About IAESTE
The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) is an independent, non-profit and non-political student exchange organisation. It provides students in technical degrees (primarily Science, Engineering and the applied arts) with paid, course-related, training abroad. With around 100 countries involved and exchanging over 4000 job offers each year worldwide, it is the largest organisation of its kind in the world.
IAESTE A.s.b.l* is an association of member countries, made up of partner agencies representing academic, industrial and student interests. These agencies include NGOs, universities, government bodies, and student volunteer groups. Each member is responsible for the administration of the exchange in its own country, through their National and Local Committees. NB. Membership level varies depending on length of membership and coverage of the country represented. For more information, please see the Association’s structure.
The Association was founded in January 1948 at Imperial College in London, where representatives from ten European countries agreed the initiative. The geographical coverage soon spread to include exchange in around 100 countries on all continents, and IAESTE became a registered body according to Luxembourg law in 2005. Since its inception, IAESTE has exchanged more than 335 000 students worldwide, playing a key role in the development of young engineers and scientists.
IAESTE maintains consultative or operational relationship with various agencies of the United Nations including UNESCO and UNIDO.
Each year the IAESTE Annual Conference, which is held in January, brings together the representatives of each member country to decide issues of general policy and to carry out the exchange of traineeship offers, although online exchange throughout the year is in place via the IAESTE-Intraweb.