Students' reports on Work Placement:

What is placement?

Placement is a one-year internship which our undergraduate students do in their third year, most of the time at multinational companies. After two years of studies the students work for a year and then come back to IBS, where in the fourth year they study again and usually  write a dissertation.

Does IBS or the student look for internship places?

Searching for and finding a professional placement position is the task of the student; however, IBS can and does offer effective assistance. Our career office has a network of about 300 partner companies, and these companies are committed to accepting our students. It is common for our alumni who graduated a few years ago and by now have achieved leading positions to offer positions to present IBS students.

How can I be sure that I choose a suitable placement position?

Students entering IBS are required to take a so-called Captain test, which gives them a picture of their abilities and skills, all of this in the context of their field of future interest. Based on the results we can form the strategy that students need to follow in their planned careers.

Prior to the placement period we offer training, career counselling and resume and cover letter writing exercises to help students who apply to several positions that they have found through IBS or by themselves.

In the last 20 years experience has shown that our students have a significant competitive advantage in the labour market due to their superior language, IT, teamwork, presentation and other skills.

Is the student in contact with IBS during the internship?

Of course. Our students have to contact their work placement consultant (tutor) at specified intervals every semester and must complete a placement report.

Why is placement so useful?

During the placement our students put what they have learned in theory into practice in real working situations. This is a very advantageous set-up for student and employer alike: because the placement lasts for a whole year, the student has time to integrate into the work environment, and if the student is successful, they can continue their cooperation afterwards without any problems, or they can go their separate ways. It is also very common for students graduating from IBS to receive a job at their placement company, meaning that many of the students on our four-year programmes graduate with a stable position already waiting for them.

It is equally important that by the time the students return to IBS from their work placement, they become motivated, conscientious, with well-defined expectations, therefore their choice of optional subjects in the fourth year is based on a thorough and comprehensive decision.  

 Most importantly, students graduating from IBS are not start-up graduates in the field of work, since they already have at least one year of work experience behind them. It is no wonder that 77% of our graduates find a job within three months of their graduation, with very good salaries, and in fields which match their qualifications and interests.