FAQ

What are requirements to participate in the programme ‘Partners 4 Value’?

·   You have to be a student in one of the university partners: Kaunas Collage, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius Collage/ University of Applied Science, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius University;

·   To be enrolled in social or humanitarian study programmes;

·   Hold an outstanding/ very good academic results;

·   Your study objectives should go in line with the proposed internship tasks;

·   Strong motivation for professional development/career orientation;

·  Very good English language/ or any other required language command. Knowledge of additional foreign language might be an additional requirement.

How much is the scholarship?

350 -550 € a month, depending on the destination country.

There are some host organisations that might offer to co-sponsor certain expenses ranging from monthly transport ticket to the monthly allowance.

Am I expected to make my travel arrangements and to find an accommodation myself?

Yes. Some receiving organisations provide an advisory logistical note. Depending on your destination country/city you might want also to look for the advisory notes/indications for available accommodation of any other international organisations located in the same country.

Who is funding the project?

This project is funded by the European Social Fund.

Can I participate in the programme even though there is no internship in my study programme?

Yes, you can, however you should seek for the advice beforehand at your university concerning the individual study plan agreement.

What are the selection procedures?

The selection process entails three mutually interdependent stages:

· The first selection stage takes place in an academic institution where university/college commission will pre-select the candidates meeting the eligibility criteria set within the framework of this project;

·  The second selection stage takes place at the UNDP office: the pre-selected students will be invited for 30 minutes motivational interview; 3 candidates’ competing for the internship at the same organisation/company profiles will be submitted to the receiving organisation/company*;

· The final candidate‘s selection will be made by the receiving organisation/company on the basis of the documented file received and any

· Further interviews/telephone conversation, if necessary, the most suitable candidate for theinternship opportunity.

*Students‘from Vilnius University I’st and II’nd stages of pre-selection will be carried out by the University.

How to apply for an internship?

·  From the list of internship notices available chose the one which would match your study programme requirements, your interests, competences acquired and will go best in line with your career prospects; The internship notices are updated monthly on 15 th of every month; Internships positions available are advertised at your university webpage as well as at undp.lt webpage.

·   Please advise the relevant university webpage and fill in the forms required;

· Submit the documents to your university internships coordinator at your university/collage respecting the deadline indicated.

For application procedure, deadlines and contacts double check in your academic institution:

Kaunas Collage;

Mykolas Romeris University;

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University;

Vilnius Collage/ University of Applied Science;

Vilnius University.

What are the documents I have to submit?

·   An  Application Form which you can get at your university/college web page;

·   CV in English, please use the Europass CV template or any other recognised CV format;

·  Motivation letter written in English and addressed to your prioritised receiving organization or company;

·   A copy of certified transcript of your academic records in English.

If you need an assistance/guidance/consultations for preparing the documents requested, please contact your university/college Career Center/Internships Coordinator and check for the trainings available on the CV/Motivation Letter’s writing at your university/college.

Do I need contact a company/ organization offering an internship?

NO. ‘Partners 4 Value’ coordinators are in direct contact with the receiving organisation/company and once you are selected for an internship by the organisation/company you will get the notification from the Project coordinators. If/once you are selected for an internship position you will get direct contacts of your internship supervisor at the receiving organisation and will be in a position to agree among the receiving organisation, your university and yourself the individual Internship Plan.

How long is the internship programme?

The duration of the internship is 3 months and might be longer if there is a mutual interest.

How to write a motivation letter?

The motivation letter should be focused on the applicant’s motivation to perform the internship at the preferred organisation/company and answer the main questions:

·   Motivation on the  Organisation’s/Company’s choice;

·   Why do you think you are the best candidate for this internship position;

·  What is your experience and competences acquired (academic background, work experience, if relevant, voluntary work experience, internship) that makes your candidacy valuable;

·   What are your internship goals/results to be achieved/expectations;

·   How this internship would be beneficial for you and receiving organisation.

For any further questions and help address your university/collage career centres or career consultants:

Kaunas Collage;

Mykolas Romeris University;

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University;

Vilnius Collage/ University of Applied Science;

Vilnius University.

Can I apply for more than one internship placement?

Yes, but please prioritise your choice.

What documents do I need to sort out before I leave for an internship?

It might vary from one high education institution to another, thus better get in touch with an international internship coordinator at your academic institution.

As a general rule a student needs to submit:

·  Tripartite internship agreement signed by all the signatories (receiving organisation-sending university-student);

·   Individual Internship Plan;

·   Financing Agreement signed by the student and the UNDP Lithuania.

What documents do I need to get after my internship?

·    2 original copies of the Internship Certificate;

·    The final internship report to be submitted to your university.

The copies of these documents will serve as the basis for UNDP Lithuania to pay you 20% of the remaining scholarship allowance.

When should I get the scholarship?

80% of the scholarship a student will get before his/her departure as the financial agreement signed. The rest of the scholarship ( 20%), a student receives after finalisation of the internship and submission of the internship report and certificate obtained.

How to prepare for an internship?

·   Make your travel itinerary and book your travel tickets;

·  Get international Health Insurance Card, don’t leave it for the last day as it takes time to  receive it (how to apply for it);

· Find an accommodation before you leave. It is usually better to look for a permanent lodgement once you are in the destination country while before you might want to that look for a temporary solution.

