International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience
Bernard Baeyens, President
IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) is an international association of technical and scientific, as well as for agricultural and forestry fields of study organized work placements for students. In addition to placements ( and sometimes longer-term employment ) supports the organization of their interns with the entry formalities and organize accommodation and a leisure program in the host country.
- 5.1 Organizational Structure
- 5.2 for students in Switzerland
- 5.3 Offer for companies and organizations in Switzerland
Founding principle and members
The organization is non-political and independent. It was founded in 1948 at the suggestion of James Newby at Imperial College in London, to contribute to better understanding between peoples in post-war Europe. One objective of the organization is therefore explicitly the cultural enrichment for trainees and their host countries. Today, the organization provides about 5,000 students per year.
The 10 founding members were Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia and Switzerland. The number of member countries has grown from the original 10 European countries now to 85 countries worldwide.
Since 2005 IAESTE is a registered, non-profit association under Luxembourg law ( " Asociacion sans but lucratif ").
Objectives and tasks
The targets were strongly influenced by the situation in post-war Europe. The main objectives are
- To give students of technical universities the opportunity to gain work and life experience in the broadest sense abroad.
- The international understanding among all nations and states students, regardless of their race, skin color, to promote gender or faith.
- To give interested companies and academic institutions well trained and motivated students (advanced exchange program ).
In some countries, the organization of technical universities also organizes so-called job fairs to which companies send expert representatives and contact persons. Company presentations or panel discussions are to form more links between students and companies.
For several years, students from other disciplines are included in the IAESTE program. However, stay focus in engineering and natural science, and agricultural and forestry internships. In the communication of social and economic sciences internships partner organization AIESEC helps.
General Organizational Structure
In each member country of the organization, there is a National Committee ( NC), which is responsible for the processing of student exchanges in the country. Many campuses conduct additional so-called Local Committees ( LC) for the care of the local students. Once a year in January, delegations meet from all Member States at the General Conference.
While the organization is strongly supported in the German-speaking countries through the volunteer work by students for students, it is often organized in other countries, mainly of working volunteers or specially paid people.
The student exchange usually works for a 1:1 exchange system, ie each country receives as many internships as it provides itself. However Traditionally, countries with a relatively high gross national income ( GNI) more spaces available than they receive themselves. Germany is by far the country with the largest range of internships. The main task of the IAESTE staff is not only the supervision and support of students, but also organizing internships for foreign students in their own country.
IAESTE in Germany
Organizational structure
The German National Committee 's "International Student Trainee Exchange " located at the German Academic Exchange Service ( DAAD) in the Unit. In addition, the work is supported at the local level through a variety of volunteer students and working through the International Offices of the universities.
Internship in Germany
About 1,000 internships will be offered only in Germany. These advertise the local representatives internships at a local companies or public institutions. The prospective employer have thus the opportunity to access a very large pool of foreign students. For both the intern and the employer for the services of the IAESTE are in principle free of charge. The remuneration for IAESTE trainees in Germany is 650 euros. In addition to administrative tasks, a variety of activities and trips for foreign students are offered. So every year there are big events in Aachen, Berlin, Munich and many other cities in which the IAESTE is represented. Altogether there are about 140 local offices in different sizes and shapes at many universities in Germany.
Internship abroad
Students at a German university can apply to their Local Committee or the International Office of their college for an internship on the organization. Except for good English skills no further benefits are in principle required to apply. However, the specific requirements for the intern can vary greatly depending on placement. The OrganisationE conveys only internships, which were previously recruited by her and are only offered through IAESTE.
IAESTE in Switzerland
IAESTE Switzerland is working with almost 30 Swiss universities and 100 Swiss companies to allow students unique work experiences in the world. IAESTE specializes in arranging internships for students of technical and scientific fields of study, but also occasionally post positions available in other areas.
Organizational structure
Originally IAESTE Switzerland belonged to the ETH Zurich, but since 2005 an independent and autonomous association. The club members form the National Committee. It includes representatives from government, academia, industry, associations and the IAESTE Local Committee. The National Committee selects every 2 years a board from its own ranks. The main office, the National Office is located in Zurich. Since 2007, there has also an office in Lausanne, which takes care of the work in French-speaking Switzerland. The National Office, currently under the direction of Marianne Steinemann, performs the core businesses of IAESTE Switzerland and is among other things responsible for mediating the interns abroad, the employment of foreign trainees in Switzerland, the employer search and acquisition of partners. The National Office is supported by the Local Committee ( LC). In Switzerland, there are three such LCs: in Zurich, Basel and Lausanne. They care mainly about the foreign trainees in Switzerland, looking for accommodation and organize numerous events.
For students in Switzerland
Offer for companies and organizations in Switzerland
Write Every year many companies and organizations internships via IAESTE Switzerland from. 2012 were including companies such as Alstom, Nestlé, Herzog & de Meuron or doodle. The placement of foreign trainees is free for employers. The employer defines the profile and IAESTE Switzerland then searches for the right candidates.