The Rise of Remote Global Internships

Promising Practices and the Implications for Career Readiness

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Copyright © 2021 Institute of International Education, Inc. All rights reserved. This report is part of the
Global Education Research Reports supported by the AIFS Foundation and IIE. The opinions, findings,
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Foundation or IIE.

Suggested Citation
Mason, L. & Martel, M. (2021). The rise of remote global internships: Promising practices and
implications for career readiness. Institute of International Education.
Table of Contents
Foreword........................................................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Defining Remote Global Internships and their Implementation ................................................................... 3
Internship ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Remote Internship ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Remote Global Internship .......................................................................................................................... 4
Global Internship Framework – How Remote Models Fit ............................................................................. 8
Skills Acquisition ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Global Citizenship ....................................................................................................................................11
Career Readiness .....................................................................................................................................12
Looking Ahead: What Remote Global Internships Offer .............................................................................13
Promising Practices ..................................................................................................................................14
References ...................................................................................................................................................16

Figures
Figure 1. U.S. Student Work or Internships Abroad, 2010 - 2020 ................................................................ 2
Figure 2. Successful Global Internship Experiences: Before, During, After ................................................... 6
Figure 3. Promising Practices for Remote Global Internships ....................................................................... 7
Figure 4. Important Skills for the Global Workforce 2025 ............................................................................ 9
Figure 5. Professionalism/Work Ethic…………………………………………………………………………………….………………10
Figure 6. NACE Career Readiness Competencies ........................................................................................13
Foreword
For the past 20 years, international internships have been a force for disruptive change within
international education, moving from outsider to insider through years of hard-fought victories
by international internship providers and innovative faculty and study abroad staff. In 2001, when
I first introduced students to the idea of an internship abroad in Rome, we were shunned by
traditional study abroad offices as not ‘educational,’ not creditworthy, and not their
responsibility. No one would have predicted that international internships would become widely
popular and valued, and that virtual international internships would move onto center stage as
the remedy to a year of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtual international internships offer students a way of advancing their career goals and global
aspirations in an accessible format. An internship abroad mirrored the global trend of remote
work and, in many ways, made college students more marketable than ever before. The post-
pandemic world will continue to favor flexible and remote workers, and virtual internships will
become just like any internship for many career fields.

While an internship abroad was often regarded as an elite experience, it can now be accessed for
a fraction of the cost, broadening the ability for those from more diverse economic and social
backgrounds as well as people with mobility and other physical barriers to participation.
Outcomes for those taking a virtual international internship show it may also be a better
investment. In the first year of Global Experiences’ virtual internship program, more students saw
their short-term unpaid experience become a paid or full-time work opportunity since location
and visas were no longer a factor. Concerns that a virtual internship would not be the same as the
real thing has been both true and false. In-person experiences are more powerful from an
intercultural learning perspective, including language acquisition and personal growth. However,
students who participated in virtual international internships report the same or better end of
program survey results when it comes to skill acquisition and experience.

But, not all virtual internship experiences are the same, and we are learning that an effective
internship provider as an intermediary can serve as a key element of success. Beyond the match-
making role, a provider is a career and cultural maximizer offering feedback, assessment, and
reflection that enhances learning and cultural comprehension.

The pandemic year has sped up existing global trends, and international education is no different.
Online universities have not replaced the need for in-person university, and virtual international
internships will also not replace the need for the in-person experience. Still, the virtual internship
offers an amazing opportunity for creative program design and increased accessibility making it
the biggest success story in what has been a difficult year for the field of international education.