Please consult other international organisations’/companies’ that have internship programmes web pages and look for their advices on accommodation. Get in touch with Lithuanian students studying/performing internship in the same city.

Pack your suitcase and get yourself ready for the experience!

Notice! Some of the requirements depend on university/collage, so for further information contact you academic institution or UNDP ‘Partners for Value’ coordinator Rūta Svarinskaitė ruta.svarinskaite@undp.org.

Project Fact Sheet

Brief description

Lithuanian graduates’ representation in international organizations and companies tends to be low. Academic staff of High Education Establishments has little opportunities to gain understanding of the needs of international business/intergovernmental organizations to better respond to them while preparing academic curricula.

In-service training opportunities provide young talented people with skills, know-how and experience of working in an international multicultural environment while contributing to an organisation‘s goals.

Objective is to increase international career orientation and job prospects for Lithuanian graduates through establishing functional system for international students’ internships and academic staff training visits based on international partners’ network. The long-term goal is to increase representation of Lithuanians in international organizations and international companies.

Main Activities

Development of international students’ internships/academic staff training visits organization models (introducing quality standards, training of internships/training visits organization specialists and international partnerships managers, improving services for students’ career orientation);

Working out an international cooperation mechanism between international organizations/international companies and high education establishments;

Establishment of international organizations’/companies’ network which will facilitate Lithuanian students internships providing them with on-the-job experience (max. 3 months) and academic staff training visits (max. 5 working days);

Organizing 150 paid students’ internships in social and humanitarian programs and 70 academic staff training visits while employing the partnerships of the created network;

Branding of the International Internships Platform;

Assessment of tested models for international internships/training visits and their adaptation to nationwide level. 

Expected Results:

International partnerships network comprising not less than 150 partners created and functioning in full capacity;

150 international paid students’ internships and 70 academic staff training visits carried out through partnering with international organizations and companies.

Focus on international internships

Early career development matters!

by Lyra Jakuleviciene, Head of UNDP Lithuania

I led the UNDP’s Office in Lithuania for the last 4 years I was 32 back them. This is the highest UN position that you can get as a national staff. And it all started from an internship, when I was given an opportunity to serve as a first Baltic trainee in the regional UNHCR office in. Having come back to my country, I work for the UN since 1997. The internship gave me not only work and life experience in a foreign country, but also lots of self-confidence.

International career progression in Lithuania is very often left to self-initiative of talented young people and their personal efforts. However, it recently became a national priority to increase Lithuanian representation in international fora. Given Lituania’s EU membership and internationally-oriented economy, time seems ripe to invest in facilitating student internationalization from their early student years, Acknowledging the importance of early career development, Lithuania takes an active role in promoting the change by  increasing international career orientation and job prospects for Lithuanian graduates through the establishment of an internship and visiting profesor programme. This is possible though the establishment of  an international partners’ network.

At UNDP Lithuania we- are well positioned to support national higher education institutions in building connections with international partners like us We do so at different levels:

• scouting for international organizations, companies, states institutions and international NGOs interested in  providing internship and placement opportunities for Lithuanian undergraduate and graduate students,
• assisting academic staff  to gain understanding of needs of international business/intergovernmental organizations through training visits;
• developing partners‘ network building strategies;
• spreading the message and branding.

International internship is not for everyone, but we are here to help talented Lithuanians and host organizations/companies meet each others’ needs. If you are an organization interested in hosting qualified Lithuanian interns, we would love to hear from you.

International Internships Platform

Current international students’ internships/lecturers stages organisation practice in Lithuania followed by high education establishments is faced by multiple challenges: there is no standardized internships’ organisation system ensuring quality process, weak capacities of universities to effectively partner with international organisations and companies, insufficient competences of internships/stages organization specialists, students lack career orientation and capacities to self-initiate internships, little motivation of lecturers to pursue academic mobility, there is no single source of information on international internships opportunities.

Objective

Objective is to improve the quality and competitiveness of Lithuanian high education in establishing national international students’ internships and lecturers’ stages system based on international partners’ network.

Integral Project’s Components

Development of international students internships/lecturers stages organization models, application of which will ensure introduction of quality standards, enhancement of relevant competences of internships/stages organization specialists as well as of students and lecturers vis-á-vis their effective orientation and preparation for internships/stages,  standardized management of information.

Establishment of international organizations/companies network which will facilitate Lithuanian students internships/lecturers stages aiming to provide: a) students with on-the-job experience that gives an opportunity to gain work related experience and build professional contacts for the future; 
b) lecturers with  opportunities to gain deeper insights  on companies/organizations practices that will contribute to their understanding  of  the needs of international business/intergovernmental organizations to better respond to them preparing academic curricula.


The project shall result in created international network of 150 partners, corresponding to internships/stages organization standards  in social and humanitarian programmes of Lithuanian high education establishments. The long-term goal of this component is to increase representation of Lithuania in international organizations and companies.

Practical implementation of developed models organizing 150 paid students’ internships in social and humanitarian programs and 70 lecturers’ stages while employing the partnerships of the created network.