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Export Development Program
Published on 15 February 2019
Netherlands
Overijssel
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
EPD is a collaboration between Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the province of Overijssel to support SME's in their international business and bring the best talent of Saxion to the SME's in Overijssel.
In the program, a talented student will graduate over the course of five months on an international business issue at a company in Overijssel. Subsequently, this graduate will carry out his or her recommendations proposed in the research for 6 months as a trainee with the company. This trainee phase can wholly or partly take place abroad, for example at a branch or agent or in cooperation with a partner.
During the graduation project, the student will be supervised by a graduation supervisor from Saxion and will be mentored by an experienced export manager from an external company.
In this way, the company is given a high potential in the field of international business for one year. Experience shows that this professional is offered an employment contract after the traineeship. In this way, highly educated students for internationally operating SME's in Overijssel are retained.
In the program, a talented student will graduate over the course of five months on an international business issue at a company in Overijssel. Subsequently, this graduate will carry out his or her recommendations proposed in the research for 6 months as a trainee with the company. This trainee phase can wholly or partly take place abroad, for example at a branch or agent or in cooperation with a partner.
During the graduation project, the student will be supervised by a graduation supervisor from Saxion and will be mentored by an experienced export manager from an external company.
In this way, the company is given a high potential in the field of international business for one year. Experience shows that this professional is offered an employment contract after the traineeship. In this way, highly educated students for internationally operating SME's in Overijssel are retained.
Expert opinion
This is an interesting practice of matching students and SMEs to support internationalisation. The time period of working together is also noteworthy – nearly a year – as it is longer than most internship programmes. Through this practice students get valuable experience and companies get extra help in their internationalization activities. Often the relationship continues, and the students are offered employment contracts. For the region it means that highly educated students for internationally operating SME's are retained.
A similar practice of supporting internationalization with the help of students can be found in Emilia-Romagna, Italy: https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/2276/higher-education-in-support-of-internationalization-processes/
A similar practice of supporting internationalization with the help of students can be found in Emilia-Romagna, Italy: https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/2276/higher-education-in-support-of-internationalization-processes/
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
In order to start such a program, a collaboration with a local university is needed. They will have to execute the program and recruit the students. The role of government is to provide funding and spread the word about the program among SME's. Costs where 1000 euros per student.
Evidence of success
In Overijssel we started with goal to get 10 matches between students and SME's in 2019. We succesfully matched 11 students in 2019. Other indicators of succes are: the high stay rate of the trainees at the SME's during their traineeship and more SME's interested than there are students to offer. Eighty per cent of companies evaluates the program as 'very usefull and necessary to take the next steps in international business'.
Potential for learning or transfer
The potential for transfer is high, this program can be copied anywhere with internationally active SME's and a large enough University with International Business in its curriculum. The real potential is that SME's who participate get a different and fresh look on their international business potential. Also the university, through the trainees, obtains a much more accurate picture of where students will work afther their studies and can adjust the curriculum to better suit the needs of regional SME's. We believe this is a practice that is basically transferable to any region because the factors to succeed are not specific to Overijssel but can be found in most regions in Europe.
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Netherlands
Overijssel
Contact
Policy Developer