Emily Merson
Executive Director, AIFS Abroad

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Introduction
Internships are increasingly regarded as a high-impact Figure 1. U.S. Student Work or Internships
Abroad, 2010 - 2020
educational activity that benefits students' personal, academic,
and professional growth (Kuh, 2008). Every year thousands of 30,000
U.S. college students participate in an internship, with some 24,924
selecting the unique opportunity to intern abroad. In 2018/19, 25,000
approximately 25,000 U.S. students worked abroad or
20,000 18,715
completed an international internship for credit, increasing by
33 percent from 18,715 students during the 2008/09 academic
15,000
year (Open Doors, 2010, 2020). The popularity of international
internship opportunities has grown over the past decade as
10,000
U.S. universities have established partnerships with
international companies (Stacey, 2020). U.S. students have 5,000
more options for pursuing internships abroad. Government
scholarship programs such as the Department of State’s 0
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program and the 2008/09 2018/19
Department of Defense’s The Language Flagship program also
Source: Open Doors 2010, 2020
offer scholarships to students for participating in an internship
overseas. In addition, global internship program providers such
as Global Experiences, part of AIFS, Inc., and CCRC Asia have
more recently provided additional pathways for remote global
internship study through GE Virtuoso and Virtual Internships.

Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many students saw their spring and summer
global internship programs canceled, postponed, or transitioned to an online environment. The
pivot by U.S. universities, global organizations, and internship program providers from offering an
in-person experience, whether domestic or international, to a remote internship, occurred rapidly
(Hora, 2020; Maurer, 2020). Global Experiences (C.Orrison personal communication, March 4,
2021) and CCRC Asia (J. Low personal communication, February 26, 2021) reported approximately
50 percent of students who planned to participate in a summer international internship
transitioned to a remote global internship by early June. A once rare practice, remote internship
opportunities for students, including remote international internships, emerged as a logical trend
for companies by fall 2020, continuing into 2021 (Laker, 2021; Union College, 2020).

Given the solid integration of internships into the undergraduate student experience, there are
reasons to believe that remote global internships may continue as a common opportunity for
students in the future. Nearly 70 percent of graduating seniors from the Class of 2019 completed
an internship experience (National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE], 2020). For
students, remote global internships can provide the added advantages of a safe work-based
learning experience, eliminating travel and housing costs, and flexibility to manage dedicated
work and school hours while still demonstrating a student’s interest in developing a global

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perspective. For employers, providing students with an internship experience has been an
essential recruitment pipeline in their quest for new talent (Laker, 2021). A global reach allows
companies to identify multi-lingual and new creative talent to fill skill shortages within their
organizations (Jeske & Axtell, 2016). Remote global internships also benefit employers who do
not need to identify a desk or office space for interns. However, further research is needed to
understand whether remote global internships yield the same learning and career readiness
outcomes as in-person internships, including the implications for skills acquisition and global
citizenship.

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the role of remote global internships in
providing experiential educational opportunities for university students and the potential role
these internships have in developing students' skills acquisition, global citizenship, and career
readiness. The first section provides an overview of the definitions used to describe in-person
and remote global internship experiences including relative benefits and challenges. It then
outlines the three analytical frames of remote global internships: skills acquisition, global
citizenship, and career readiness. Through an analysis of recent findings from global internship
program providers as well as others, we describe promising practices for supporting remote global
internships applicable to all members of the international education community – universities,
employers, and third-party providers alike. This paper aims to contribute to the conversation on
the possible role of remote global internships to widen the space of availability for students to
gain international work experiences while remaining in their home country and the relative
benefits of these experiences both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Defining Remote Global Internships and their Implementation

There is a wide range of remote global internship opportunities available to students, each
differing in its way. As such, there is a wide range of terms used to describe these opportunities
too. Internships involve multiple stakeholders (e.g., students, employers, universities, third-party
program providers), each with its own goals and objectives. Therefore, it is necessary to
understand what we are describing as a remote global internship.

Internship

An internship is defined by NACE (2018) as:

a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the
classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting.
Internships allow students to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in
professional fields they are considering for career paths, and give employers the
opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.

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NACE goes on to outline the criteria for an internship (whether traditional, remote, or virtual):

• The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that

provides for applying the classroom's knowledge. It must not be merely to advance the
employer's operations or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
• The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
• The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired
qualifications.
• There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the student's academic
coursework professional goals.
• There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational or professional
background in the field of the experience.
• There is regular feedback from the experienced supervisor.
• There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support
learning objectives/goals.

This definition and the supporting criteria outlined through the NACE position statement on U.S.
internships are widely accepted among higher education institutions, employers, and career
development professionals. The criteria guide internship program design in the United States.

