Labour management and communication for organisations

• Compulsory: the internship is mandatory. In exceptional cases, where it is impossible to carry out, the student may replace it with an agreed training activity, subject to authorisation from the curriculum coordinator and the internship tutor.
• Minimum duration: 3 months full-time or equivalent duration.
• Credits (CFU) recognized:
  • 3 ECTS for a 3-month full-time internship or equivalent duration
  • 3 ECTS for internship + 3 ECTS for extra-internship: for internships of double duration - 6 months full-time or longer.
• Tutor: each internship includes a university Tutor (didactic-organisational manager of the activities) and a company Tutor (responsible for integration into the working reality) of reference.
• Activation methods: activation takes place exclusively online through the STeP institutional PORTAL.
• Activation timing: the internship can only start at least 14 days after the date of insertion of the training project on the portal and in any case not before the start date set therein.
• Insurance coverage: Università Cattolica is responsible for the insurance of trainees against accidents at work with INAIL, as well as for civil liability towards third parties with a suitable insurance company.
• Reimbursement of Expenses and Benefits: reimbursement of expenses, meal vouchers and other benefits are at the total discretion of the host institution/company.
• Extensions: it is allowed to extend curricular internships with CFU, but it is recommended not to exceed the total duration of 6 months.
• Deadlines: the internship must end at least two weeks before the graduation session to which the student intends to attend.
• Method of recognition of ECTS: within the same terms as in the previous point, the end-of-internship report (details in the necessary documents section) and the notification that the evaluation form has been completed by the company Tutor must be sent to the university Tutor's e-mail address. The latter can request a meeting via Teams to discuss the experience and to analyze strengths and aspects to be improved for the benefit of the entire course of study.
• Final exam: students are required to check with the Student Services Centre that the internship credits have been correctly recorded.
• Before activation, please consult the Internship Regulations of the Degree Programme available at the following link

1. Preliminary approvals:
   • Before activating the procedure, contact the university Tutor to present the details of the internship (contents, timing, training activities) and obtain confirmation that they are consistent with the educational objectives of the course of study.
   • Next, contact the Internship and Placement Service (ST&P) to confirm that the start date is compatible with the administrative timeframe.
2. Agreement with the host company/institution (on the STEP Portal):
   • The host company/institution must register on the STEP portal and request an agreement with the University (if it does not have an active one).
   • Once received, the company/entity must sign the Agreement and return it by e-mail (in the case of a digital signature) or by registered mail with return receipt to the UC office of reference (in the case of a handwritten signature). The internship cannot start until the agreement is formally active.
3. Compilation of the Training Project:
   • Once the agreement is active, the host company/institution fills in the online Training Project, entering the intern's matriculation number, the operational location where the internship will be carried out, the surname of the Tutor Ergolabos "Campanelli" and the references of the company Tutor.
   • Once the compilation has been completed, the training project must be approved by the intern and the university tutor, and then sent (via the portal) by the host company/institution to the ST&P Service for approval.
4. Digital Signatures and Final Activation:
   • After approval by the ST&P Service, the student will receive an email with instructions for validation via OTP code.
   • This will be followed by the signatures of the University Management and the host company/institution, which will have to upload the digitally signed document on the portal.
   • Finally, the ST&P Service will verify that the Training Project has been correctly signed and uploaded and will officially activate the internship, sending a confirmation communication to both the intern and the host company/institution.
   • Following notification of activation by the ST&P Service, the internship can be started on the date agreed in the training project.
5. For further information on the necessary documents and the procedure for activating curricular internships, please refer to the information and guides published on the university website at the following link: Start-a-internship-info-internship-and-activation-procedures. 

To activate the internship:

• Internship regulations for the Ergolabos degree programme: to learn more about the objectives, timing, activation procedures and methods of recognition of the curricular internship with ECTS provided for in the study plan (see All1_ERGOLABOS_REGOLAMENTO_STAGE_AA_2025_2026).
• Agreement between University and Company: This is the document that enables the company to host interns. The company must apply for it and stipulate it via the STEP portal before it can proceed.
• Training and Orientation Project: This is the main document that defines the training objectives, activities and other details of the internship (duration, reimbursements, timetable, etc.). It is completed by the Host Company/Institution on the STEP portal and requires the approval of all parties involved (Student, University Tutor, University Management, Host Company/Institution).

For the recognition of ECTS (at the end of the internship):

• Final Report: the final paper by the student to describe the experience carried out, the skills acquired and formulate an overall balance of the internship.
• Evaluation questionnaire: the online form that the host company fills in on the portal for the evaluation of performance at the end of the internship. This document is mandatory for the recognition of training credits.
• Any additional documents: these can be requested according to the specific needs of the degree programme or the host institution.

At the end of the internship, you must:

Fill in the Final Report. It must consist of a minimum of two pages and a maximum of three (a page is defined as a page of about 2,000 characters). This report, dated and signed, is mandatory and preparatory to the recognition of ECTS and must be sent to the university Tutor's e-mail address at least 15 days before the scheduled date of the graduation session. The points to be covered are listed in the format made available at this link, with the possible addition of others at the student's discretion.  It is recommended to develop points 3) and 4) of the model (skills acquired and final assessment of the internship) more extensively.

