Internship Information

We aim to create opportunities for students to enhance their understanding of, and experience in, a variety of occupations and industries. This organization internship manual page aims to assist in the creation, implementation, and facilitation of comprehensive internships for our students. For the purpose of the manual, “organization” is defined as an entity that hosts students as interns.

What Do We Consider an Internship?

The term "internship" is commonly used to describe a part- or full-time temporary position that has the dual purpose of educating while providing work experience.

In order for a position to qualify as an internship, the following criteria must be met:

  • The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the organization or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.

    The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.


Ling Zhang, Class of 2016, works, writing code, during his internship at Palantir Technologies at the Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi.

Eligibility Criteria

NYUAD Internship Facts

How to Recruit an Intern

The use of effective recruitment strategy is an important step in developing a strong internship program. Despite a very detailed and well-organized internship, without a qualified applicant pool to recruit from, an organization's internship program will not be successful. Here are some key recruitment components to consider when developing an internship program.

Orientation for New Interns

Whether an organization is small or large, orienting new interns is essential when setting the tone within a new work environment. It will set up the interns' and the staff's expectations and goals of the program and alleviate confusion, and is a way for interns to bond with one another and their supervisors/mentors.

Some tips to having a successful internship orientation:

  • Orientations should be mandatory and scheduled for the first day of work, not after interns have already started working. However, an organization might want to provide its new interns with some orientation information before their first day.

    This will get them up to speed more quickly. Information about the organization’s history, goals, and products can be read before the first-day orientation so that interns can more easily digest what they learn on day one.

    Orientations shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours long. If possible, we encourage organizations to coordinate orientations so multiple interns have the chance to interact with one another — this will also ensure that interns hear the same expectations and important information.


Supervision and Mentoring

Not all staff within an employing organization will be effective intern supervisors or mentors. Organizations are highly recommended to select staff members that have the interest, the time, and the ability to work with students who have a lot of potential, but perhaps not a lot of skills to offer right away. Allowing all managers to supervise interns just because they asked for one is not a good idea and can derail a good internship program.

Evaluation After the Internship

The best internship programs evaluate the performance of the program after each cycle to both measure success and to improve process and procedures for the next group of interns. The success of internship program depends on the needs of the organization. One organization might measure success by how many projects were completed, while another measures success by the number of interns that become career employees.

Stakeholder Responsibilities

Employer Relations Team

Career Development Center, NYU Abu Dhabi
Email: nyuad.employer@nyu.edu
Phone: (UAE): +971-2-628-4241
P.O. Box 129188
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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