Hemispheric University Consortium brings virtual internships for graduate and undergraduate students

The Hemispheric University Consortium, a coalition of universities that includes the University of Miami, is offering virtual research internships for students interested in exploring various disciplines under the mentorship of top professors.

Virtual research internships are an excellent opportunity to foster scientific collaboration and international academic experiences. Hosted by Universidad de Los Andes and the Hemispheric University Consortium (HUC), this platform connects professors, researchers, and students from HUC universities across the continent.

For this third edition of this program, the virtual research internship projects will be offered in different disciplines. They will be hosted by the following universities: Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile), University of Miami (United States), Universidad Austral (Argentina), Universidad Andrés Bello (Chile), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru), and Universidad de las Américas Puebla (Mexico).

The research internships are open to graduate and undergraduate students from any of the universities in the consortium.

“These virtual research internships provide a great international scientific experience to our students who will have the opportunity of participating in exciting projects led by great researchers from different countries in the Western Hemisphere,” said Gabriela Geron, director of Partnerships, Innovation and Communications, Hemispheric and Global Affairs at the University.

In a global report by UNESCO, the consortium was included as a success case since it is the only organization that offers virtual research internships in the world.

In the past, interns participated in projects that included: collecting climatic data from Latin America and the Caribbean and establishing a cohesive database, studying the effects of deforestation in the Colombian Amazon, and analyzing the phenomenon of European migration to Ecuador.

This year, some of the projects offered include one in the arts and humanities offered by the Universidad de Los Andes, where students will study religious paintings to analyze the 18th century portraits of crowned nuns.

Another project, offered by the Universidad Austral de Argentina, will study parental stress levels as well as their satisfaction and self-efficacy in their roles.

The Universidad Andres Bello in Chile is offering an internship on current issues of lack of self-expression in democratic societies, as well as issues of hate crimes and fake news.

“In some cases, students have presented their internship results in conferences and are publishing in academic papers,” Geron said. “In addition, at the end of a successful completion of the internship, students receive a digital credential in Blockchain on the intercultural communication, digital collaboration, and research skills they gained, which can be shared in their LinkedIn profile.”

Every edition of this program has a website where students, professors, and their projects are highlighted, which gives students additional evidence of their work for future research projects and applying for funding opportunities.

Students interested in applying should do so by June 7.