IUG offers ongoing internships in connection with our partners in the Global South. By sending Danish students, we build up the partners’ knowledge and know-how, and at the same time the intern is the link between our project group in Denmark and our partners in the South. In addition, the interns have the opportunity to bring skills from the study into play and strengthen practical knowledge of global development work in a global context.
Strengthen the technical capacity of IUG’s partners through knowledge sharing and exchange of experience.
Support and promote a focus on sustainable development and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Contribute to the implementation of partner and project activities.
Internships may take place at the secretariat in Copenhagen, with IUG’s partner organizations implementing projects in the Global South — or a combination of both. IUG covers travel and insurance costs, as well as a per diem to cover accommodation and living expenses.
Be residing in Denmark or enrolled at a Danish university.
Be a member of IUG before the placement begins.
Participate in specific courses (e.g. field safety and first aid).
Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. In some cases, students who have not yet completed their bachelor’s degree may be accepted if they possess relevant experience or competencies that compensate for this.
Prior to deployment, a clear terms of reference will be prepared outlining the tasks the intern is responsible for carrying out and reporting on continuously. The tasks will be defined jointly by IUG and the partner organization. As a general rule, assignments will relate directly to the partnerships and projects that IUG has with the partner in the host country.
A work assignment will often consist of a specific and well-defined task. This may, for example, involve conducting a technical analysis, collecting technical documentation, carrying out technical studies or tests on a specific topic, or preparing an evaluation.
In addition, the intern is expected to participate in the ongoing project work — though without overall responsibility — act as an active member of the project team, and contribute communication materials to IUG’s various platforms (website, social media, newsletter, etc.).
Internship periods are generally planned within the academic semesters, but they also depend on the needs of each individual project. An application for one of the advertised internship positions must include a cover letter describing the applicant’s motivation and qualifications in relation to the tasks to be carried out during the placement, as well as a CV and other relevant documentation.
For further information, please contact IUG’s secretariat at info@iug.dk / phone +45 44 40 28 28.
IUG’s internship programme is made possible with support from a number of donors.
SIERRA LEONE
Meet Sara, who was deployed to Sierra Leone for three months in spring 2023, where she worked on various internship tasks related to climate adaptation.
SIERRA LEONE
Meet David, who was deployed in spring 2023 and shares his experience of his internship with our partner SEND in Sierra Leone, where he, among other things, taught at a STEM Day at a girls’ school.
SIERRA LEONE
“During my internship I was based in Kenema in Sierra Leone. I worked with some amazing teams – both in Denmark and in Sierra Leone, and it went really well. Based on the first three months, I was eager to learn more and I ended up extending my stay to five months, which I was very happy with.”
SIERRA LEONE
“During our internship, we were tasked with designing a data collection method to carry out participatory climate risk assessments in ten rural districts together with the local partner. The internship included a six-week field study where we tested and finalized the method before collecting data in the villages involved.”
