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EAIE Conference Rotterdam 2023

Global Leaders - EAIE Conference Rotterdam 2023

Are you interested in large event organisation? Are you friendly, helpful and customer-service oriented? If you answered yes, then gaining work experience at Europe’s largest international higher education conference could be the right path for you!  

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to join the European Association for International Education (EAIE) in Rotterdam for a backstage-pass to their exciting conference from 26th - 29th of September 2023.  

What is EAIE? 

The EAIE is the European centre for expertise, networking and resources in the internationalisation of higher education. We are a non-profit, member-led organisation serving individuals actively involved in the internationalisation of their institutions. 

Each year, the EAIE visits an exciting city in Europe and organises a large Annual Conference for 5000+ professionals interested in international higher education. In 2023, the Annual EAIE conference and exhibition is coming to Rotterdam.The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Connecting Currents’, inspired by and celebrating the city’s maritime history.  

How can you help? 

To ensure that our nearly 5000+ international participants enjoy the best conference experience possible in Rotterdam, EAIE is looking for several temporary on-site staff members, also known as ‘conference assistants’. Conference assistants are a key part of the conference, performing important tasks ranging from answering participant questions, assisting at registration pods, managing queues and information desks, to assisting speakers, checking badges and gathering data for future conference improvements. 

Conference assistants will be divided into three main groups - a registration team, an information team, and a programme team. There will be a supervisor overlooking each team, and this person will be the first point of contact for the students. 

Week schedule 

We require assistants from Saturday 23rd September to Saturday 30th September 2023. Please note that this is the first week of the Autumn term, ensure that you take this into consideration when making your application.  

The conference runs from Tuesday the 26th to Friday the 29th of September, with Monday the 25th being a registration-only day. On the Monday we are likely to require assistance with set-up tasks. On Sunday 24th we will hold a briefing (around 2 to 3 hours) and show you around the conference centre. 

Working hours (Monday-Friday) 

The conference working hours will be between 7.30am-18:00 approximately. On Friday the conference ends at 15:00. Exact working hours will depend on tasks and shifts and confirmed closer to the event Please note that conference assistants need to be available on all days of the event in order to be able to participate.  

The conference will be hosted at Rotterdam Ahoy, please see their website for FAQs and floorpans..

Eligibility 

  • Currently enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of Exeter 

  • You are not currently in your final year of study 

  • You will not be on a year’s work placement or study abroad  

  • You can travel between Saturday 23rd of September and Saturday 30th September 

  • You fall into one or more of the ‌Widening Participation Criteria

  • If shortlisted, you can attend a virtual assessment centre in early June 2023 (time to be confirmed).  
     

The University of Exeter will be booking return travel from Exeter/Penryn and accommodation on your behalf; the cost of which will be covered by the University. 

Managing Expectations 

  • The global travel sector remains impacted by well-publicised strikes, cancellation and disruption.  

  • Please be ready to follow any national or local guidance in relation to travel, such as passport validity for the Netherlands. If you are an international student please check in advance visa requirements essential for entry 

  • You are not currently required to provide proof of Covid-19 Vaccination to enter the Netherlands, however, please keep this in mind in case of any changes in the lead up to departure.  

  • Students will be expected to be available to travel from, and return to the UK 

  • Students applying for this opportunity should understand this is an internship abroad and you will be working for the majority of the experience. 

  • This experience falls within the first week of the Autumn term; it is the student's responsibility to make sure they are available during this time. 

How do I apply? 

You can submit your application for this opportunity HERE or in the righthand sidebar. We will contact you regarding the assessment centre once we have more information. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Midnight (GMT) on Wednesday 26th April. 

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email the team at global-leaders@exeter.ac.uk  

 

It’s been a pleasure to be a part of a conference of this scale, and getting to communicate with many of the 6000 delegates has been really eye opening. I had the opportunity to partake in many of the sessions and workshops, and found that a highlight of mine took place in the campfire session entitled “Reconnect, refocus and renew: beating post-pandemic social anxiety”. During the discussion, it was incredibly insightful to share our experiences of #highereducation through the Covid-19 pandemic, and upon reflection, made me realise how lucky we are to attend the EAIE conference in person again at last.

- Megan Gutteridge, EAIE Barcelona Participant