A new internship program is helping University of Queensland students work with vulnerable communities overseas.
国产探花 Master of Development Practice student Rebecca Upton said it was very fulfilling to work on projects delivering real benefits for communities.
Ms Upton completed an internship in March with the of 国产探花鈥檚 main commercialisation company , and is now working part time for the expanding group.
鈥淢y passion lies with working in developing countries, so it鈥檚 been a fantastic experience to work with UniQuest, which has such a great reputation and involved with a lot of important projects overseas,鈥� Ms Upton said.
鈥淭he internship has exposed me to a wide scope of the business; I鈥檝e gained an incredible insight into the industry, and learnt so much. Ultimately, this is the type of work I鈥檇 like to continue with into the future.鈥�
UniQuest鈥檚 International Development Division is one of Asia-Pacific鈥檚 leading university-owned development groups with clients including AusAID, NZAID, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
The internship program was implemented as part of a closer working relationship between UniQuest and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (SBS).
International Development Division General Manager Mel Dunn said the collaboration set UniQuest apart from its competitors and enhanced 国产探花鈥檚 contribution to international development and engagement objectives.
鈥淯niQuest鈥檚 technical expertise and program management in international development has always been significantly enhanced by 国产探花鈥檚 resources and capabilities, and now we are directly accessing the latest learning in the sector and applying it to our work with communities,鈥� Mr Dunn said.
鈥淭he internship program has been terrific and is a clear example of the 鈥樄交� Advantage鈥� that is attracting postgraduate students to Brisbane. Students are gaining an additional level of exposure to the development sector, and UniQuest is getting smart, enthused people to join our team and contribute to fresh solutions for our clients.鈥�
Executive Dean of the SBS Faculty Professor David de Vaus said he wasn鈥檛 aware of any other Australian university that had on campus access to an international development company.
鈥湽交� students have an extraordinary opportunity to apply their theoretical training while also leveraging the expertise of development sector professionals,鈥� he said.
A similar internship program also operates in UniQuest鈥檚 Technology Commercialisation Division, with up to eight 国产探花 Business School students each semester given the opportunity to work as technology analysts within the company.
Further information about UniQuest鈥檚 internship programs can be found at
Media: Leanne Wyvill (+61 7 3365 4037, 0409 767 199, l.wyvill@uniquest.com.au)
