Guides to the university

The information in this Guide refers only to activities and regulations in place at Bocconi University. For activities and regulations in place at Politecnico, please check the PoliMi widget available in the yoU@B Diary.

The Master of Science in Cyber Risk Strategy and Governance includes an internship/apprenticeship/training (hereinafter internship) or similar activity in the program requirements, classified as compulsory educational activities. These activities are worth 8 credits (see "Program Structures" chapter).

As an exception, due to the effects of the Covid-19 health emergency on the availability and performance of curricular internships, an elective exam integrated with mandatory participation in the virtual career orientation path called Career Start Pack (see ‘Program Structures of Master of Science Programs’) can be completed.

It is possible to participate in other internship experiences, during your studies or after graduation, which do not have curricular value and for which the information in the paragraphs and sections is not applied: "Duration", "Positioning", "Internship Recognition, "Activities Similar to Internships and Recognition".

In this chapter, curricular internship exclusively stands for curricular internship for credit.

Due to possible difficulties finding or completing internship experiences during the contingent health situation, the University has adopted extraordinary measures to safeguard internship experiences for students enrolled in the 2nd year in 2021-2022 academic year.
In addition to new minimum durations and how they can be carried out, these measures concern the possibility of replacing the internship with an elective exam supplemented by a remote professional orientation activity. They are a supplement to (and sometimes modify) the indications in the "Internship" chapter of this Guide to the University.

Duration

New minimum durations have been defined for internships that begin before 31/12/2022:

• minimum 8 weeks if full-time, whether in Italy or abroad;
• minimum 11 weeks if part-time, whether in Italy or abroad.

How they can be carried out

Provided that internships may take place - in Italy and outside Italy - at companies, public and private institutions, professional firms, international organisms, diplomatic agencies, cultural institutions and other organizations (hereinafter ‘company’), in addition to at the facilities of the host company ("in person" mode), after evaluation and authorization by the University and the host company, internships can be carried out in "mixed mode" (in person/remotely) or remotely ("remote" mode).

Recognition of elective course supplemented by orientation activity

As an alternative to completing a curricular internship or an activity similar to an internship already provided for in the program regulations, 2nd year students in the 2021-2022 academic year can enter an elective course supplemented by a remote professional orientation activity called Career Starter Pack in their study plan.

The course can be:

1. an elective course (6 credits), supplemented by the Career Starter Pack* (2 credits), or
2. an elective course (6 credits), that is additional compared to the standard Bocconi study plan, recognized in the study plan as part of an international mobility experience lasting one semester or one year, supplemented by the Career Starter Pack* (2 credits).

Please note: the grade of the elective course replacing the internship will not be included in the calculation of the GPA.

* The 2 credits for the Career Starter Pack can be recorded in the academic career after a test has been passed.

In the case of option 1: the choice must be made when enrolling in the second year of the program, according to the methods and timelines indicated in paragraphs 8.2.2. Administrative procedures and deadlines for enrolment in the second year and 8.2.3 Choice of Electives.
Subsequent changes to the study plan (i.e. changing to an internship or changing first-semester courses with second-semester courses) may be made in January 2022 as indicated in paragraph 8.2.6. Changing First and Second Semester Courses with Second Semester Courses.

In the case of option 2: students, after the internship recognition procedure has been completed, enter the elective course in their study plan via Punto Blu >Study Plan > Study Plan change.

The other activities similar to an internship described in paragraph 4.8. Activities Similar to Internships and recognition are still valid and can be recognized as an alternative to an internship experience.

Procedure for changing the choice after it has been made

Students who have entered an elective course + the Career Starter Pack in the study plan, but then decide to complete and recognize a curricular internship should do the following:

• if they have not passed the elective exam and/or the Career Starter Pack:
  
  1. in January and/or starting in late July: they must change the study plan through Punto Blu, adding the internship;
  2. outside the periods referred to in point 1 and after the internship recognition procedure has been completed, they will be contacted by Academic Services to begin the process of including the internship in the study plan;
   
• if they have already passed the elective exam and/or the Career Starter Pack:
  
  1. in January and/or starting in late July: they can contact Academic Services to define where these experiences will be placed in the study plan;
  2. outside the periods referred to in point 1 and after the internship recognition procedure has been completed, they will be contacted by Academic Services to define how to enter these experiences in the academic career.

