Internship Program

From caslsflagship.uoregon.edu

The internship is as an educational program, designed to give students real-world experience in a Chinese work environment. Students work with the Flagship internship director to place in a location fitting to their academic studies and career interests. During the 4-month full-time internship, students work independently and contribute positively to their work sites. The following was provide by the internship director, Dr. Xian Jiaobin (12/21/10).

Guidelines for Creating Global Professionals

Following study at Nanjing, each participant is placed in a substantial internship with a commercial, governmental, or third-sector organization in the participant's field of interest. Chinese serves as the principal language of professional communication in the internship context. The internship provides students with an opportunity to use the language in a professional environment, communicative functions include negotiation, presentations, impromptu interpretation, and representation of the host organization in a range of venues. This Flagship requirement is fundamental to students establishing a high standard for language and culture competency.

In order to meet these goals and based on years of successful internship placement, the following guidelines for the Chinese Flagship Internship Program have been created for the capstone year in China.

Definition of the Chinese Flagship internship experience

1. Objectives

• Practice establishing oneself in a Chinese professional environment
• Develop networking and negotiating knowledge and skills with Chinese professionals
• Experience accomplishing specific projects and tasks in a Chinese workplace
• Students immerse themselves in the work culture, gaining invaluable insight
• Having documented the experience, students receive full college credit through the UO Study Abroad office

2. Design of the Chinese Flagship Internship

• The dominant working language must be Mandarin and dominant working culture must be based in Chinese culture.
• Internship placement must be in the professional domain related to the student’s academic interest and training.
• Internship must be full-time; interns must be working on real tasks, not merely observing how others work.
• Internship sites are limited to one Chinese Flagship intern; exceptions must be approved in advance by both the director of the Chinese Flagship Internship Program and the director of the student’s home institution Flagship Program.
• Minimum length for the internship is four months; exceptions must be approved in advance by both the director of the Chinese Flagship Internship Program and the director of the student’s home institution’s Chinese Flagship Program.
• Mandatory participation in “Pre-internship Workshop” focusing on developing knowledge and skills in the area of adapting to and negotiating in a Chinese professional environment. Workshop formats include lecture, discussion, site visits, practicum and performance projects.

Expectations for persons accepting positions in the Chinese Flagship Internship Program

1. Expectation for interns

• Focus on the aspect of gaining experience in a Chinese context rather than just gaining experience in a professional domain.
• Be an active, regular, participating and contributing member in the internship organization rather than a passive, occasional observer.
• Be willing to work to meet expectations of the internship organization rather than expecting others to change in order to fit the intern’s idea about how things should be done.
• Closely follow reporting requirements and procedures established by the Chinese Flagship Internship program and home institution’s study abroad and Chinese Flagship Program.

2. Expectation for interns’ home institutions’ Chinese Flagship Program

• Conceptualize the internship program as an integral and necessary final portion of the overall Flagship program whose purpose is to produce cross-cultural bilingual professionals rather than as a required add-on obligation.
• Factor the internship program’s objectives and structure of the overall program so that students will be prepared to function successfully in a Chinese professional environment.
• Assign domain-specific research projects and enforce regular reporting procedures to provide each intern with a focus and the appropriate structure to maximize on the benefit of the experience.

3. Students assuming internship positions should be prepared to meet the following criteria in standard Mandarin:

• Language proficiency: OPI rating at Advanced-High and/or HSK Level 7 or above.
• General cultural literacy: be able to talk about common cultural hallmarks of Chinese civilization and current topics of contemporary society.
• Behavior cultural literacy: demonstrate the ability to recognize and respond to common behavioral expectations of Chinese in professional environments.
• Professional domain literacy: demonstrate the ability to discuss fundamental aspects of a career area or academic discipline.