INTERNSHIP

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
AND
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY

Practical training is essential to an engineering study in order to prepare for

future jobs. Only through working experience students are able to link
knowledge and skills from their education to real-life situations. Moreover
working experience offers insights no book can offer better. Therefore, the
Mechanical Engineering and the Sustainable Energy Technology programmes
have great appreciation for the assignment your organisation offers, or
considers to offer.
This text is intended to explain how an assignment is being organised and
what the university generally expects from your organisation when providing a
student project.
CURRICULUM
The masters Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable
Energy technology are two year programmes. The first
year consists of courses only, while the second year is
reserved for the internship and the graduation
assignment. The internship is carried out outside the
university; in the Netherlands or abroad. Since the
student has finished (most of) the theory, he/she is
supposed to work at the level of a junior engineer (under
the supervision of a member of the company).
OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the internship are:
- to become acquainted with the field of Mechanical
Engineering or Sustainable Energy Technology
- to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in a
practical situation
- to become acquainted with real life problem solving
- to work independently
- to learn how to plan things carefully
- to practice oral and written skills
- to develop social and communicative skills
- to carry out a project which is useful for the employer
ASSIGNMENT
The student should work individually on an assignment.
Premise is that the assignment should be of use to your
organisation. Of course the student might be involved in
formulating the assignment. The assignment proposal is
discussed (by the student) with a member of the
academic staff of Mechanical Engineering or Sustainable
Energy Technology who will act as internal supervisor.
The assignment has to be in the field of (applied)
technical sciences, and can be either (part of) a
fundamental research project, a product development or
a production (re)organisation.
Before starting the internship the student must meet the
entry requirements and the assignment must have been
approved by the UT. Only when both requirements are
fulfilled the student is allowed to start the internship.
SUPERVISION BY THE ORGANISATION
It is expected that the student will be introduced into the
organisation in the same way as a new colleague. One of
your staff members should act as the student’s external
supervisor. The student should have his own workplace.
We suppose that the student and his external supervisor
will discuss progress at least once a week. Furthermore
we expect that the external supervisor will comment on
the concept paper and the student and the external
supervisor will have a final meeting to finish the project
formally. The external supervisor is asked to fill in an
evaluation form that will be sent to him at the end of the
internship.
SUPERVISION BY THE UNIVERSITY
During the internship a member of the academic staff will
supervise the student. This internal supervisor will keep
in touch with the student to check progress. The UT
supervisor will assess the final report, whereby the
evaluation form of the company supervisor will be taken
into consideration. Finally he will discuss the final paper
with the student and will mark it.
REWARD AND INSURANCE
It is desired that the assignment will not result in any
extra costs for the student. The university requests that
the organisation will at least compensate the travelling
and accommodation costs. This if often realised by an
internship allowance. But, your organisation is obviously
not obligated to provide a fixed salary.
Insurance is partly covered by a University agreement.
We recommend your organisation to address issues like
allowance, insurance, working hours etc. in an
agreement with the student. We provide a format to the
student to identify arrangements for these aspects.
PAPER AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The student is asked to write a paper of approximately 20
pages on his assignment. At the end of the internship the
report should be finished.
Like any other official document related to or produced by
the student, a digital copy of the report will be archived
and added to the student’s file. This is done in particular
for three reasons:
- providing information about past internships to
students who are currently looking for an internship
- quality assurance of the internship as part of the
curriculum
- comprehensiveness of the student's archive
The report can be examined by students, staff members
and members of an assessment committee during an
accreditation procedure. The digital archive is connected
to the library of the University of Twente. In case the
paper contains confidential information it will not be open
to public inspection. If the report is confidential the
student should mark it clearly on the cover of the report,
but the company can also indicate this on the evaluation
form. In addition, an official non-disclosure agreement
must also be signed. On request we can send you a UT-
format.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information you can contact the internship
coordinator.
Jacqueline Emmerich
Telephone +31 53 489 2130
Email internship-me@utwente.nl
http://www.utwente.nl/en/me/master_programme/student
_mobility