10 Mar 09

David McCrossan, Executive Chairman of Hermes Capital, introduced the programme at the reception at Rhodes House and talked about his own experiences of working in South Africa.

The Oxford University South African Internship Programme (OUSAIP) was launched last night at Rhodes House.

This is the first year of the new internship programme which gives current students the opportunity to spend ten weeks working in South Africa over the summer vacation.

The programme is designed to help students gain an appreciation of modern South Africa, alongside getting some useful work experience.

An alumnus of Oxford University and Chair of the Oxford and Cambridge Business Alumni of Southern Africa, Kieran Clifford, helped set up the internships. He said: ‘We hope the students will have a personally life-enhancing experience in one of the most exciting, beautiful and complex countries in the world – they will see our wonderful skyscrapers and world-class banking systems, our beaches, mountains and game lodges, but they will also see some of the grinding poverty that still afflicts many of our people.’

He added: ‘We feel it is important that Oxford students find out more about South Africa because, for all its history and ongoing complexities and the negative media coverage we receive in the UK, it is a land of wonderful opportunity for those with skill and energy.’

Students who get accepted on to one of the six South African internships will spend eight weeks with a leading South African company – including financial sector companies and a law firm. There is also an internship at four South African schools for a student who is enthusiastic about sport and may be considering a career in teaching. 

Another week will be spent with a smaller, innovative company, giving students some entrepreneurial experience. The final week will see all six interns work together to improve facilities at a historically deprived school in Soweto.

Throughout the trip the interns will have the chance to visit different parts of the country and meet with figures involved in both business and politics in South Africa.

Dagmar Gaede, International Strategy Officer at Oxford University, helped set up the internship. She said: ‘It is important that we help students prepare for living and working in the global context of the 21st century and create more international experiences for them. The OUSAIP is also a great example of how our alumni around the world can help current students at Oxford to gain life and career-enhancing experiences.’

Kieran Clifford adds: ’It is really a partnership between OCBASA and Oxford University and, hopefully, an example of how the immense pride in Oxford that Oxonians abroad feel can be manifested in ensuring that the next generations of Oxford students have a great experience in a country where we have chosen to make our careers.’

All expenses are paid for, including accommodation and flights to and from South Africa, and students will also receive some spending money.The South African internships are open to current Oxford students who can apply by completing an application form, available to download from the OUSAIP website. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 20 March 2009.