2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In recent years, engineering colleges in the United States have increasingly emphasized the cultivation of well-rounded and globally proficient engineers. With a world that is becoming more interconnected, there is a growing demand for engineers who possess not only technical expertise, but also essential professional skills such as global awareness, effective communication across diverse groups and adaptability. International programs, with study abroad being the predominant method and summer as the most preferred season, offer a means to nurture engineers with a global perspective. Nevertheless, engineering students often face competing priorities, such as inflexibility in curriculum and the emphasis on practical experience, which can act as barriers to their study abroad plans. International internships offers a unique opportunity for these students to attain multiple objectives by gaining international experience while simultaneously honing their professional skills.
The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the experiences of students who have participated in international internship programs within an engineering context, which were organized and overseen by faculty members. The study seeks to answer two research questions concerning the experiences of undergraduate students who engage in international engineering internship programs:
i. What are the experiences of engineering undergraduates who participate in a faculty-led international internship program?
ii. How do the different contexts of the programs impact the student experiences?
This research employs a qualitative case study approach to investigate three distinct international engineering programs within the College of Engineering. Semi-structured interviews and artifacts were used to gather in-depth data on student experiences. Thematic analysis is currently underway to identify common themes, while contextual and cross-case comparative analyses will reveal trends and differences across programs. The study’s outcomes will offer recommendations for enhancing faculty-led international internship programs in engineering education, potentially influencing program development at the institutional level.