Remote Internship

Scholars, universities, and employers have described the transition of traditional face-to-face
internships to virtual using many different terms, including virtual, online, remote, micro, and e-
internship. Bayerlein & Jeske's (2018) definition of e-internships as "a real-world work placement
where the interactions between the intern and their employer are predominantly computer-
mediated" conveys the environment we are discussing in this paper (p. 31).

We selected the term “remote” to describe the environment for this paper to align with
terminology used by today's workforce to describe the practice of working in a space that is not
the organization's usual place of business (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Many aspects of in-person
and remote internships are similar. However, a remote internship experience adds enhanced
digital literacy skills for students. Also, there is an expectation from the employer that students
are motivated, strong communicators, and able to self-regulate, staying focused on work
assignments without the constant supervision that the physical office location affords.

Remote Global Internship

Global internship experiences can take place in-person or remotely. The global internship
experience brings an additional layer of experiential learning that speaks to an organization's work
in an international context. Some elements of a global internship may include:

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 • Building a global network of international colleagues within a specific industry
• Gaining work experience in a specific country
• Increasing cultural awareness
• Developing language skills

Building upon NACE and Bayerlein & Jeske’s definitions, in this paper we define a remote global
internship as a work-based form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory
learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development where interactions
between an intern and employer occur across traditional geographic boundaries and time zones
and are facilitated by computer technology.

Hora et al.'s (2020) review of various definitions and terms used to describe remote internship
programs resulted in his design of a framework for remote internships that could articulate to
stakeholders how specific points of variation affect the student experience and associated
learning outcomes. The three variation points for remote internship programs are:

• a host organization (employer or third-party vendor),

• program duration, and
• experiential learning standards.

This framework acknowledges that students participate in a range of experiences organized and
supported by their higher education institutions, employers, and third-party providers, even when
the experience is remote. In the context of this paper, we find the framework helpful when
considering the data and learning from two providers of remote global internships, third-party
vendors. These remote global internship providers can play a crucial role in supporting students'
personal and professional development through highly structured program models.

“The GE Virtual Internship was an amazing opportunity to enhance and further develop my
skills in an online format. I was initially nervous as to how beneficial my internship would be
since it was virtual, but I had an amazing placement, and my supervisor really pushed me to
develop my skills. I was able to learn about an area of interest and skill that I would not be
able to in University, and I got the opportunity to work one-on-one with my supervisor,
which really allowed me to develop great communication skills. Working one-on-one also
allowed me to be mentored by my supervisor, and feel like I could ask her questions and
develop a great working relationship - which was extremely beneficial for me. The GE team
did a great job supporting me before, during and after my internship, and was extremely
helpful answering all of my questions during the application and interviewing process.”
– Caitlyn, Global Experiences Intern from Carleton University

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For example, the program models used by global internship program providers such as Global
Experiences and Virtual Internships are based on career readiness research. They frequently offer
students features such as facilitated group discussions with other interns and one-on-one
mentoring, alongside pre-internship orientations, cultural events, and post-program career
development. These models have an intentional focus on interactions and support before, during,
and after the internship. As part of AIFS, Inc., the Global Experiences program model follows a
strength-based approach to career readiness by guiding students through a process of identifying
and leveraging their strengths from the outset of the program (Figure 2). Global Experiences uses
students' results from the Clifton Strength Finders assessment to identify an optimal internship
placement, provide coaching support to students throughout the internship, and inform students'
career decisions post-program. This level of dedicated attention throughout the student journey
carefully integrates regular guidance and reflection alongside a support network of peers and
program alumni who continue the journey together beyond the students’ internship period.
Global Experiences also offers students the option to receive academic credit for their global
internship experience and courses that complement the internship experience, such as
intercultural communications in a global workplace and global workforce and leadership
development. Similarly, Virtual Internships incorporates a professional development hub, Career
Bridge, intended to support skill development and prepare students not just for their internships
but for their career as a member of the 21st century workforce.
Figure 2. Successful Global Internship Experiences: Before, During, After

During
- Coaching
- Group Discussions
- Social and Cultural
Before events
- Assessment After
- Workshop - Career Development
- Resume and Cover Coaching
Letter Support - Alumni Network
- Interview

Successful
Global
Internship
Experience

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Global internship providers serve a unique group of students interested in exposure to another
culture or language alongside gaining valuable international work experience. Interns
participating in these programs are offered opportunities to attend cultural excursions and
discussions centered around cultural similarities and workplace differences. Considered essential
elements of the program experience, in 2020, some global internship providers created virtual
cultural experiences such as cooking classes and museum tours for students engaged in a remote
global internship.