Curricular internships must have the following characteristics regarding duration, objectives and content, location and positioning.

Duration

• minimum 12 full-time weeks, in Italy;
• minimum 10 full-time weeks, outside Italy;
• minimum 16 weeks in the case of part-time internships, whether in Italy or outside Italy.

Due to the continuing health emergency regarding Covid-19, the minimum duration of internships with start dates before 31/12/2022 has been changed as follows: 

• minimum 8 weeks full-time whether in Italy or outside Italy; 
• minimum 11 weeks in the case of part-time internships, whether in Italy or outside Italy. 

The number of weeks is understood as continuous and non-cumulative.
For variations on duration, see paragraph 4.6. 'Postponement, suspension, withdrawal/interruption'.

Objectives and contents

The internship is an in-the-field training experience and not an employment contract. Its regulations are valid in Italy and are set by law (national and regional law) and by the University.The objective of internships is to educate. They allow students to:

• learn about the world of work,
• developing professional skills and knowledge,
• facilitate their professional choices.

The content of the internship must be consistent with the educational objectives of the MSc program the student is enrolled in. The in-the-field experience includes a company tutor (professional expert) supporting the students. The company tutor should be referred to for anything the student needs or the company needs within the University.

Location

Internships may take place - in Italy and outside Italy - in companies, public and private institutions, professional firms, international organisms, diplomatic agencies, cultural institutions and other organizations (hereinafter company).
Internships held on the premises of the participant's family property are not accepted.
In addition to at the facilities of the host organization ("in person" mode), after evaluation and authorization by the University and the host organization, internships can be carried out remotely ("remote" mode) or in "mixed mode" (in person/remotely).
The University reserves the right to evaluate the eligibility of the location of the internship.

Positioning

Students may participate in internships during their second year.
Students may participate in an internship only after completing first-year courses.

It is possible, as an exception, to participate in an internship in advance, before enrollment in MSc programs but after the undergraduate degree, in compliance with the requirement of not overlapping the internship with class activities; in this case there are various authorization and validation procedure 4.5. Internship recognition).

As an exception, internships may be recorded in the academic career as a first-year educational activity.

Cyber students can find curricular internships through the services offered by the Career Services at Bocconi University or Politecnico. Regardless, they must be activated through the Bocconi Career Service.

In addition, internships can be found autonomously, at highly qualified companies only. In this case, the Master of Science Program Director and the Internship Office will carefully monitor the internship request. Students should ask the company to get in touch with the University at least three weeks before the start of the internship, by accessing the JobGate portal.

In order to activate an internship, it can only be formalized through the Bocconi Career Service, i.e. governed by a document that regulates its aims and content. This document is the Internship Agreement, and it contains the internship’s training project.

Activaton requires the following steps:

1. As the sole promoter of the initiative, for curricular internships for all students enrolled in the MSc in Cyber Risk Strategy and Governance , Bocconi University prepares all the necessary legal documentation, checks the quality of the content of the training project, and provides insurance coverage.
2. Once the student (hereinafter trainee) has been selected and the internship details have been agreed, the company fills out the internship document (entering information and content) on JobGate by the Monday preceding the start of the internship. Internships always start on a Monday. The information relating to the internship will be visible by the trainee on JobGate, in the area “My Internships” of the yoU@B Diary, so that he/she can check that the content agreed upon by with the company during the interviews are coherent with the specified content. The confirmation is valid for accepting the internship.
3. The Internship Office checks the training project and, after checking the internship content and quality and if it is carried out in accordance with the law, confirms the internship. The University can negotiate internship content and conditions with the company and, in case of no agreement, may refuse to start the internship.
4. Before starting the internship, the student must:
   • Request advance authorization from the University and wait until it has been granted;
   • and should also watch the course “Internship...Let’s Go!” available under Extracurricular Courses on the Bocconi BBoard website
5. On the first day of the internship, the company downloads the internship document from JobGate and it is signed by the trainee along with a company legal representative or delegated party. The original document, with a duty stamp when required (duty stamp at the expense of the company), is promptly sent by the company to the Internship Office so it can be signed by the University.
   During the health emergency period due to Covid-19, as an exception, the signed document can be sent in the form of a scan to the Internship Office through the Help & Contact procedure. After the emergency period, an original copy of the document must be sent to the Internship Office.
6. The trainee must ensure that the company sends the original copy of the document to the University. If it is not returned, the internship cannot be considered valid. The internship document, completed with all signatures, is uploaded on JobGate in the area “My Internships - Attachments” by the University to be used by the company and by the trainee.