Make sure that the host company/institution has completed the evaluation questionnaire on the STEP portal and notify the university tutor by e-mail. The company can fill out the questionnaire from 5 days before the end of the internship to 30 days after the end of it. However, it is necessary that the final report and the notification of completion of the evaluation questionnaire be sent to the University Tutor at least 15 days before the scheduled date of the graduation session (to avoid postponements). For the correct management of all formalities, it is suggested to conclude the internship at least one month before the start of the graduation session in which you intend to enrol.

Check the registration of CFUs. Students are required to check that the credits have been correctly registered at the UC-Student Center. If you have any problems, please contact the Internship Tutor immediately to avoid delays in your graduation.

1.      Is it possible to do a part-time internship?

Yes, you can. In this case, a period of more than three months is required, to be agreed with the internship tutor.

2.      Is it possible to replace the internship with a chosen training activity?

No, the internship is mandatory. If it is impossible to carry out (for example in the case of students already engaged in a work activity), a training activity can be carried out that has the following characteristics:

• It must be inherent in the Ergolabos training course.
• It must be carried out during the period of university studies, preferably in the second semester of the second year of the programme.
• It must not have already been the subject of previous requests for recognition.

The student must illustrate to the internship Tutor the timing, methods, contents and tasks of the proposed training activity.

As an alternative activity to the internship, the student may opt for a course of their choice as long as it is consistent with the study plan and with a professionalizing content. In this case, it is recommended to obtain the approval of the coordinator, Prof. Laura Zanfrini.

3.      Is it possible to replace the internship with a foreign language course?

No, foreign language courses are not considered as elective training activities.

4.      Is it possible to carry out an internship abroad?

Yes, it is possible – and indeed desirable! – carry out an internship abroad. The administrative management of internships abroad is the responsibility of the International Development Area, wea@unicatt.it, while the internship Tutor remains the reference for the methods, contents, tasks of the proposed training activity and the recognition of ECTS.

5.      Are trips to Italy and abroad allowed during the internship?

Yes, trips to Italy and abroad are allowed, if included in the training project. Before each trip, it is necessary to send an e-mail to the University Tutor and to the ST&P Service at stage-mi@unicatt.it, providing all the details: departure and return date, place of transfer, duration, reason.

6.      Is there any financial recognition (allowance) for the curricular internship?

The participation allowance and any other benefits are at the discretion of the host institution.

7.      What to do if problems arise during the internship with the host institution?

Contact your university tutor immediately to address and resolve any critical issues.

8.      I have met the duration requirements necessary to obtain the recognition of ECTS, can I interrupt the internship?

No. The internship can only be interrupted for valid reasons (e.g. health reasons, etc.) that must be assessed by the Tutor. If the subjects offering the internships propose a duration longer than that necessary to obtain the recognition of the credits provided for in the study plan, the student, by accepting the proposal, undertakes to attend the internship for the entire duration of the initial training project. Early termination of the internship may compromise the recognition of training credits.

9.      What are the 3 extra-internship credits for?

The 3 ECTS outside the internship (for internships of at least 6 months full-time) can be used to obtain the 9 ECTS provided for the training activities chosen by the student. In the event that, regardless of the extra-internship, the minimum number of training credits has already been reached with laboratories or elective courses, the 3 extra-internship credits are in any case noted as supernumerary credits in the student's career plan. The Degree Examination Commission may take this into account when awarding the final grade.

10.  Can I have an existing or already carried out work activity recognized as a curricular internship?

No, it is not possible to obtain recognition of a work activity or internship, current or already carried out, even if they concern positions similar to those envisaged by one's course of study.

Furthermore, it is not allowed to carry out the curricular internship with 3 CFU, for the same type of position and in the same division/function of the company with which an employment relationship is already active.  The internship activity cannot take place in the employ of parents or a relative.

11.  I am carrying out a curricular internship with ECTS lasting 6 months. The employer has proposed to me to extend or activate a new curricular internship with conclusion after the date of graduation. What should I do?

For curricular internships with CFU, the suggestion is not to exceed (including extensions) the maximum duration of 6 months full time, which allows you to obtain the 3 credits for the internship + 3 credits extra-internship. Additional training credits are not recognized, in addition to those provided, for internships lasting more than 6 months. For proposals for extension beyond this deadline, it is suggested to activate a new curricular internship at 0 CFU, to be converted into extra-curricular after graduation. The 0 CFU curricular internship does not automatically convert into an extracurricular internship. However, it is possible to activate a new extracurricular internship for graduates, following the procedure provided. You must allow 2-3 business days for your status to be upgraded from "student" to "graduate". Only after this update will it be possible to proceed with the activation of the new internship. For the activation of 0 CFU curricular internships and extra-curricular internships, the ST&P Office is responsible, to be contacted at the following e-mail address: stage-mi@unicatt.it.