There are benefits and barriers to conducting a global internship remotely, regardless of whether
it is supported by a third-party program provider, employer, or higher education institution. These
have come more to the forefront in the past year, with an increase of remote global internships
being offered. While one might argue that promising practices for a remote global internship are
promising practices for any internship or work-based experience, the practices outlined in Figure
3 require a more conscious effort in a remote, international environment. They, therefore,
deserve greater attention from employers and students alike.
Figure 3. Promising Practices for Remote Global Internships

EMPLOYERS STUDENTS
Pair trained mentors with student interns Communicate proactively and regularly with a
supervisor or mentor regarding assignments,
priorities, and reflections
Assign project-based work Implement organizational strategies to
manage time, meeting schedules, project
deliverables, etc.
Orient interns to information and communication Familiarize yourself with new systems,
technology and company culture software, and communication tools used by
the organization for daily work
Create networking opportunities with employees Request networking opportunities and attend
and among intern cohorts invited meetings and events
Establish regular opportunities for feedback and Take time to reflect on and discuss
reflection communications and experiences with other
interns, mentors, or co-workers

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced more than 40 percent of the global workforce to engage in
remote work (WEF, 2020), challenges remain for student interns that may affect their learning
outcomes. Moments often referred to as “water-cooler” conversations represent informal
opportunities for interns and employees to get to know one another. These moments establish
more personal relationships and serve to build understanding between colleagues in the work
environment about how best to work together. They also expand relationships when employees
introduce interns to other colleagues, effectively helping them build a network at the
organization. In the absence of these moments, interns must be proactive in requesting or
scheduling lunch or coffee meetings with individuals in the organization. Successful interns also
need to be highly motivated and organized. For remote global students who could benefit from

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support, an advisor or supervisor should spend time guiding the student through technological
tools that will aid their organization.

For students who select a remote global internship, the value of this experience lies in the
opportunity to build a global network, increase cultural awareness, and enhance language skills.
The entry point for these internship elements begins with a mentor who dedicates their time and
attention to orienting students to work assignments and the organization, country, and culture.
Relationship building across geographic boundaries and time zones can prove to be a challenge
for some. However, with an intentional effort by both employers and students, meetings, events,
and other communication activities can be arranged to enable students to establish a relationship
with their mentor and other individuals at the organization. This foundation not only establishes
a network for students but opens the door to opportunities for conversation and dialogue around
expectations, culture, and communication. In a global context, these conversations are essential
for students to unpack their experiences and build empathetic understanding.

Similarly, given the lack of the immersive environment provided by an in-person internship, skills
acquisition may require more effort and intentionality to develop through a remote internship
(Hora, 2020; Vriens et al., 2013). This means that supervisors and mentors first need to be aware
of the skills students seek to hone through their internship experience and understand the skills
their internship opportunity is best suited to enhance. By meeting to discuss these intended
learning outcomes, integrating their development into assigned projects, and checking in
regularly on their progress, both employers and students may have a more favorable view of their
acquisition or development of skills after the internship.

“‘My experience with GE has been excellent, they have given me the opportunity to take the
step of growing with my company, to learn to lose the fear of delegating. In the last year I
have managed to focus on my business strategy knowing that some excellent interns were
going to give me support. The selection of students follows a methodology that allows you
to previously know the qualities and expertise of each one so that when assigning tasks,
they can meet your expectations. It is now the second time that I have counted on them and
I can assure you that I have been able to grow in leadership and financial results.’
- Eleonora Majorana · Graphic, Brand & Packaging Designer, Branding Little Brands

Global Internship Framework – How Remote Models Fit

With a definition of the types of global internship opportunities and their mode of
implementation, we now move to the potential outcomes of remote global internships, looking
at three lenses: skills acquisition, global citizenship, and career readiness. We describe the value
of global internships more broadly to each of these topics and then analyze how remote global
internships may fit into this framework.

