Internship Procedure at the TalTech School of Business and Governance

3.1.   As a general rule, the student shall find the host organisation by himself / herself. If necessary, Internship Coordinators, the Career and Counselling Centre and, in case of an internship abroad, the Mobility Centre shall provide assistance.

3.2.   By mutual agreement, an internship may be completed in the TalTech departments, organisations, Mektory and administrative and support units. Participation in Mektory projects shall be based on the terms and conditions agreed upon with enterprises in the project.

3.3.   The internship workload in credit points shall be determined in the study programme.

3.4.   The internship tasks shall support the achievement of the learning outcomes set for the internship. For additional information, the Internship Coordinator of the speciality shall be contacted.

3.5.   In case of an internship completed abroad in the framework of an Erasmus programme, the rules agreed with the Internship Coordinator shall be complied with.

3.6.   For assessment of internship, the student shall submit to the Internship Coordinator an application in the appropriate form, the signed evaluation form of the supervisor at the host organisation, an internship report or other documents (such as Europass) necessary to prove that an internship has been completed. If the study programme requires internship defence, the student shall defend the internship report to pass the internship.

3.7.   In order to pass the internship in the current semester, the student shall present the documents described in point 6 at the latest on Friday of the 14th week of the semester. The Internship Coordinator provides an evaluation to the internship of students graduating in the same semester at the latest on Friday of the 16th study week of the semester, evaluation of other students by the deadline of the exams at the latest.

4.1.   Submit the internship instruction to the internship supervisor at the host organisation.

4.2.   Adhere to the deadlines related to the commencement of the internship, fulfilment of the internship tasks, submission and defence of the internship report.

4.3.   Inform the internship supervisor at the host organisation and Internship Coordinator about problems arising during the internship.

4.4.   Execute conscientiously and properly the orders of the internship supervisor at the host organisation, as well as other persons authorised to supervise the work and be responsible for the results of his or her activity equally with the permanent staff.

4.5.   Protect the internship provider’s business and employment secrets as well as a good reputation.

4.6.   Comply with other responsibilities relevant to the internship’s nature.

 Example 1

5.1.   Apply knowledge gained through studies to fulfil specific work assignments that correspond to learning outcomes.

5.2.  Obtain work experience and skills for independent work in the field.

5.3.   Participate in the daily work of the structural unit, develop teamwork skills and solve professional assignments.

Example 2

The internship aims to utilise the knowledge and skills obtained at the university in the real work environment. The internship thereby helps to understand the relationship between public administration theory and its daily utilisation.

 Example 1

6.1.   Knows the organisation’s work procedures, internal rules and structure as well as possesses an overview of work safety, safety equipment and new technologies.

6.2.   Is capable of utilising knowledge gained through studies in real work situations.

6.3.   Knows how to describe the organisation’s strengths, weaknesses and possible development potential.

 Example 2

A student who has completed the internship:

6.1.   Knows well policy regulations concerning the internship organisation (chief legislation, development programmes and other policy documents) as well as the field’s leadership or policy implementation systems;

6.2.   Analyses the organisation’s main tasks and their role in the policy development and implementation cycle as well as state administration structure;

6.3.   Critically evaluates the organisation’s structure, social role, administrative capacities as well as connection to interest groups emphasising the organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats;

6.4.   Is capable of isolating public administration specific problems related to the workplace and associate the problems with the broader public administration context. In other words, knows how to associate theoretical knowledge with practical experience as well as explain their disparity.

6.5.   Is capable of creating a written analytical text that is based on a practical case that creates a relationship between public administration theory and practice.

 Example

The internship is evaluated (passed/failed) based on the internship report and the report’s requirements.

 Example 1

Is a summary of the trainee’s activity and it is recommended when preparing the report:

b)  to present the student’s evaluation of the internship aims as well as results;

c)  to make a self-evaluation.

 The report should be 15-20 pages.

Example 2

The internship report contains a summary of the trainee’s activities, an evaluation of the internship aims and results as well as an internship organisation analysis. The report is compiled according to the TTÜ School of Business and Governance written works compilation and formatting requirements without a table of contents with an approximate length of 1500-1700 words.

 Example 1 Introduction

Determining the aims and tasks of the internship. Selection criteria for choosing the host organisation.

1.  Host organisation activity analysis

1.1.   Description of the host organisation: field of activity, main products and services, structure, number of employees, market position in Estonia and on a broader scale.

1.2.   Analysis of host organisation’s activities from ERS and SDG perspective: strategic goals, main initiatives and activities in the area of ethics, responsibility and sustainability (ERS) and sustainable development goals (SDGs). The student describes the main objectives, initiatives, activities in the area of ERS and which SDGs are followed in its activities (including specific examples).

1.3.  Description of work process and organisation.

1.4.  Description of trainee’s tasks.

2.  Overview of the internship (incl. self-analysis)

2.1.   Evaluation of preparation: theoretical and practical preparation level for the internship – strong and weak aspects.

2.2.   Analysis of assignment fulfilment: list of tasks and activities completed during internship and their fulfilment analysis.

2.3.   Define what was learned during the internship. Evaluation of the knowledge and skills obtained.

3.  Host organisation’s evaluation:

3.1.   Evaluation of supervisory process and its course;

3.2.   Host organisation’s suitability for fulfilling internship objectives.

4.  Internship summary

4.1.   Overview of the internship process and results.

4.2.   Evaluation of internship results and aim fulfilment approached from the internship objectives.

Appendices

Compulsory appendix: evaluation form of the supervisor at the host organisation.

Schemes, drawings, tables, photos, copies of documents deemed important.

 Example 2

The student working in the public sector, in a non-profit or international organisation fulfilling public duties compiles a written analytical report consisting of the following points:

1. Internship overview:

–  internship organisation’s overview and introduction to its main policy area;

–  internship work position (if definable), a short description of the work experience incl. main tasks and responsibilities as well as the knowledge and skills required for their fulfilment;

–  evaluation of one’s own task fulfilment (strengths, weaknesses);

–  evaluation of new knowledge and skills obtained through the internship experience;

–  activities outside work in other fields (public life, cultural field) which the student considers relevant because of skills and experiences obtained.

2. Analysis of internship organisation:

–  institution’s position within Estonia’s public administration system – the organisation’s main functions and their role in policy development and implementation systems; in case of the non-profit sector or international organisations analysis with the relationship to (Estonia’s) public sector has to be made;

–  main policy field’s regulations and administrative systems;

–  the institution’s strategic aims, organisation structure, leadership and subordination relationships with other public organisations, relationship with the most important target groups;

–  an analysis of a work process, task, policy process or similar related to the organisation’s main functions associated with public administration academic literature.

3. Analysis of host organisation’s activities from ERS and SDG perspective: strategic goals, main initiatives and activities in the area of ethics, responsibility and sustainability (ERS) and sustainable development goals (SDGs). The student describes the main objectives, initiatives, activities in the area of ERS and which SDGs are followed in its activities (including specific examples).

10.2.   As a rule, the host organisation shall enter into a bilateral employment or internship contract.

10.3.   A decision concerning remuneration to be paid to a trainee shall be made by the host organisation (except in case the intellectual property is created).

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Sufficient

Weak