Practice and Assessment of long-term internships in Professional University

An Analysis of Implementation Methods for First-Year Courses

Abstract

This paper aims to examine educational methods and their effectiveness in fostering generic skills and entrepreneurship through long-term internships at professional universities, with a particular focus on courses for first-year students. The results of the internships show that students enhanced their basic employability and entrepreneurship skills by participating in the business activities of their internship sites and learning proactively. Regarding the educational methods for long term internships, it is essential to convert fluctuations into energy within a dynamic collaboration involving students, companies, and university faculty, thereby connecting to the experiential knowledge of the students. Specifically, continuous dialogue between faculty, students, and companies is necessary. Long term internships suggest the potential for professional universities to strengthen collaborations with local communities and industries in the future, thereby enhancing the quality of higher vocational education.