KI offers internship opportunities to students and recent graduates from Ukraine
Directly following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and ever since, I have emphasized that KI as a university firmly repudiates and condemns the military invasion and that we support the Ukrainian people and our Ukrainian colleagues. Over the course of these last seven months, I have returned to this time and again, both here on the blog, and in other fora, such as the condemnation published by the Lancet–SIGHT Commission on Peaceful Societies through Health and Gender Equality of which I am a member. For that reason, I am particularly pleased to be able to bring attention to the news that KI offers internship opportunities to students and recent graduates via Erasmus+.
An opportunity for continued scientific growth beyond the individual
The internships will be carried out in various research groups across KI. They will last for at least two months, and interns will receive a stipend on the completion of their internships.
It gives me great pleasure that students and recent graduates who have had their lives and career plans crudely derailed by the war in their native country might find an opportunity to progress and grow here at KI. However, the importance reaches beyond the individual. War is a health crisis and an impediment to scientific advancement and collaboration. Hence, it is important that we as a university do not let war stand in the way of academic freedom and societal advancement. It is my sincere wish and ambition that the internship initiative will benefit the individual scholars as well as the science community and society at large.
I am glad to see the Erasmus network continue to grow and expand with this initiative. The importance of the Erasmus student exchange and programmes to support education cannot be overestimated. Every year we welcome hundreds of Erasmus students to KI and they contribute hugely to our work and student life. At the same time, through the various Erasmus programmes our KI students have an opportunity to enrich their studies and bring valuable experiences and skills back to our university.
I want these internships to be yet another confirmation of KI’s continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and an attest to our commitment to uphold and strengthen our collaboration with Ukrainian institutions such as Bogomolets National Medical University in Kiev with which we have an MOU.
I also want to be clear that our solidarity with Ukraine is in no way a stance against the people of Russia or our Russian colleagues. This is a war driven by Kremlin, not by the Russian people. We value and respect our Russian students, researchers, and members of staff here at KI.
About the internship
Students from Ukraine who are in Sweden, as well as Ukrainian graduates from a higher institution that graduated within the twelve months before fleeing and came to Sweden on or after 24 February 2022, and are covered by the Temporary Protection Directive, are welcome to apply. For more information, details on eligibility and how to apply, please visit our education website.
Please remember that you must apply before the 1st of October!
Thank you for your involvement and engagement
Interns who join us at KI will conduct their internships in different research groups throughout the university. I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and my admiration to my colleagues who have enrolled their research groups in this internship initiative. Your engagement is win-win: it opens opportunities for the individual interns and brings new and important perspectives to your own research environments.
It makes me proud when I see how KI’s researchers, students, teachers, and staff have offered their help, assistance, and support to the people of Ukraine. I thank all of you for your continued involvement and engagement. We must never forget that the academic community is global, and that global solidarity is essential for its survival.
More on the topic
KI has established a Center for Health Crises that plays an important role in providing support to those affected by the ongoing war – please visit their website: ki.se/healthcrises
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