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Skills Acquisition

According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2020), employers rated critical
thinking and analysis, problem-solving, and self-management as the most critical skills for the
global workforce moving into 2025 (Figure 4). These skills are integral to all global internships,
whether in-person or remote.
Figure 4. Important Skills for the Global Workforce 2025

Research on skills acquisition in remote internships is promising, though limited as these

opportunities have only increased in the last decade. A recent study by Virtual Internships (2021b)
comparing students who participated in an in-person international internship in East Asia in 2019
with students who participated in a remote global internship with an organization located in East
Asia in 2020 showed similar pre to post-test gains for students in critical thinking and problem
solving, with approximately 17 percent of all students reporting significant gains. A survey of
Global Experiences (2021) employers found that employers scored students’ demonstration of
the critical thinking competency slightly higher for remote interns (3.7/4) in 2020 than they did
for the in-person interns (3.5/4) in 2019.

For students participating in a remote global internship, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
are necessary to navigate project-based tasks independently. Knowing when and how to ask for
guidance on tasks can be challenging for some students. However, in a remote global internship,
this may be even more evident as access to a supervisor or colleague could be delayed by a full
day's work, forcing students to make decisions and seek to resolve problems independently.
When students are paired with a dedicated mentor, research shows that a remote internship can
support the development of communication and strategic problem-solving skills (Jeske &

9
Lineham, 2020). The mentor relationship is also essential to creating opportunities for
collaboration with other employees and sharing knowledge, information, and experience.

While critical thinking and analysis and problem-

Figure 5 Professionalism/Work Ethic Skill Assessment
solving skills have long been at the top of the
World Economic Forum's list of most desired skills
Professionalism/Work by employers, self-management is part of a newly
Ethic emerging skill group and one that may be
100%
particularly relevant to remote global internships.
12%
19%
Skills that fall under self-management include
active listening, resilience, stress tolerance, and
80%
flexibility. These skills are critical in the virtual
environment where interns must self-manage
60% 55% 42%
their work, pro-actively using a range of
communication tools and leveraging their
40%
technological skills to complete assignments. The
18%
17% self-management practices that students apply
20%
may also lead to improved project management
16% 21%
skills. Hora (2020) notes that project-based
0%
assignments can offer students the opportunity
Remote In-Person
to develop technical, interpersonal, or
Loss No Change Gain Significant Gain intrapersonal skills. Virtual Internships (2021b)
reported 67 percent of remote global interns
Source: Virtual Internships, 2021b noted a gain in the similar area of professionalism
and work ethic compared to 61 percent of their
in-person peers (Figure 5). Similarly, Global Experiences (2021) also recorded higher scores from
employers in 2020 for remote interns’ development of professionalism and work ethic (3.8/4) in
comparison to scores in 2019 for in-person interns (3.6/4).

Technology skills are also integral to remote global internships as well. More than 50 percent of
companies reported its increasing relative importance (WEF, 2020). Interestingly, Virtual
Internships (2021b) noted that students who participated in an in-person international internship
reported more significant gains in digital technology (68 percent) in comparison to their peers
who participated in a remote global internship (63 percent). This may be because students
participating remotely expected to use various forms of technology and were unaware of their
gains. As a result, remote global internships can contribute to this skill by ensuring supervisors
and mentors acknowledge technology and digital literacies directly with students to build and
enhance their knowledge.

Finally, we know that in-person global experiences can contribute to more effective intercultural
skills, curiosity, flexibility/adaptability, confidence, and self-awareness to a significant degree
(Farrugia & Sanger, 2017). However, the evidence is less clear whether these same skills are
developed through a remote global internship. Also, little to no empirical research is available to

10
distinguish any difference between skills a student may acquire via a remote global internship
versus a remote domestic internship. There is reason to believe that communication skills,
particularly those related to intercultural communications, may appear different among students
who participate in a remote global internship; however, further research is needed to confirm this
hypothesis.

