Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Szent István University in Hungary are launching a collaboration to offer CALS undergraduate students opportunities to participate in summer research internships at the partner institution.
Organized through the CALS Global Fellows Program, students can apply for 8-week professional internships starting in the summer of 2019. Szent István University (SZIU) is located in Gödöllő, about 20 miles east of the capital Budapest. SZIU is partnered with more than forty other universities outside Europe, and international students represent nearly ten percent of the student population.
Inspired by his own international experiences, Mark Sarvary, senior lecturer in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell, and a native of Hungary, initiated the partnership with his alma mater. “I came to the United States as a foreign exchange student, and I did not imagine that one day I will teach at Cornell. We all know how international travel can be life-changing, and combining this with professional research is a win-win for students,” said Sarvary.
“We are looking forward to welcoming interested students to our country, our institution, and to utilizing this unique experience,” said Zsuzsanna Tarr, head of the international relations center at Szent István University.
In addition to providing students with international professional experience in their fields of interest, they can expect to engage in the local culture, and pursue additional language and inter-cultural coursework.
Five professional internship placements are available. The internships are geared toward biology, plant science, agricultural science, and environmental and sustainability sciences (ESS) majors. These competitive internships place students in dynamic biology and ecology research groups.
The CALS Global Fellows Program internships include a spring one-credit pre-internship course, followed by a one-credit post-internship course, which culminates in a showcase where students share their experiences.
“We are thrilled to expand our global internship offerings to SZIU in Hungary. Student interest in research placements abroad has grown tremendously and providing these kinds of opportunities, particularly in central Europe and for biology-focused students, is a huge win for our students,” said Cindy Tarter, associate director of academic exchange and international engagement at CALS.
Sarvary and Tarr were awarded an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility grant that covers student airfare, lodging, and a stipend for up to four students for the summer 2019 program.
“We are excited for the first Cornell students to visit Szent István University in Hungary this summer, and we are working to expand this program to provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff from both institutions in the future,” said Sarvary.
More information and the application can be found at the CALS Global Fellows Program website.
