Innovation Academy Sustainability Internships Program - Freiburg, Germany | Career+Civic Internship Partner

Innovation Academy Sustainability Internships Program

Application Deadline: Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

Bryn Mawr College and the Department of Environmental Studies are partnering with the Innovation Academy in Germany's "Green City" of Freiburg to offer international internships for Bryn Mawr students. Sophomores and juniors pursuing any major who maintain an active status at the College and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students may apply for up to two internship sites. Complete descriptions for each internship site can be found below. Please note that language requirements vary by internship site.

Innovation Academy Sustainability Internships Program 

Freiburg, Germany - In Person

Program Dates: May 24 - August 10 (11 weeks)

Orientation Week: May 27 - May 30

Internships begin: June 2 - August 10

Program Description: 

Bryn Mawr College and the Department of Environmental Studies are partnering with the Innovation Academy in Germany's "Green City" of Freiburg to offer international internships for Bryn Mawr students. Sophomores and juniors pursuing any major who maintain an active status at the College and are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students may apply for up to two internship sites. Complete descriptions for each internship site can be found by reviewing the PDFs listed on this Handshake page. Please note that language requirements vary by internship site.

The city of Freiburg is known as one of the most sustainable cities worldwide and as a pioneer in terms of renewable energies. Innovation Academy is a non-profit association and official partner of the city of Freiburg for visitors from Germany and abroad with special interest on sustainability-related topics including urban planning, architecture, renewable energy, mobility, water and waste management, sustainable agriculture and forestry or social sustainability. As part of our activities, Innovation Academy has established close contacts with several American universities that regularly visit Freiburg and the region on study abroad field trips. Our collaboration with Bryn Mawr College dates back to 2012. Since then, we have organized several study trips for groups from BMC. As recently the idea for a longer stay in Freiburg together with an internship related to sustainability has been expressed more frequently, we started to develop an internship platform to enable students in the Freiburg region to do an internship on the topic of sustainability with its economic, ecological, and social aspects. After discussing the idea for a first time with faculty of BMC in October 2022, we have been able to welcome BMC students as participants of the internship project already in summers 2023 and 2024. We are happy to continue this collaboration with new exciting internship opportunities in 2025. Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in everyday life in one of the most sustainable cities in the world and to gain working experience the field of sustainability in renowned research institutes, consulting firms and NGOs! 

Innovation Academy organizes the application process, supports the reservation of housing offers advisement of the interns. After arrival in Freiburg, we offer a multi-day accompanying intercultural education and orientation program. During the stay we organize jobsite exchanges between the different intern placements, and we are available as emergency contact.

How to Apply: A complete application includes:

(1) Career+Civic Innovation Academy Summer Application Form (https://brynmawr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bpyFCTqHXUyh7Lg) 

(2) A one-page resume or C.V. (to be uploaded on the form above)

(3) A cover letter addressed to the organization of interest. Students can apply for up to 2 internship sites, and must include a cover letter for each internship

Students' resumes and cover letters will be sent to the Innovation Academy for review immediately after the application deadline on January 5. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application during the week of March 3.

To learn more and apply, please visit: Innovation Academy Summer Application Form 

There are 10 internship sites available. Please review the attachments on this Handshake listing to learn about each opportunity.

Students are invited to attend any of the upcoming information sessions to learn more about this program before the January 5th deadline. Below are links to the Handshake events to learn more and register: 

Tuesday, 11/19 - 12-1pm - https://brynmawr.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1644836

Monday, 11 /25 - 12-1pm - https://brynmawr.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1643688 

Thursday, 12/5 - 12-1pm - https://brynmawr.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1643698 

Questions? Please contact Professor Carol Hager at chager@brynmawr.edu to learn about the progarm. For questions around the Internship Funding Program, please contact Jennifer Prudencio from Career & Civic Engagement Center at jprudencio@brynmawr.edu.