“A highlight of my internship has been gathering information to apply for grants

from the European Union regarding their Green Deal initiatives. I found it incredibly
interesting to observe another country's response to the climate change crisis.”
– Global Experiences, Student Intern

Global Citizenship

The concept of global citizenship, which has been debated over the years, can be broadly defined
as civic responsibility that transcends borders. Greene (2012) identified the following features of
global citizenship: choice, self-awareness, cultural empathy, moral decision making, and active
community participants. These elements come together to shape an individual's behavior and
their understanding and reaction to the world around them. Skills such as intercultural
communication, problem-solving, and leadership align closely with these elements. While global
citizenship is traditionally discussed in higher education and the international education field
concerning campus internationalization efforts, there is not a prerequisite that global citizens
must have lived in or traveled to another country. As such, for educators and employers,
understanding how a remote global internship can contribute to students' development as global
citizens without leaving their homes can serve to shape best practices and standards for
implementing remote global internships.

As technological advancements and global workforce culture shift throughout the pandemic, it is
necessary to discuss how students interested in participating in a remote global internship can
focus on the “global” aspect. Paige et al.'s (2009) study suggest a strong positive correlation
between international learning experiences and participants' global engagement. Vriens et al.
(2013) note that international internships provide students with an opportunity to develop
intercultural skills but emphasize the need for explicit attention to their development. They
suggest regular meetings between a supervisor and student and among peers to provide feedback
and space for reflection on cultural differences that "focus on differences in written
communication, negotiation styles, business cultures, and decision-making processes" (p. 6). They
further recommend including multiple individuals to differentiate between personality traits and
cultural identities. These activities focus students on developing their ability to understand and
respect different cultural contexts and viewpoints, including an openness to new ideas and ways
of thinking. The emphasis on intercultural skill development addresses several of the features

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Green identified in global citizens; however, attention to leadership and problem-solving skills is
also relevant.

While limited empirical research has been

“At the end of each day, I would spend a
published on global citizenship as an half-hour talking with my coworkers about
outcome of remote global internships, how our cultures are different/similar. It is
Vriens et al.'s study suggests that planning so interesting to see how other people live.”
and explicit attention to skills aligned with
– Kassandra S., Salisbury University
global citizenship may support students'
growth in this area.

Students participating in an in-person global internship may have opportunities to discuss cultural
differences, communication styles, and approaches to problem-solving more informally with co-
workers, neighbors, and friends daily as they navigate the new country they are living in. In
contrast, remote global interns and the organizations that they are assigned to must build time
and space into their work to pause, reflect, and discuss. In many ways, these conversations may
begin more formally with facilitated prompts or questions and require supervisors to connect
interns with others at the organization, including other remote interns, who can continue a more
informal dialogue throughout the internship program. Remote global internships also have a
slight advantage – with the full internship experience expected to occur in a virtual environment,
employers can connect students with organizational leaders whose busy schedules might not
have aligned well with an in-person intern. Organizational leaders can demonstrate global
citizenship ideals and can engage in a discussion on how to achieve common goals with others
and effective communication.

Career Readiness

Internship programs serve as a pivotal experience for college students to apply the theoretical
learnings from their academic careers to a work environment. For many, this is a critical step in
preparing for their eventual transition into the workforce. The rise of remote global internships
offers a new possibility for students' skill development and overall career readiness. NACE (2015)
defines career readiness as "the attainment and demonstration of requisite competencies that
broadly prepare college graduates for a successful transition into the workplace." Figure 6 outlines
the NACE career readiness competencies.

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Figure 6. NACE Career Readiness Competencies

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

Oral/Written Communication

Teamwork/Collaboration

Digital Technology

Leadership

Professionalism/WorkEthic

Career Management

Global/Intercultual Fluency

Each competency can be further broken down into several concrete skills. NACE's Job Outlook
2019 survey reported critical thinking/problem-solving and teamwork/collaboration to remain
the most highly desired employers' competencies. Professionalism/work ethic and oral/written
communications round out the top four. Post-assessment results from Virtual Internships'
summer 2020 cohort of remote global interns show that 87 percent of students believed they
exhibited global/intercultural fluency as defined by NACE to a great extent or always (Virtual
Internships, 2021c). This is a positive indication that supports around the development of
global/intercultural fluency even in a remote environment were successful from the student
perspective.

