This Guide is intended for institutions seeking to establish or expand an international co-operative education program. It will identify the models presently in use around the world, discuss the issues considered to be important to their success and present some solutions developed by experienced co-op practitioners.
The information contained in this booklet is based largely upon the results of a survey conducted between December 1996 and May 1997. Input was sought from individuals experienced with international co-op placements. The survey form was made available on the Internet through WACE's website as well as being distributed to all WACE members. For the purpose of the survey, international co-op placements were defined to be post-secondary students from one country who were sent to another country to gain work experience in areas related to their academic discipline. These periods of work experience were to be recognized by the students' educational institutions and represent an integral component of their education. Information was received from 30 educational programs in North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia as well as a few corporate employers. In all, these programs represented international co-op activity in more than 40 different academic disciplines with slightly over 2,000 students placed per year.
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A Guide for Developing International Co-op Programs |  |