IND-3001 GENI - Internship - 10 stp

Description The internship is required in the Joint Master's Program in Governance and Entrepreneurship in Northern and Indigenous Areas (GENI). The aim of the internship is to prepare students for the thesis work, as well as to build capacity among students by providing experience working with industry, government, indigenous organizations and institutions, and other organizations and stakeholders; fostering professional networks; and serving the research needs of northern community organizations and other stakeholders.

Content In the first semester, students will be expected to work with the course instructor to prepare and arrange their internships. The internship period constitutes the praxis period of the program in the second semester. As a basis for the choice of methods in the praxis period and for the research project, the course will first focus on practical aspects of multidisciplinary research with social sciences as the point of departure, and give an overview of basic methodological tools as a preparation for collecting data. The internship will be a venue for students to acquire relevant work experience during the study period and establish useful contacts for future job searches and/or joining professional networks. The internship may take on three forms: (1) Knowledge synthesis, (2) Program, policy and management analyses, or (3) Assessment of needs and implementation gaps.

• Knowledge synthesis: This type of internship will consist of an in-depth analysis of core issues on the topic. Depending on the research question, this may include a summary of major issues involved, best practices, or how the issue has been addressed in other jurisdictions or regions, and any pertinent data.
• Program, policy and management analyses: Students assigned to this type of internship will be asked to analyze the effectiveness of a specific program, policies or management arrangements. This could take many forms, such as a process-evaluation, which examines the extent to which the program model or implementation is serving the target population or works as expected. The internship course is closely linked to the course on Methodology and Policy Planning.
• Assessment of needs and implementation gaps: By definition, a needs assessment is a systematic process for determining and addressing needs, or gaps between current conditions and desired conditions. Students assigned this type of internship will be required to identify the problems and present possible solutions for their host organization. This also involves addressing problems of implementing rights and policies. Students will be assigned the internship topic, which will impact the form of internship. As part of training for the internship, students will be prepared for how to conduct the evaluation. This will cover questions to be included in an interview or survey. Independent of which form the individual internship takes, all students may be required to do a brief knowledge synthesis, identify and meet with stakeholders, implement the methodology, collect and analyze the data and write a written report, including recommendations.  

Learning outcomes

Student acquired knowledge: By the end of the course, students will have acquired advanced knowledge around critical issues related to a practical and empirical field of Northern governance, innovation and Northern indigenous issues in general.

Student acquired skills: By the end of the course, students will have skills in practical research as well as having gained and applied professional skills. They will be able to critically evaluate how some measures have been successful and some not. In addition, students will be able to use relevant methods for research to compile the data for a project, and design and deliver an academic poster at an organized event.

Student acquired competence: By the end of the course students will be able to conduct independent applied research for and with a northern organization, institution, industry or government. They will be able to develop and maintain professional leadership networks to support northern communities with innovative and entrepreneurial approaches.  

Delivery The internship is focused on service learning, where the student conducts research for a community partner on a question of practical relevance to the organization/institution/company. Students are guided by an academic supervisor from UiT - the Arctic University of Norway as well as a responsible contact person within the host organization who will provide direction during the internship period. Students are assigned their research project; that is, they do not choose them freely.

Internship schedule First module: meetings on preparing internship period, orientations in class and academic supervision. Second module: Internship. Third module: Report writing and editing.

Milestones Introductory meetings. Orientation and planning meetings in person or via video-conferencing.  Regular meetings and communication with academic supervisor. Mid-project progress updates to academic supervisor, GENI-coordinator and internship host. Draft report due. Final report due.

Safety A contract will be signed with each internship partner. The partners are required to prepare the students for work in their organization and also provide them with necessary security training.  

Assessment and grading Two mid-project progress updates must be presented to academic supervisor, GENI-coordinator and internship host by February 15 / May 15. The course is assessed through a written report between 4000 and 4500 words, excluding bibliography, after the internship period. Final draft report due July 21. Final report due August 21st.

The report may constitute a part of the Project thesis. The report shall draw attention to aspects of one of the following research areas: Northern governance and communication, entrepreneurship and indigenous innovation, resource economics, resource management and environmental management, capacity building, social and health issues. The report shall draw upon relevant literature from other courses in the GENI program. The applied grading of the report is passed or failed. 

The course is open for re-sit examination. The report must be written in English. A GENI Internship Handbook is developed including guidelines for the internship period, including proper work etiquette, conduct and expectations, ethics, funding, the role of supervisor, and timelines and deadlines.