University Internship

University internship is regulated by: Law No. 56 of February 18, 1989, “Regulation of the profession of psychologist”; Ministerial Decree No. 239 of January 13, 1992; Presidential Decree No. 328 of June 5, 2002, “Amendments and additions to the regulations governing the requirements for admission to the state examination and related tests for the practice of certain professions, as well as the regulations governing certain systems”; Law No. 163 of November 8, 2021, “Provisions on qualifying university degrees”; Interministerial Decree No. 567 of June 20, 2022, “Specific transitional provisions for qualification to practice the profession of psychologist,” of the MUR, adopted in agreement with the Ministry of Health; Interministerial Decree No. 654 of July 5, 2022, “Master’s Degree Qualifying for the Profession of Psychologist – Class LM-51,” issued by the MUR, adopted in agreement with the Ministry of Health.

Given that, pursuant to Articles 1 and 3 of Law No. 163/2021, the final exam for the Master’s Degree in Psychology – class LM-51 qualifies graduates to practice as psychologists; Article 6 of Presidential Decree 328/01 entrusts an agreement between the professional associations and universities with the task of specifying the procedures for organizing the internship; furthermore, Article 2, paragraph 1 of Ministerial Decree No. 567 of June 20, 2022 establishes that the practical assessment internship (hereinafter referred to as TPV) consists of professional training activities corresponding to 30 university credits (CFU), with a total duration of 750 hours, carried out in operational contexts at qualified external institutions affiliated with universities; and Article 2 of Interim Decree No. 654 of July 5, 2022 establishes that the period of TPV carried out during the Master’s Degree course must be of sufficient duration to guarantee a total of 20 CFU, of which at least 14 CFU must be at qualified external institutions affiliated with universities; Finally, Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, establishes that the number of credits to be earned during Master’s degree courses through the completion of the TPV at affiliated external institutions is set at 18 credits;

Therefore, there is a need to provide for internship activities required for qualification as a psychologist both for those who have obtained or are obtaining a master’s degree in Psychology under the previous regulations (hereinafter “Master’s degree graduates under the previous regulations”), through post-graduate internships, and for those enrolled in LM-51 qualifying courses (hereinafter referred to as “Students in LM-51.M-5 qualifying courses”), through pre-graduate internships (Articles 1 and 2 of this agreement).

In accordance with the above, AREF International ETS has had an agreement with the University of Rome “Sapienza” since 2013 for the following types of students:

STUDENTS enrolled in qualifying master’s degree courses (LM-51) who must complete an internship during their studies (PRE-GRADUATION INTERNSHIP), worth 18 CFU credits, equal to 450 hours.
MASTER’S DEGREE GRADUATES, i.e. those who have obtained or are obtaining a master’s degree in Psychology, must complete an internship after obtaining their master’s degree (POST-GRADUATE INTERNSHIP). In this case, the internship will last a total of 750 hours.

In both cases, the internship must be completed within one year of the start date.

Carrying out your internship at the Association means making an important contribution to the activities carried out by the Association in favor of political refugees. It also allows you to gain direct experience in contact with the actors involved and with the local communities interested in the various projects. The internship is not only a training opportunity but also offers the chance to integrate the knowledge gained during university studies, stimulating the re-elaboration of lived experience, critical reflection, and the ability to self-evaluate. It is also an active guidance tool, as it allows for knowledge and direct experience in a work context, providing valuable tools for making future career choices. In addition to being a valuable opportunity for socialization and participatory learning, the interns are supported throughout the entire period of the activity.

To access the internship, it is necessary (in addition to the required university requirements) to attend an informational and motivational interview, after submitting an application and resume electronically to the following address: info@arefinternational.org

The internship will always be carried out alongside other activities, as required by law. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in events throughout Italy in support of the refugee cause and, depending on their interest and personal commitment, to participate in institutional trips.

Interns will carry out the following main activities in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development, human rights, and peace:

Knowledge and in-depth understanding of relevant issues (refugee status, long-distance support, support for local initiatives, community projects, intercultural projects, contextual and family variables, etc.).
Maintaining contact with relevant institutions involved (national bodies and institutional and government representatives in India).
Maintaining contacts between supporters in Italy and beneficiaries in India (monks and lay people of different age groups).
Participation in ongoing projects and research.
Collaboration in maintaining the website and various social networks used by the Association.
Basic knowledge of how the Association’s archive works.
Knowledge and application of software packages related to the management of relevant activities (Office, Indesign, WordPress, Photoshop, Filmora, etc.).
Participation in events throughout the country in solidarity with the cause of refugees and to promote awareness of it.
Participation, if desired and requested, in institutional trips to the field.