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Versteynen

Internship: Diary Farm 

On the farm you will be involved in the usual practices in the dairy industry. The farm also offers "hugging with cows" where people can make short visits to the farm where they get close to the cows and also learn how to work with them. The family is very friendly and the internship is a combination of both learning and leisure.

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  • Where: Poppel, Antwerpen

  • When: April - September

  • Duration: 3 weeks - 6 months

  • Type of internship: CERES

  • Accommodation: Yes, with the farmer

  • Food: Yes

  • Salary: No 

  • Language: English

  • Working hours: 8-10 h/day, 5 days/week

  • Proximity to local committees: Not that close but by train every committee is easy to visit

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Van de Poel

Internship: Plant science lab 

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This internship provides you with the chance to gain experience at a world-famous university, the KU Leuven. The lab is part of the faculty of bio-science engineering and more exactly the division of Crop biotechnics. The labs research focuses on plant hormones, like ethylene, photobiology and innovation of sustainability in agriculture with smart Farming applications.
 

Your job as an intern will be situated in the lab, growing chambers and greenhouses. You will be active in the fields of molecular biology (PCR, cloning, transforming…), plant physiology (ethylene production, photosynthesis, transpiration…) and photobiology (LED, dynamic shading, flowering induction..).
 

The internship can take from three months up to one year (up to you) with normal working days and weeks. The lab cannot provide food, accommodation or any salary, but this will be an amazing opportunity for you to get experience on the front row of today’s research and it will be a huge boost for your résumé. Further on, you will be active in an international research environment with members of many different countries and you'll connect during your work and the regular social activities

  • Where: KULeuven, Leuven

  • When:  all year round

  • Duration: 3 months - one year

  • Type of internship: ARCHIMEDES

  • Accommodation: No

  • Food: No

  • Salary: No 

  • Language: English or Dutch (decent level)

  • Working hours: 8 h/day, 5 days/week

  • Requirements:

    • Decent level of English or Dutch​

    • Good curriculum/study results (your references will be checked)

    • trained in the field of Plant Science, Biology, Chemistry, Bio-science engineering, biotechnology or similar

    • Skype interview with the lab-professor

    • lot's of motivation

  • Proximity to local committees: IAAS Leuven is situated in this city.

  • Website: https://bramvandepoel.wixsite.com/vandepoel-lab

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Boer&nCompagnie

Internship: CSA farm 

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CSA stands for community shared agriculture. This means that there is a whole community supporting the farmers in their daily work by helping financially or by hand. In return, the community gets a fair share of the harvest. Further on, CSA Farms are small scale farms who produce a lot of different crops and dairy products with sustainable production methods. In this way, the whole community gets closer to nature and each other, using a combination of traditional and modern methods.

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BoerEnCompagnie is located at the border of the city of Leuven which has a huge student population. You'll work two km away from the city centre, beneath the towers of the old abbey ‘Van Park’, in between the glowing hills of the Belgian midlands. Doing an internship on this small-scale, mixed farm has the advantage that you'll be doing something else nearly every day. Because there is a whole community behind the handful of permanent farmers, you have the opportunity to meet a bunch of them. In your free time you'll be able to enjoy social activities in Leuven or elsewhere (maybe visit the two other local committees in Ghent and Louvain-la-Neuve?). The farmers themselves are super motivated and willing to meet young students and exchange thoughts and ideas during your work at the farm. So be prepared to have some interesting discussions of all kinds. This is a place where new ideas are born.

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You don’t need any farming experience, only a bunch of motivation and eagerness to learn a lot, about traditional production methods for example. You'll really have to work, but this will make your integration in the group easier and in this way, you will surely have fun. Accommodation is normally not included, but sometimes it’s possible to find a host family in the community. Lunch will be provided at the farm but you will have to provide the other meals yourself. See this as a chance to eat a lot of Belgian fries!

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  • Where: Leuven

  • When: April - September

  • Duration: 3 weeks - 6 months

  • Type of internship: CERES

  • Accommodation: No, sometimes a host family is possible

  • Food: Lunch will be provided

  • Salary: No 

  • Language: English, French, German or Dutch

  • Requirements: No need for previous farming experience, only lots of motivation and eagerness to work and learn

  • Working hours: 8-10 h/day, 5 days/week

  • Proximity to local committees: In the city of Leuven where IAAS Leuven resides

  • Website: http://www.boerencompagnie.be/

PCFruit

Internship: Fruit research centre 

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The Research Centre for Fruit npo incorporates pioneering research on a variety of fruit species cultivated in Belgium since 1943. The aim is to centralize services for fruit growers, the government and scientists by doing all kinds of tests and informing actions linked with fruit growing. Many insights and techniques used today were developed there, so as an intern you will witness this collaboration of science and agriculture front row.

The staff of more than 100 people is specialised in disciplines as plant protection, Integrated pest management IPM, cultivation techniques, nutrition, cross-pollination, mechanisation, environmental aspects, data-analysis, molecular techniques….
The researched cultivars are among other things apple, pear, sweet cherries, strawberries and wine grapes (thanks to global warming)!
 

Pcfruit is located near the city of Sint-Truiden, in the Belgian province of Limburg (north-east). The region is known for its fruit growing, specific nature & climate and friendly people. The institute has 62 ha of excellent orchards, plantations, greenhouses, labs and plant growing chambers. Internships from 3 weeks up to one year are possible, however working during the winter period is not recommended, because the tasks are less interesting then. Knowledge of English, French or Dutch is required. You will have a 5 days/week schedule, from 8.00 to 16.30. Accommodation will be provided by a host family, as well as your meals. You don’t need much experience and your tasks will be defined according to your interests. Possible activities are doing research in the fields or in the lab (determining new plant diseases e.g.). The colleagues form a big group of friends so you’ll be able to meet a lot of people on the after work gatherings. Moreover, because you will be in a host family, you will get a taste of the normal life in Belgium. So, if you are eager to be a participant in this wonderful project, do not hesitate and apply!

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  • Where: Sint-Truiden

  • When: all year (winter not recommended)

  • Duration: 3 weeks - 1 year

  • Type of internship: ARCHIMEDES

  • Accommodation: Yes, host family

  • Food: Yes, at host

  • Salary: No 

  • Language: English, French or Dutch

  • Requirements: No need for much experience, the tasks will be defined according to your interests.

  • Working hours: 8:00-16:30, 5 days/week

  • Proximity to local committees: not near a local committee but easy to reach with public transport

  • Website: www.pcfruit.be

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