General Information
The ASEM Work Placement Three-Year Pilot programme was proposed and agreed by the Ministers during the 3rd Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (ASEMME3) in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2011. The ASEM Education Ministers felt that a work placement programme would provide students with the opportunity to discover the world of work in a different regional and cultural setting and gain some experience. The Chairs’ Conclusion of the ASEMME5 stated that The Ministers “Considered the establishment of an ASEM placement programme in terms of setting up a pilot scheme for higher education-business mobility of qualified students between Asia and Europe (partly funded by public resources and industry)”.
The programme aims to establish, promote and sustain the mutual exchange of interns between the regions Europe and Asia on the basis of balance and mutual benefits.
The letter of Intent was signed by Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Germany, Indonesia and Thailand during the Second Senior Officials Meeting of ASEMME5 on 26 April 2015. The main of the letter is to ensure the members keep contributing to the implementation of the ASEM Work Placement Pilot Programme which will lead to balanced mobility of students between both regions.
ASEM WPP in a nutshell
| Objectives |
|
|
Target group
|
|
|
Duration |
|
| Participating countries |
|
Benefits of the ASEM WPP
- Benefits for Governments
- Contribute to the internationalisation of higher education
- Support workforce development strategy
- Contribute to economic growth
- Benefits for Higher Education Institutions
- Provide high quality education by inserting qualitative work experiences in the curriculum
- Establish international links and strategic alliances with the labour market
- Industries and businesses
- ASEM trainee help enhance a company’s competitiveness through transfer of academic know-how
- Express their needs and having a direct input in the programme
- Access to a supply of talented/skilled internship students
- Students
- Gain work experience and international contacts
- Develop competences needed to work in multicultural environments
- Improved employability
“It’s very, very much more than just an internship; it’s a stepping stone for a lifelong journey. In all honesty, I believe that this experience will be something to remember forever.”
(Benjamin Jr. Gerard Carvalho, student from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, internship at The German Marshall Fund of the United States, Brussels Office, Belgium)