From 23 to 27 March, Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences hosted the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Internship Bootcamp”, an initiative designed to strengthen students’ employability through a practical and international learning experience.
A total of 41 students from five partner universities within the DIVERSE European University Alliance took part in the programme, which combined two preparatory online sessions with a week of on-campus activities in Germany.
The main aim of the Bootcamp was to ensure students are truly internship-ready. Throughout the week, participants engaged in hands-on workshops focused on improving CVs and cover letters, developing networking strategies, practising salary negotiation, and taking part in realistic mock job interviews.
In addition, students worked on their personal Ikigai model, encouraging them to reflect on their strengths, values, and long-term career goals, adding a reflective and personal dimension to their professional development.
The programme was not only focused on academic and professional skills. The social activities included traditional Bavarian food experiences and an escape room challenge, where teams demonstrated strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills in a dynamic and multicultural environment.
The value of such international experiences was also highlighted by participants. Nesibeh Hedayati, lecturer at SAMK (Finland), noted that programmes like this foster collaboration, international exchange, and personal growth in a particularly natural and effective way.
From the organisers’ perspective, feedback from students has been especially valuable. Tatjana Erlewein emphasised that this input has directly contributed to the decision to plan a second edition of the Internship Bootcamp.
The next edition is expected to take place at one of the DIVERSE partner universities, with UNEATLANTICO (Spain), SAMK (Finland), or Algebra Bernays University (Croatia) currently under consideration. The final host will be confirmed in due course.
