Workshops on Experiential Learning held with BA Agriculture staff from public universities in Kosovo
The attendees comprised professors, experiential learning coordinators, and administration staff from the Faculties of Agriculture at the partner Universities. The presentations delivered during the workshops provided a comprehensive explanation of how Iowa State University manages agriculture internships, covering various stages from the enrollment of students in the internship course to credits earned, agreement drafting with companies, monitoring, documentation, promotion and the assessment of internship experiences.
The workshops were divided into four sessions: “The What and Why of Internships,” “Developing an Internship Program,” “Promoting Internships,” and “Developing a Course for Internship Credit,” which included a case study presentation on the ISU Animal Science Internship – Graded Experience. The presentations were engaging, encouraging participants to share their thoughts on how ISU’s practices could be adapted for their universities.
Attendees expressed their excitement about the informative and inspirational workshops that expanded their knowledge of useful systems and procedures for enhanced experiential learning for students. They saw the workshops as an opportunity to enhance their universities’ efforts in providing students with better, more structured, and strategic internship opportunities in agriculture.
“The workshop was incredibly insightful, expanding our understanding of proven practices to enhance internship opportunities for students in our Life and Environmental Science Faculty at the University of Prizren. Witnessing the impactful work of professors and experiential learning coordinators at Iowa State University was truly inspiring. Although Kosovo lacks a similar experiential learning culture, we are determined to drive change and foster greater collaboration with businesses. Our goal is to establish highly beneficial internships for both our students and participating companies. ” – Albana Milaimi, Dean of Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences.
The participants eagerly anticipate upcoming activities and workshops as part of the four-year project, which aims to support their efforts in offering and managing improved internship opportunities for their students. They acknowledged the increasing importance of experiential learning in today’s rapidly changing job market, which offers numerous career paths for students to choose from. The participants agreed that prioritizing students’ access to high-quality internship opportunities is crucial for helping them gain clarity in their professional aspirations and establish valuable relationships with potential employers in the industry.