The NACE career readiness model informs the program design for internship providers that seek
to support students with skill development while on an internship. For providers such as Global
Experiences, career readiness is at the heart of their remote global internship programs. Students
complete an assessment of their strengths and participate in several coaching and orientation
activities before commencing the internship.

Looking Ahead: What Remote Global Internships Offer

The rapid shift to remote global internships in 2020 spurred the growth of promising practices for
employers, higher education institutions, and students around designing, supporting, and

13
participating in a remote internship. These continue to evolve as organizations and associations
share new findings, tips, and recommendations for students.

Promising Practices

Safe, Work-based Learning (Hora, 2020)

With most businesses closed or only partially opened as of early 2021, a remote global internship
offers students an opportunity to develop skills critical to career readiness from their home's
safety and comfort. Safety is critical for harnessing the buy-in and support that students need
from their institutions and parents to participate in an internship program effectively.
Participating in a safe environment also benefits students who may feel stress around travel
during this time. And finally, one of the long-term benefits of a remote global internship is that a
safe environment opens access to students with disabilities and underlying health conditions who
may not have been able to participate in an in-person internship or an international internship
even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access
A remote global internship is now possible for a vast population of students! Geographic, mobility,
and financial barriers that prevented some students from engaging in an international internship
previously are now alleviated with a remote option. Costs associated with traveling to the
internship site along with housing and other associated expenses are also removed. Access to a
remote global internship can also allow students to participate with an employer in the country
of their choice – further eliminating geographic, mobility, and financial barriers that may have
influenced a student's choice for their internship location. Although securing an internship can
involve a competitive process, the opportunity to pursue a valuable experiential learning
opportunity in their field of study is now possible for a greater number of students.

Flexibility
Students perceive remote global internships as more flexible and mobile, allowing them to focus
on school and work at separate times. This flexibility pushes employers and students to focus on
project-based work assignments that can be completed at any time and which are ultimately more
effective at addressing skills acquisition for students. While students may need to be more
proactive in requesting feedback, differences in time zones may allow supervisors the space to
review students’ work, providing feedback for students as soon as they log back on the next day.

Focused Projects
Successful remote interns were given clear expectations on assigned projects. Assignments were
typically project-based rather than task-based, allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge in a
specific subject matter and to work independently, particularly when their home time zone did
not align directly with that of the organization. This serves as an overall benefit to both students
and employers. Students gain project management skills to complete the assignment and have a

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final product to show for their work when they graduate and move into the workforce. Employers
are able to better leverage the strengths of interns to complete more meaningful work.

Asynchronous Work
Remote global internships must manage differences in time zones. This can be an advantage for
students who can submit work to a supervisor and receive feedback quickly the next day.
Asynchronous work also allows students to develop organizational, time management, and
project management skills that will serve them well in both their academic and professional lives.

Much of the research on internships and skill acquisition has been focused on the in-person
internship. As society pivots to remote work culture, the focus on standards for remote
internships is welcome. To reflect the global nature of many internships, these standards should
also be reviewed closely and adapted to address the specific needs of students and employers
engaged in remote global internships.

The data emerging from Global Experiences and Virtual Internships is promising. It suggests that,
overall, students who participate in remote global internships that incorporate targeted supports,
guidance, and reflective opportunities through all phases of the internship, experience the same
or better gains in skill development as their peers who participate in an in-person international
experience. It also shows that competencies can be clearly demonstrated and assessed even a
virtual environment. Finally, it documents students’ successful ability to work with remote access
to an organization, a likely mode of the future workforce. If internships are intended to support
student experiential learning and transition to the workforce, a remote global internship appears
to be a successful experience for students.

And while this paper highlights the value of a remote global internships for career readiness, it
does not intend to suggest that remote global internships should replace the in-person internship
experience. Instead it hopes to share the benefits and encourage third-party providers,
employers, and higher education institutions to continue looking towards the future to an
internship model that leverages the best of both worlds and expands students’ preparation for
the workforce.

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