SUMMER INTERN ABROAD PROGRAM

GLOBAL ENGINEERING (SOUTH AFRICA)

Global Practicum

A 4-credit global practicum to develop skills, knowledge, and understanding that prepare you for leadership and engagement in our global society.

AT A GLANCE

  • Global Practicum Program
  • Disciplinary Track: Global Engineering
  • Study Abroad Destination: South Africa
  • 2026 Dates: June 27-July 24 (4 weeks)
  • Credit: 4 U.S. credit hours (~ 8 ECTS credits) for eligible university students
  • Eligibility: Any field and level of study

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Advance engineering for sustainable impact in South Africa
This 4-week, 4-credit Global Practicum immerses students in South Africa’s vibrant development and innovation sectors. Through partnerships with local engineering firms, NGOs, and social enterprises, students contribute to projects that address pressing challenges in infrastructure, energy access, water systems, and health technology.

The program fosters intercultural collaboration, systems thinking, and ethical engineering practice. Students gain hands-on experience and professional mentorship while building global leadership competencies through weekly colloquia and a digital portfolio.
Program Highlights
  • Collaborative engineering placements with South African host organizations
  • Interdisciplinary problem-solving with sustainability and impact at the core
  • Guided professional reflection and mentorship
  • Digital portfolio development to document technical and intercultural growth
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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
The Global Engineering Practicum is an intensive, 4-credit program spanning four weeks in a host country in Africa or Asia. Students immerse themselves in practical engineering work, collaborating with local engineers, entrepreneurs, and community partners to tackle pressing infrastructure, energy, and healthcare challenges.

Through group placements with host organizations, students apply technical knowledge to real-world problems, using human-centered design principles to develop sustainable, impact-driven engineering solutions.

The program follows a structured experiential learning model, combining fieldwork, technical problem-solving, and design implementation. Each week, students participate in class colloquia, reflection sessions, and cultural engagement activities, fostering a deeper understanding of engineering’s role in global development.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the practicum, students will:
  • Apply engineering skills to address real development challenges
  • Integrate systems thinking and sustainability into technical work
  • Collaborate with local professionals in diverse, cross-cultural settings
  • Reflect on ethical dimensions of global engineering practice
  • Produce a digital portfolio showcasing their contributions and growth
Further Details
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YOUR DESTINATION: SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has emerged from its troubled and turbulent past into a healthy democratic country and the economic powerhouse of the African continent. At the same time, it’s a great place to witness a society going through dynamic changes, as it can still be considered both a developed and an underdeveloped country. South Africans forge a new identity, strongly embracing their unique multicultural character.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Hands-on projects in innovation hubs

Students are placed with South African host organizations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, or nearby regions - supporting engineering solutions in areas like clean water, sustainable infrastructure, or energy systems. Each project is designed to align with local priorities and the student’s field of study.

Mentorship & cultural exchange
Local professionals provide mentorship throughout the practicum, while GEI facilitators lead weekly colloquia to foster reflection and growth. Students gain deep insights into South Africa’s development challenges, innovation strategies, and community dynamics.
Daily immersion in South African life
Beyond the workplace, students engage with local culture through everyday routines - sampling dishes like bobotie or bunny chow, visiting township markets, and learning about social history through storytelling and personal interaction.

Optional excursions & weekend Exploration
During weekends, students can choose to explore iconic landmarks such as Table Mountain, Robben Island, or the Cape Winelands. Safaris or visits to local conservation projects offer added opportunities to understand the environmental context of development work.
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HOUSING & MEALS

The program includes 4 weeks in South Africa. For this time, GEI South Africa offers different housing options that students can choose from, pending availability. These include:

  • Homestays: Typically single rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • Serviced apartments: Single or shared double rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • University residence halls at our local partner universities: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities
  • Simple guesthouses: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities


Homestay host families typically provide breakfast and dinner. Students in serviced apartments, university residence halls, or guesthouses are usually responsible for all meals outside of core course meals.

You can find additional information in the following blog post: Accommodation – What to expect.

DATES, FEES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Program Dates

Application Due Date

Fees

Summer 2026 (4 weeks): June 27-July 24

Summer 2026: April 1

Summer 2026: US $3,950 (4 weeks)

At GEI, we strongly believe in equal access to academic opportunities in study abroad. In order to help eliminate financial barriers, we offer a variety of merit scholarships, trailblazer scholarships, and opportunity scholarships and grants, ranging from $500 to full tuition awards. Each year, GEI is awarding several hundred thousand dollars in scholarships. You can find further information as well as additional resources for external funding opportunities in the following blog post: Scholarships & Grants.

INSTRUCTORS & COORDINATORS

Meet our core team

All of our instructors and coordinators are highly experienced and resourceful professionals.
Waleed Fatth, MPH
Program Director
Francoise Uzamukunda, MA
Academic Director, East Africa
Thuy Phan, MA
Academic Director, Vietnam
Chone Chaowai, MIDP
Academic Director, Thailand
Kari Cousins, MA/MSc
Academic Director, Southern Africa
Yvan Rubengebenge
Operations Manager, Rwanda
Eric Kingoina, DCS
Operations Manager, Kenya
Dang Huynh, BA
Operations, Vietnam
Denyse Iradukunda, BA
Operations, Rwanda
Sammy Davies Mochama, BSc
Operations, Kenya
Mabwe Gwamure, BSc
Operations, South Africa

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