Get international experience & improve your intercultural communication skills

Academic Internships

Throughout the year, we offer a rich variety of customized academic internships. For undergraduate and graduate students interested in food studies, sustainability, food production, food systems, marketing, business, hospitality, gastronomic tourism, nutrition, psychology, anthropology and more. Scholars, researchers, and professionals are encouraged to inquire. Internships are unpaid, and focus on developing skills and academic insights in new settings, languages and cultures.

Placements are customized according to the background, expertise & needs of students.
Placement examples:

Are you interested in sustainable farming or in learning about a specific product such as cheese in Italy?

Are you passionate about coffee and want to learn everything about the culture of coffee in Italy?

Would you like to work with new and innovative startups working on sustainability, the green economy or the food industry?

Are you attracted by the Mediterranean culture and would you like to work with experts and nutritionists?

Are you an activist and would you like to educate consumers about sustainable behaviors?

Would you like to learn about food and wine journalism?

Placement locations

Rome and surrounding areas

Other parts of Italy such as Emilia Romagna, Calabria, Campania and Sicily.

What is included?

Six to eight hours a day split between experiential learning at the placement site, a research project & Italian Language instruction

Cultural & safety orientations, professional skills & intercultural communication seminar.

Support of Academic Supervisor, Onsite supervisor & Learning Facilitator.

Experiential co-curricular activities & a research symposium

Shared accommodations in furnished apartments or possibility to be hosted at the internship site.

Group airport pickup and transfer, check-in support, 24/7 emergency assistance & logistical support

Learning goals

Gain invaluable insights into the many aspects of food systems, sustainability and related fields in Italy

Understand Italian culture and business practices. Learn about the organizational, cultural & social dynamics of organizations.

Learn how to successfully navigate a new cultural environment

Strengthen intercultural communication skills and basic Italian language skills.

Gain new hard skills and help identify solutions, create communication plans, and propose innovative products and services.

Make new contacts in a facilitated environment and grow your international network

Academic Internships in Italy

SPRING or FALL SEMESTERS

WHEN

Spring or Fall 2021

APPLY BY

October 15 for Spring

March 15 for Fall

OPEN TO

Everyone. No prior study of Italian is required.

TUITION FEE

$ 5,092-$11,135

OVERVIEW

Interns work in a specific field within an organization dealing with some aspect of food systems, sustainability or the students field of interest. Learning objectives, professional development goals and expected results for the research project are designed together with the GLi academic director, the GLi learning facilitator, and an onsite supervisor. For the Spring 2021, placements are available in Rome or in the Lazio region surrounding Rome.

HIGHLIGHTS

LENGTH: 4, 8 or 12 weeks.
CREDITS: Depends on the length and type of internship, please work with your home university study abroad office to assure full credit.
TUITION FEE: Depends on length of internship. Includes mentoring, placement and supervision, Italian language instruction, research project supervision, academic and co-curricular field trips, orientation costs, transportation monthly pass, 24/7 Emergency support, application and internship paperwork, work health’s insurance, 24/7 Covid-19 Medical Advisor, IGM Routine covid tests, accommodations, airport pickup and transfer, & logistical support. International airfare not included. Customized prices are available.
ACCOMMODATIONS: All students will live in one building with individual small suites. Each suite will have a single bed, ensuite bathroom, and small kitchenette (furnished with pots, pans, dishes, cutlery, refrigerator, stove (please note – no microwaves)). Bedsheets, blankets, and pillows are provided in bedrooms and towels are provided in bathrooms. The suite will also have a desk/table WiFi connection, washing machine, a drying rack, a heater and A/C for the summer, first aid kit, smoke detector, a landline or cell phone with an Italian number for emergencies. Reception area and Doorman 24/7. The suites will be cleaned daily adhering to best practices for Covid-19. The building is 20-25 minute walking distance from school near the Vatican area. Only single suites provided for Covid-19 prevention reasons. For internships outside of Rome but inside Latium, if the one-way commute to the site is more than 1-2 hours, the student will have the option of residing in a single mini flat located closer to the internship site.

SUMMER

WHEN

June- July, 2021

APPLY BY

March 15, 2021

OPEN TO

Everyone. No prior study of Italian is required.

TUITION FEE

$4,706-$5,576 (2019 Prices, 2021 prices TBA)

OVERVIEW

Interns work in a specific field within an organization dealing with some aspect of food systems, sustainability and the students field of interest. Learning objectives, professional development goals and expected results for the research project are designed together with the GLi academic director, the GLi learning facilitator, and an onsite supervisor.

HIGHLIGHTS

CREDITS: Up to 3 credits, please work with your home university study abroad office to assure full credit.
PRICE: Includes accommodations and some meals, mentoring, emergency assistance and logistical support but not international airfare. Customized prices available.

FOR JAPANESE STUDENTS – Gustolab International 夏季アカデミックインターンシップ

WHEN

TBA

APPLY BY

TBA

WHERE

Italy

OPEN TO

Students interested in food systems and sustainability or related fields who are enrolled in institutions of higher education in Japan.

OVERVIEW

Internships are all about developing skills — and academic insights — in new settings, languages and cultures. Our internships are designed for serious students seeking a non-traditional learning experience. For six to seven hours a day students will split their time between experiential learning at the field site (work experience), a field site research project designed by the student and supporting language study (prior knowledge of Italian is not required).

Interns will become comfortable living and working in Italy, become skilled in speaking daily Italian and in communicating across languages and cultures, learn about a field of their choice, develop new friendships, complete a research project and multimedia presentation.

HIGHLIGHTS

LENGTH: Four weeks.
CREDITS: up to 3 credits, please work with your home university study abroad office to assure full credit.

For more information download our brochure in English or Japanese

Learn about past internship projects:

Rita worked with a non-profit association that helps refugees to restart their lives in Rome. Rita took part in the horticulture side of things and organized a fundraising event cooking Lebanese food. Rita also worked in an Italian coffee bar.

Moriah worked at restaurant and learned how to make and prepare raw vegan food. Additionally,Moriah learned how to make delicious vegan cakes and biscuits at a bakery. For her research project, Moriah went on to investigate healthy diets such as raw, vegan, and Mediterranean diets. She also researched the impact of livestock emissions on greenhouse gases and sustainable farming practices.

Anna worked with in the field of beekeeping, learning how to collect honey as a beekeeper. Anna also worked with an association of architects mapping the green areas of Rome to re-qualify them and create a place where people can cultivate their own plots. She linked the two experiences together by mapping bee colonies in Rome.

Bo worked for a non-profit company focused on hunger issues. Bo also worked with a start-up made up by young researchers from a local university. For his research project, Bo investigated food waste laws in different European countries, such as Italy, France, Germany and the UK. He also researched concrete examples of companies who are working against food waste.

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Gustolab International

Gustolab International Food Systems & Sustainability

Academic Internships