Stefanie Massink

Coordinating internships in times of corona

I still remember the phone call on that Monday morning in March. My colleague, Lorena De Vita, program coordinator of our MA International Relations in Historical Perspective, had urgent news. The UU was going in lockdown and students who were interning abroad should return as soon as possible. The harsh reality of the coronavirus pandemic kicked in. 

As internship coordinator, I never imagined that I would have to summon our students to return home. It was unsettling to see that students had to give up their internships. In this blog I will reflect on my experiences coordinating internships in times of corona. 

Safety first
It is easy, and understandable, to feel overwhelmed in times of immediate crisis. When the UU communicated that students should return back home, 35 of our students were doing an internship, of which 15 students abroad. These students were spread around the world, from Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cuba and Egypt to Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique and the United States, where they interned at Dutch embassies, international institutions or non-governmental organizations. 

I quickly decided to first focus on the safety of our students. The consequences of the interrupted internships would be dealt with once all students had been accounted for. So, in line with the UU policy, I contacted our students to urge them to return back home. 

However, it soon became clear that things were not that simple. Some of our international students had returned to their home country. It was safer for them to remain with their families, rather than coming back to the Netherlands, where they would be alone during the “intelligent lockdown.” 

For other students, flying back to the Netherlands entailed the risk of getting stranded at an airport in a third country, without any support. Staying put, where they at least would have the help of the internship organization, seemed to be the safest option. Nevertheless, as the crisis swiftly intensified, the daunting prospect of becoming stuck abroad (and perhaps even ill) sank in. Students and internship organizations agreed that safety had to come first. Within two weeks, all students managed to return back home. 

Dealing with interrupted internships
Once I knew that all students were safe, I focused on finding solutions for the interrupted internships. A single clear-cut solution could not solve the diversity of practical problems. So, in consultation with other MA and internship coordinators and the Educational Director, several solutions were devised: 

Solution 1: Teleworking 
Many students in the Netherlands were able to continue their internship by means of teleworking. For some of the students who were doing an internship abroad, this was also an option offered by the internship organization, allowing students to still gain valuable work experience.

Solution 2: Writing the thesis while postponing the internship 
Some students were told that they would be welcome to return and finish the internship after the summer, if the situation improves by then. At this moment, it is unclear if these students will indeed be able to continue their internship within the next months. In the meantime, we encouraged these students to focus on writing their thesis so they would continue making progress with their study program. 

Solution 3: Completing an additional assignment or alternative internship
Some students were quite advanced with their internship, only missing about one month to complete the minimal required 420 hours (15 EC). Other students had barely started. These students needed an additional assignment or alternative internship. Thankfully, some colleagues stepped forward and offered internship opportunities. Several students were able to join interesting projects involving external partners at the Centre for Global Challenges as well as at our own section, History of International Relations. 

Looking back
Reflecting on my experiences, I have realized that teamwork was essential to confronting the immediate crisis, which at times was quite stressful. Staying in touch with my colleague Lorena was crucial. This was not only necessary to manage the crisis, but it also helped us dealing with our concerns for our students’ safety and wellbeing. 

I also realized that there was much to be grateful for amidst the disruptive crisis. Colleagues offered internship opportunities or volunteered their time to supervise students who wanted to focus on writing their thesis. Our thesis coordinator, Frank Gerits, quickly stepped in to match students with supervisors.

In addition, several internship organizations enabled students to continue their internship via teleworking. If this was not possible, organizations helped our students with a safe return to the Netherlands. It was comforting to know that our students were well cared for. 

Last but not least, I was impressed by our students. Despite the utter disappointment of their dream internships being disrupted due to the pandemic, they faced the crisis with resilience. I could not be prouder of our students!

Looking forward
While the immediate crisis has subsided, unexpected practical problems will undoubtedly still surface. In the next months, it looks like we have to get used to living in a ‘1,5-meter society.’ What will be the impact on internship opportunities? Will it be possible for students to travel abroad? Many questions remain unanswered at this point, but I am confident that we will find a way to address whatever crosses our path. #UUGotThis!

Stefanie Massink