programme (VIP)
The VIP benefits students and Partners with an experience of mutual enrichment. Partners provides student-interns with a professional experience and, through the VIP, Partners receive the assistance of young, dynamic, and highly educated individuals.
During the internship, students tackle either a single project from inception through completions, or work in the context of a larger organizational project in which they contribute a substantial part. Whether having full responsibility for a project of working as a team player in a bigger enterprise, students exercise their skills and provide the Internship Partner with a high-quality output.
If you are a student and wish to apply to the VIP, click here.
For organizations interested in learning more about the VIP, please click here.
Student Testimonial
| "My name is Jiwei Gu. I am from China and I am a finance major at The University of Denver. I am currently spending my semester abroad at Vesalius College. When I applied to the Vesalius Internship Programme, I was hoping for an internship opportunity that would allow me to apply what I have learned about business to the real world as well as to gain practical and analytical skills. The internship at ICODA European Affairs gives me that and more. It has been a horizon-broadening experience for me. My main task focused on studying secondary data and analyzing major European insurance companies’ market share and growth rates. Another interesting part of my internship has been the possibility of working with EU lobbyists. Seeing how much those practitioners are committed to the European “cause” helped me to enhance not only my knowledge of the European legislative process but also my understanding of how EU member states work together." Jiwei Gu
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 | "I feel lucky! It is quite unusual for an American to find an internship at the European Parliament, but thanks to the help of Vesalius College, I have the opportunity to intern for a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). I currently work for Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo Y Marfil, a Spanish MEP from Madrid. Mr Garcia-Margallo Y Marfil is Chair of the Andean Committee, the Vice-Chair to the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) and sits on several other committees. The most important committee that my MEP is on would have to be ECON. The need to find a solution to combat the current and future financial crises is extremely challenging. My work differs day-to-day depending on which committee meetings are being held. The majority of my work consists of doing research on the current economic crisis and correcting legislation and proposals for European economic stability mechanisms – most of which have been translated from Spanish to English. However, my work does not confine me to my office. I get to sit in on anything from committee meetings to plenary sessions.Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Strasbourg – the official seat of the European Parliament – as the assistant to my MEP. This experience provided me with a hands-on understanding of how European politics work and also gave me the opportunity to learn more about my MEP on a personal level. My internship at the Parliament has provided me with a great opportunity to learn about European politics and I feel very fortunate to have been given the chance to experience this." Connor Kempton
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 | As an International Affairs Major with a focus on Europe, I wanted to participate in a study abroad program that would deepen my understanding of the EU and its systems. I came to Brussels and started my classes at Vesalius College. After learning about ECRAAL, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity it would provide. I knew that this experience would be a hands-on approach to learning in an international environment, but I have been able to gain so much more from this internship. Immediately, I was welcomed into the workplace and given all the tools that I would need to succeed here. They were extremely flexible and understood that I was pressed for time between my class schedule and experiencing both Belgian and European culture. I attended conferences, researched for briefings, wrote newsletter articles, and developed the database. I focused my work to biotechnology and health issues with regards to how they would affect researchers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. I now have a heightened understanding of the European Commission, its policies, and how they are put into action and I definitely feel like I have been able to make an impact through working with this company. Kristine Kessler
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| "When I first walked into the External Relations office and picked up a copy of the Vesalius Internship Programme catalogue, I was quite amazed at how many different internship opportunities were available. Having done two internships before elsewhere, which were very limited in what they demanded of me, it was ideal for me to work on a project that was unique and gave me the freedom to provide my personal insights and solutions. I was fortunate enough to be selected by MasterCard and a month into my project, I could not be happier with the progress. My task is to deliver a comprehensive report and presentation with insight on behaviour profiles of defined consumer segmentation. I am basically interpreting detailed reports and data on the different consumer segments in order to provide payments solutions that best meets their profiles. Ideally when I finish an internship, I like to think what I did for the company really helped them and the information I provded was used in their business activities and I believe that I have accomplished that with my project at MasterCard." Serkan Erol |
