1 Introduction

During the past 20 years, Danish Vocational Education Training (VET) institutions in Denmark have undergone numerous reforms that aimed to make VET more attractive. This initiated internationalization activities for acquisition and exchange of knowledge and experience (Undervisningsministeriet 2006). This can be done by participating in different exchange programs for teachers and students. According to Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet (2019) students internship abroad is central to vocational education in order to increase their skill and competences. Additionally, the internship abroad is co-founded through different EU programs such as Erasmus+ and Nordplus. Moreover, the mobility programs increases the students international experience and intercultural competences that will help them to compete for jobs in near future. Additionally, the skills that are acquired through formal, informal or non-formal learning, can be recognized and validated of their practical training and education. Besides, internationalization is a key element in the development of a VET schools, giving it prestige and recognition on the world map, which can be a benefit for society. However, internationalization presents many challenges for schools such as interacting in different languages, economy, dealing with people from different culture, which may cause barriers in making internationalization happen. Personally, I am an example of internationalization. For the first time I came to Denmark in 2001 for a 3month internship on organic agricultural farming. My main goal was to improve English and increase skills and competences within agriculture. After this period, I decided to come back to Denmark and continue the education. In 2012, I finished my MSc. degree in Agro-Environmental Management at University of Aarhus, where, as I scientist, I worked mainly with quantitative data. Besides my studies, I worked as a part time teacher in VET school and I continued as a teacher until 2017. During this time, I was both teacher and mentor for international students, who were coming from Romania, Poland and Hungary. Since June 2017, I have been working as an international coordinator at Jordbrugets UddannelsesCenter, Aarhus (JU). JU is one of the few (VET) schools employing an international coordinator. Additionally, the school has international strategy with focus on improving students’ skills and competencies that should also be possible to acquire during their internship abroad (a requirement described in main goals and competences, Børne- og Socialministeriet 2017). JU’s strategy is to inform students about international conditions for work and education. Furthermore, school is responsible for recognitions and validation of students’ education and internship abroad through systematic use of European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and The European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). JU staff through participating in different EU programs acquired this knowledge. Additionally, JU's vision is to participate in international activities in teaching, exchanging and networking - for example by offering internships abroad as part of student education, which makes the (VET) more attractive for young people (JU, 2019). Besides, the school is working on implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2019), and properly prepare students to live and work in the 21st Century. In order to achieve the goals, the school has an action plan. For example by applying for European Union (EU) grants, or by using Placement Abroad system, in Danish “Praktik I Udlandet” (PIU, 2019), it is possible to send students for internships abroad. To fulfill the plan, it is essential to have a network all over the world to find suitable placements for students and make sure that they learned during the stay abroad, where different didactic methods are practiced. My main task as international coordinator is implementation of internationalizing at JU through different international activities. I apply for money from EU funds and prepare students for their internship abroad. At

JU, the internship is an elective subject, and in the past years, number of students that are taking internship abroad significantly increased. I must admit that this job was new to me. I had one month to learn from a person who had this job before me. I was trying to copy his way of working, but very fast, I realized that this system is not working as I wish. I started to do it my own way, which was/ still is time consuming and needs future improvements. Furthermore, my role as a teacher/coordinator is to facilitate the students all the way through. I help finding a host, making all documents that are required by Erasmus+ and the ECVET procedures, being in constant contact with host. Besides, together with their mentor, I must decide whether the student is ready or not to have their internship abroad and the dilemma is how to make ethical decision. In other words, I am doing the screening of students. Annually, I am sending abroad around 60 students (7% of the total students at JU), for their short or long internship. Our future goal is to send up to 10%, which can be a challenge in selecting the right students and in finding the right host. The main reason for choosing the topic was my interest in this matter. The aim is to provide knowledge about internship process and the students learning through different research methods. For example by analyzing data received from students and mentors, and by using didactic models the clear understanding of problems should give better action plan in the future. In the previous modules in Diplomuddannelse i erhvervspædagogik taken VIA University, I made different analysis on my teaching, relation with students, their barriers and motivations. I worked mainly with international students that have been struggling with different challenges, for example new culture, climate, friends, homesick, different from back home way of teaching. This experience in some way improved my pedagogical competencies in dealing with international students, which was challenging. I would like to put all the relevant things I learned together to improve knowledge to improve the job I am doing now.

In this thesis, I would like to focus more on the internship process and different stakeholders (mentor/teacher, student and host),a s well as, students’ learning, expectations, motivation, barriers and challenges they face before, during and after internship. At the same time, I will analyze the planning of the internship, cooperation with my colleagues, host, and the decision-making process to make the internship program suitable to all stakeholders, and to make sure that students improved their skills during the stay. In order to make their internship successful, it is important to understand the internship process as a whole, and to reflect on the successes and failures.