AT A GLANCE Start dates: Custom dates, year-round Duration: 4 weeks or longer Credit: 4 US credits (~ 8 ECTS credits) for eligible university students Eligibility: Undergrad/grad – any field and level of study Program fees: US $985 (4 weeks) + US $95 per extra week |
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Course overview
Do you seek a global virtual internship that offers a lot more than just a meaningful remote international work experience? Are you passionate about making an impact and developing competencies as a global change leader? Then this program series is for you! Why?
Because GEI not only provides you with highly engaging multi-disciplinary internship placements – both on-site and remote – with one of our many vetted local partner organizations. We have also developed a unique program environment that offers you a multitude of additional opportunities to hone your global change leadership competencies, interact with global and local peers, and receive extensive mentoring and support.
You are matched with a local host organization according to your level of study, existing skills, and desired fields. A specific internship plan is developed in advance of each placement. Academic credits are available, and you will be expected to complete some key course requirements. In addition to the placement, you will benefit from a pre-placement orientation, a weekly classroom or field session as well as various other resources with interdisciplinary training on change leadership competencies, and a weekly formal supervisory meeting. While we cannot guarantee that we will find a suitable host organization for you, placements are typically available in a range of fields. Custom placements have flexible starting dates with flexible duration (minimum 4 weeks).
Expect the following key elements:
- Cultural orientation: Interact with an international team and develop your cultural intelligence skills, confidence, and adaptability.
- Remote work modules: Foster your technology and personal skills to work remotely in new environment and across cultures.
- Destination deep dive: Gain new insight through a unique African or Asian perspective on social impact topics in low- and middle-income countries.
- Global café: Broaden your personal and professional network and connect with people from all over the world.
- Mentoring: Guided by your local preceptor, your specific tasks and assignments will combine a highly relevant global experience with professional skills.
- Interaction: A weekly synchronous Q&A session will be organized with your local preceptor and coordinators.
- Research-based learning: Improve your research skills, explore the landscape of your topic locally and globally, and suggest appropriate solutions.
- Engage with local peers: Work hand-in-hand with a local student peer, support each other, and learn from each other.
- Practical development tools: Work with your local peer and preceptor to produce practical tools such as a research paper, a literature review, guidelines, videos, flyers, and the like.
- Career: This virtual internship offers an opportunity to reflect on your personal drivers, values, and how you want to be perceived as a professional entering the workforce.
Program locations
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Rwanda One of today’s greatest development success stories, Rwanda is Africa’s prime study abroad jewel. The country underwent a breathtaking transformation since the 1994 genocide. A model for poverty reduction and economic growth, it accounts for the highest percentage of women in parliament anywhere in the world. And the streets of its modern green capital Kigali are clean, safe, and free of corruption. |
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Vietnam
The Asian Dragon is undergoing some of the fastest socio-economic changes any country in the world has seen. It is a major development success story with remarkable rates of economic growth since the start of massive political and economic reforms in 1986. But the lure of modern living has a deep impact on the traditional networks of family and community that continue to play a pivotal role in society. |
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Academics
This course enables students to develop and apply their theoretical and practical knowledge in a supervised internship experience. Qualified students are placed with a local host organization according to their level of study, existing skills, and desired fields. A specific internship plan is developed in advance of each placement.
Students benefit from a pre-placement orientation, a weekly classroom or field session with interdisciplinary training, and a weekly formal supervisory meeting – all from the comfort of your home.
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify professional and personal values, strengths and interests
- Develop an increased level of self-efficacy and competency in a specific career field
- Navigate technology essential for remote working
- Display professional communication through oral and written means in professional settings
The interdisciplinary training focuses on cultural intelligence (CQ), transformations towards sustainable development, storytelling, and career development with special emphasis on international careers and networking.
Further details:
Dates, fees, and scholarships
The program dates are generally identical across our program locations – Rwanda and Vietnam.
Program | Application due | Start date | End date | Fees |
Year-round | 2 months prior | Custom | Custom | US $985 (4 weeks) + US $95 per additional week |
We value full transparency and no hidden costs. As a result, you won’t have any disappointing surprises.
Included in your program fees are the internship placement, pre-internship advising, development of a personal internship plan and goals, project- or research-based internship work, virtual interdisciplinary training and cultural activities/immersion, facilitated group reflections sessions, final presentation / report / essay to synthesize the learning experience.
If you are an undergraduate student and want to seek academic credit, your college or university may charge additional fees or may require you to receive a transcript via GEI’s academic school of record, The College of New Jersey, which carries an additional fee of US $125 per credit.
Scholarships:
GEI offers a variety of merit scholarships, trailblazer scholarships, and opportunity scholarships and grants. You can find further information as well as additional resources for external funding opportunities in the following blog post: Scholarships & Grants.
Our program staff
Our in-country program staff consists of experienced local education, sustainability, and program operations experts.
![]() Yvan Rubengebenge | ![]() Cailin Human, MBA |
![]() Thuy Phan, MA |
![]() Francoise Uzamukunda, MA |
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![]() Eric Kingoina, DCS |
![]() Adeline Imanirakiza, DIS |
![]() Amy Lin, MA |
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