ERIC Number: EJ1113654
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1175-2882
EISSN: N/A
Planning the Journey to Best Practice in Developing Employability Skills: Transnational University Internships in Vietnam
Bilsland, Christine; Nagy, Helga; Smith, Phil
Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, v15 n2 p145-157 2014
Currently, there is little research into how Western universities can establish and implement effective WIL (Work Integrated Learning) in their offshore campuses. Given global concern with university graduates' general work-readiness, combined with a need for foreign universities to deliver relevant outcomes to its offshore students, greater insight is needed. This paper examines WIL in an offshore education context. It reports results from work supervisor evaluations of interns in a foreign university that delivers its WIL/internship program to undergraduate business degree students in Vietnam. Although preliminary results indicate that work supervisors are generally satisfied with intern performance on employability skill measures, the authors propose further research that would enable universities to deliver locally relevant WIL programs. The paper concludes by proposing WIL research initiatives aimed at incorporating richer communication and involvement with the company representatives/ frontline supervisors; understanding relevant factors of importance held by industry; and building closer connections with industry.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Internship Programs, Employment Potential, Job Skills, Workplace Learning, Undergraduate Students, Business Administration Education, Supervisors, Student Evaluation, Likert Scales, Questionnaires
New Zealand Association for Cooperative Education. University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. Tel: +64-7-838-4892; e-mail: editor@apjce.org; Web site: http://www.apjce.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Vietnam
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A