Increasingly employers expect freshly graduated students to have internship experience so that they come to their first job out of school ready to hit the ground running! We know that getting one can be tough, especially during those post-COVID and geopolitical unrested times. Therefore, the International Space University (ISU), under the initiative of ISU Prof. of the Practice in Space Policy and International Affairs – Mr Nicolas Peter – came up with an innovative concept that will help ISU’s Master of Space Studies students (MSS22) to increase their chances of finding the right internship opportunity for them.

Besides mobilization of its alumni – which is increasingly effective for players of the NewSpace economy – a ‘speed-dating’ event was conceived for the MSS22 students in the ISU central foyer. The idea was to cross-fertilize the joint knowledge of the resident faculty in terms of their contacts. To do so all faculty were present, and the students were invited to talk to those faculty they might think have contacts in one of their areas of interest. It also allowed in many cases, to make students aware that other faculty have connections and further contacts, in different geographical areas for example.

The first results were very encouraging and gave the students several hints and contacts to broaden their internship places research. The effect of this event will be measured in the coming weeks, to evaluate its efficiency for future years. Ensuring ISU alumni start their career off right is a central focus for ISU.