NEOLAiA helps students with work placements abroad: “It’s exciting!”

Örebro University is one of nine European universities forming the NEOLAiA alliance. The EU Commission has appointed NEOLAiA as a European Universities Initiative and granted funding totalling EUR 14.4 million. The idea is that the cooperation will increase the universities’ competitiveness internationally and develop opportunities for the internationalisation of education, research, and collaboration.

One student who has already taken advantage of the alliance is Léna Czech. She is studying a master’s in European law at the University of Tours, France and, as part of her studies, completed her work placement at Örebro University in May.

“It was fantastic. I felt so welcome, and everyone was so helpful. It was an exciting experience to meet those working with internationalisation here at Örebro University. In addition, I had the opportunity to discover Örebro’s surroundings – and even visit Stockholm, which was nice,” says Léna Czech, and continues:

“Working with legal matters through NEOLAiA is challenging. It feels like we’re forging a new path and creating new opportunities in law studies, which is very stimulating. Sure, it could feel a little overwhelming sometimes just having a blank sheet to start with, but at the same time, it allows for greater flexibility.”

What would you say to other students considering a work placement through NEOLAiA?

“It’s extremely interesting – and I really loved working in an international setting. Getting to know many remarkable people and learning from different cultures provides you with an invaluable experience. It’s challenging, but you learn a lot about yourself. Testing your limits and what works for you, comparing different ways of working and experiencing how different organisations function. It’s a great way to discover how your professional career will be,” says Léna Czech.

“Whether students have the opportunity to do work placement depends on how their study programme is designed,” explains Ida Andersson-Norrie, international strategy officer at Örebro University.

Why are these types of international exchanges important?

“Doing your work placement abroad is an excellent opportunity, especially for students who might not otherwise have been able to go on a student exchange to get a chance to stay abroad longer. By doing a work placement in a foreign country, students gain new perspectives on what they’ve studied in Sweden. Such experience is often valuable, regardless of whether you later work abroad or in Sweden,” says Ida Andersson-Norrie in summary.

Text: Jesper Eriksson
Photo: Jesper Mattsson
Translation: Jerry Gray