Guidelines

Program delivery is subject to confirmation of Australian Government funding

The following criteria are required for selection:

1. Applicants must be an Australian citizen (permanent residency is not sufficient);
2. Applicants must be currently enrolled in either a postgraduate coursework degree, or in the 3rd/4th year of an undergraduate degree at an accredited Australian higher education institution;
3. Applicants must come from one of the following faculties/departments: economics, commerce, finance, accounting, business, marketing, information and communications technology and international trade. The selection panel will judge the appropriateness of each applicant’s degree to the program;
4. The selection panel will judge each applicant according to how they can contribute to the program, their suitability to the companies available, and their personal and academic qualities;
5. Cultural awareness and understanding, as well as a specific interest in Korea, are desirable.

By completing and submitting the application form, you acknowledge understanding and acceptance of the following guidelines:

All interns must be Australian citizens and currently enrolled in a postgraduate coursework or undergraduate degree within Australia.

It is expected that suitable applicants shall be studying in one of the following fields of specialization: economics, commerce, finance, accounting, business, marketing, information and communications technology and international trade or other similar fields. A selection committee will approve the suitability of the area of study, and may request applicants to engage in phone or face-to-face interviews.

Internship programs will occur in ONE intake of EIGHT INTERNS, from JANUARY to FEBRUARY 2009. Host companies will vary but may include industries such as banking and finance, information & communications technology, international trade and resources.

The Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific (RIAP), at the University of Sydney, shall act as Project Manager for the AKF. Correspondence and applications should be directed solely to RIAP, and will not be received by the AKF.

A Pre-Departure Session will be held at the University of Sydney the day before departure for Korea, and successful applicants will be required to attend. RIAP will arrange and cover the cost of overnight accommodation in Sydney for interstate students, unless prior arrangements with friends or family have been made.

All interns are responsible for the cost of their own return travel between Sydney and the ROK and any travel they undertake within the ROK. Interns are also responsible for their personal travel insurance, any costs involved in communication both within and outside the ROK, and any further personal costs not outlined as covered by RIAP.

All interns will attend an Orientation Day in Seoul, organised by the KAF, on Friday 9th January 2009. Further details of this orientation will be provided to interns prior to their departure.

Successful applicants will be placed within a multinational Korean corporation for a period of approximately seven (7) weeks. Internships will commence several days after arriving in Seoul, on Monday 12 January and will end at close of business on Friday 27 February 2009.

Interns will be unpaid in relation to their work, however will receive an allowance for general living and accommodation expenses. A sufficient amount based on the duration of the internship (not including the Pre-Departure Session) will be determined by the Korea-Australia Foundation. Interns will receive this living allowance on two separate occasions, the first installment will be provided immediately upon arrival in Seoul, while the second will be provided approximately half way through the internship. Successful applicants will be notified of the amounts of living allowance prior to their departure for Korea.

Host companies will be allocated according to an intern’s educational background and interests. Curriculum Vitae’s will be provided to confirmed host companies, and interns will be notified of their allocation prior to departure for Korea. Successful interns will be expected to undertake independent research on host companies prior to their departure for Korea, and to contact respective supervisors following receipt of the Duty Statement in early December 2008.

Interns will be required to commit to full time work while in the ROK. The specific working hours are to be agreed with the host company prior to commencement of the internship placement. A representative of the host company will complete a Duty Statement outlining the objectives of the internship. This will also include a list of the intern’s main tasks and any further work obligations that can be readily identified and reviewed periodically throughout the work period.

Interns must not attempt to facilitate work-placement arrangements within the ROK. This is the sole responsibility of RIAP.

RIAP will liaise with the Korea-Australia Foundation to help facilitate homestay accommodations. The KAF’s capacity to confirm such arrangements is subject to homestay availability. As is common place in Seoul, living in close proximity to the CBD is rare and cannot be guaranteed. Once a homestay arrangement is confirmed, interns will receive information about their host family and will be provided with their contact details prior to departure for Korea. Interns will be expected to contact their host families to establish mutual expectations prior to their arrival in Korea. If homestay arrangements cannot be secured by the KAF, the intern will be advised of this with plenty of time to make their own arrangements.

Students who wish to obtain academic credit for this internship program are responsible for making arrangements in advance with their university. All arrangements are to be kept exclusively between the student and their university.

Interns will have access to an online network set up by RIAP to facilitate communication with the rest of the group prior to departure for Korea.

While in Korea host companies will provide interns with access to and use of:

• Workstations, computer usage and internet access (subject to availability and scheduling).
• Photocopying and printing facilities, primarily for work-related purposes.
• Communications facilities (including phones and faxes).
• Resources such as office materials that assist in the performance of work-related duties.
• Mobile phone (this will be on loan for the duration of the internship placement, however all interns are responsible for the cost of all calls incurred during this period. The mobile phone must be returned to the host company on the final day of the internship placement.)

During their internship, interns will liaise with their host company through RIAP, in order to ensure the smooth progression of the program.

Interns will be assigned to a senior member of staff within their host company who will provide supervision and mentorship to ensure the program objectives are met. These objectives will be established by the assigned supervisor and outlined in a Duty Statement.

Supervisors will adhere to the Duty Statement in order to accommodate the student’s expectations, interests and developmental needs as much as possible.

Supervisors will be responsible for monitoring the performance of the assigned intern, providing guidance and feedback on their work. However, it is essential that if any issues arise regarding homestays and/or host companies, interns must approach the Korea-Australia Foundation representative in Korea and notify RIAP as soon as the problem occurs. The KAF and RIAP will then take appropriate measures to address the matter.

RIAP, the AKF, KAF and host companies require all interns to perform their respective duties in a professional manner and to abide by the normal work ethics and conditions as set by the host company.

No intern shall misrepresent the University of Sydney, AKF, KAF or his or her host company in any way. Inappropriate use of the institution’s name and resources, either professionally or otherwise may result in the immediate termination of his/her program.

The AKF, KAF, RIAP and host companies are entitled to remove any intern from the program deemed to seriously misrepresent any of these organizations or the program as a whole.