Dr Jo Cable, Reader at the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, gives an insight into the benefits of offering a placement to a student from overseas through the IAESTE Programme.

During the summer of 2011, The School of Biosciences at Cardiff University UK hosted Jacqueline Cristina de Oliveira Xavier on a placement through the IAESTE programme. Jacqy, an excellent student from Brazil, made her mark on several projects during her time in Cardiff.

Jacqy studies aquaculture in Brazil, specifically the importance of diet in optimising fish growth rates.

As many students at our university are interested in fish diseases, Jacqy selected an IAESTE placement with us and was an active part of the ‘Cardiff Research into Infection, Parasites and Ecological Systems’ (CRIPES) group.

The match was ideal:

During her visit, Jacqy assisted a number of researchers with their work, for example a Marie Curie fellow who works on fish personality and stress hormones in poeciliids (a family of fresh-water fish).

By helping several PhD students with concrete, problem-led tasks, Jacqy learned new techniques, gained new lab experience and expanded her knowledge of fish welfare. In turn, her contributions were significant in furthering the research that the students undertake here.

Jacqy also engaged in a range of social activities organised by the IAESTE programme in this her first ever trip abroad, and our students gained a new friend and potentially life-long international collaborator.

Are you a UK employer in the science, engineering or technology sectors with work opportunities to offer a capable overseas student? Then send us your training offer.

We will carefully match you with an international student and guarantee a UK undergraduate an overseas work placement in return. Find out more about offering work placements to overseas students or contact iaeste@britishcouncil.org, should you have any questions.