Una Europa Master's International Research Internships (MIRI) in Sustainability

The Una Europa Master's Internship Platform supports master's students across the alliance in finding a research internship at one of our partner universities, helping you to experience an international research phase in your final master semesters.

The platform supports you by:

• Facilitating international research opportunities and research stays for Una Europa master's students.
• Bringing together students, researchers and research groups across the alliance working on sustainability topics.
• Enhancing the research and intercultural skills of Una Europa masters' students, boosting their employability for the future.

The platform is your starting point to finding the right international internship opportunity for you, based on your research focus and interests.

To use the platform, follow these four steps:

• Find your host

Browse the database of sustainability researchers from Una Europa universities to find relevant research partners across the alliance. You can search by research topic, or by the Una Europa university the researcher belongs to.

• Find out the capacity of your prospective host

Find out if the research team you are interested in can currently provide capacities for your research stay. Consider the following two cases:

1. I already have a thesis supervisor at my home university.
   Great! Discuss your preferred host with them, and then either you or your supervisor can contact the colleague using the information given in the database.
2. I do not yet have a supervisor for my master's thesis.
   No problem! Check out the different thesis topics in our database and, based on that, look for a supervisor at your home university before contacting a host for your international internship.

Please note: Not all partners may have the capacity to host a student every semester. However, every colleague included in the database is interested in getting in contact and discussing a possible research collaboration with you.

• Explore funding opportunities available through your home university

Funding opportunities for internships will be available through your home university. Contact your local coordinator to find out about funding opportunities at your university.

• Embark on your international internship adventure!

Once you have successfully contacted a host and identified the right funding opportunity for you, you can prepare to go abroad! We recommend looking at information for incoming students at your prospective hosting university. Links directing you to information for incoming students are available via the database, at the bottom of each research profile under 'Related links'.

Urszula Sibik is a master's student in Sustainable Chemistry at Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie. Through the MIRI platform, she found an internship opportunity at Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet and spent time in Finland conducting experiments in collaboration with a research group there which contributed significantly to her master's thesis.

Hear from Urszula:

In 2018, I began my geological studies at Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie. I was fascinated by uncovering the Earth’s past, and in 2021 I defended my bachelor’s thesis on mineral pigments.

After several years of exploring our planet’s past, I felt drawn to focus on its future. My next step was to start studying Environmental Protection at the Faculty of Chemistry at Uniwersytet Jagielloński in 2022. My research there centred on an exciting process: using hyperaccumulating plants to purify water.

Currently, I’m in the final year of my second master’s degree, this time in Sustainable Chemistry, also at Uniwersytet Jagielloński. In addition to my deep interest in our planet, I’m also profoundly fascinated by what is beyond: since June 2023, I have been a member of the Student Council to the President of the Polish Space Agency.

• Current research focus and going to Finland

• Life in Finland

Living in Finland has been truly inspiring. The academic environment is wonderfully open and collaborative, and the research facilities offer fantastic resources for independent work. Our group actively participated in conferences and events – like Lahti Science Day and EU CircSyst – which were great opportunities to network and connect with others in our field.

But my life in Finland wasn’t just about research! I also had the chance to dive into Finnish culture, from trying the local cuisine to experiencing the traditional sauna. I’ve explored quite a few places too, and even though I'm based in Lahti, I often headed to Helsinki to meet up with my Finnish friends. The Christmas Market there was magical – the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen! Everyone told me I had arrived during the darkest time of year – the weather can be a bit gloomy and the temperatures chilly – but knowing how welcomed and happy I felt there every day made it all worthwhile.

• Next steps

Naturally, internships do not last forever, and I have to defend my master’s thesis at my home university in Kraków.

But the research project I have been involved with in Finland is also looking for doctoral candidates – and I’m really hoping to be one of them! So, if everything works out, I’m excited about the possibility of returning to continue this work for my doctoral research.

Photo credit cover image: Mariia Fursina