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Interning at not-for-profit and ecological organisations in Bangkok is how 14 University of Canterbury (UC) students will spend the next five weeks.

The group left for Thailand this morning, on an experience which will not only give them internships based on their personal career goals, but also exposure to a different country.

Dr Stephen Hardman, UC’s College of Arts International and Internship Co-ordinator, says the students will gain real world workplace experience in a very different culture to those within New Zealand.

“The programme is part of a UC commitment to raise the global awareness of our students, an increasingly important attribute in the internationally networked world we live in.”

The internships will include working for not-for-profit organisations, research for a local ecological foundation and teaching English at Mahidol University.

For Christchurch born and bred Law and Arts student Julie Qiu, this will be her first trip to Thailand.

“It will be interesting to work in a professional environment in a foreign country. I’m excited to visit the temples and learn more about Thai culture. I’ve heard the street food is amazing and want to visit an elephant sanctuary.”

Thai students from Mahidol University will visit Christchurch this winter and take up internships here to benefit their studies.

Dr Hardman says the programme has been running for three years and students who took part back in 2014 are still friends with their Thai counterparts and keep in touch online.

Thirteen of the UC students travelling to Thailand received Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia, a scheme that enables New Zealand students to experience our neighbouring continent. The UC group leaving today also includes a UC international student from Singapore.

Tags: christchurch, Thailand, Youth