Internships outside Italy also need to be activated through an Internship Agreement in compliance with the procedure described above. However, such internships can also be run with an internship contract between the trainee and the company or another document demonstrating practical educational experience according with the local laws where the internship experience is held. Such documentation along with a description of the internship activities and contact information for the company tutor must be sent by the student at least three weeks before the start of the internship to the Internship Office via the procedure laid out on the website at Career Service >Internships. Experiences without such documentation that is not submitted by the deadlines described above cannot be assessed or recognized as an internship.

For internships completed outside Italy, trainees must verify the methods for obtaining, if requested, the appropriate visa and ony other needed document so that the internship can be carried out in compliance with the law of the host country. If documentation from the University is also needed to support the visa request, the trainee can make reference to:

• the cert@B procedure for official certifications;
• the Internship Office (through the Help&Contact procedure) for any ad hoc documents (see paragraph Certifications and Documents).

For internships completed outside Italy the trainee must:

• view the “Bocconi Students Travel Risk Policy” (available on the yoU@B Diary);
• sign the “Student Responsibility Declaration” document on JobGate. With this document, the student declares to be aware that the University cannot ensure the security and solvency of the institution and the country in which he/she has freely decided to carry out the internship;
• comply with the measures for mitigating risk suggested in the Travel Risk Polocy.

It is the student’s responsibility to take out healthcare insurance through a suitable international medical policy valid in the country where the internship will be completed for the entire duration of the stay, in particular in counties not covered by the European Health Insurance Card.

Students can also refer to International SOS to receive assistance in the areas of health, safety, logistics and legal issues in emergency situations.

For some typologies of internships the trainee and the company tutor are invited to fill out the mid-term evaluation form, indicatively one and a half months after the start of the experience. In the “My Internships” area of the yoU@B Diary, the trainee can view the form filled out by the company tutor and can decide whether to authorize the tutor to view the completed form.

Shortly before the end of the experience, the following end-of-internship documents are required for validation purposes:

• Evaluation form filled out by the student via the yoU@B student Diary;
• evaluation form from the company tutor on the JobGate. The assessment by the company tutor also includes the skills acquired.

The student has the responsibility to make sure that the tutor has filled out his/her form. All end-of internship documents are available to be filled out starting two weeks before the end of the internship and must be completed promptly.

At the end of the internship and upon request of the trainee, the company must issue an internship certification.

All internship experiences must be approved in advance in order to ensure their consistency and coherence with the educational objectives of the Master of Science the student is enrolled in. At the end of the internship, these experiences are validated so that credit points can be allocated. In order to obtain recognition of the internship the steps described below must be followed.

Advance authorization

1. Before the beginning of the experience and after viewing the internship on JobGate and confirming it, the student must request advance authorization, by accessing the area ‘My internships’ and clicking on ‘Request internship recognition.’
2. The request is automatically made viewable to the Program Director or his/her delegate who can give his/her approval, reject it or, for more information, ask the student to schedule a meeting.
3. The student views the request outcome in the ‘My internships’ area on JobGate.

Notice: without advance authorization, the internship will not be started as a curricular internship.

If the internship is completed before finalization of enrollment in an MSc program and after the undergraduate degree, students may request authorization to have the experience recognized as a Master of Science curricular internship. The request must be made via Help&Contact to the Internship Office (the Internship Office will contact the Program Director) by the end of the teaching period (end of second semester lectures) of the first year of studies.

Students cannot request authorization before the end of the internship and before the beginning of the first year in any way (even if he/she initially enrolled in the MSc program as of the internship starting date).

If students complete further internships in the years following the first year with potential curricular value, the internship already recorded in the study plan will remain valid.

Final validation

1. Once the internship has ended, the Program Director views the evaluation forms filled out by the trainee and company tutor (end-of-internship documentation). The evaluation forms will be analyzed carefully. If more information is needed, a meeting with the student may be scheduled.
2. Once final recognition has been obtained from the Director, the student can check the credit points recording in his/her academic career via Punto Blu.

The University will carry out checks during the student’s internship in order to verify that the internship is actually taking place. In case the student is repeatedly missing, the internship will be annulled. Immediate communication on the internship annulment will be forwarded to the student, the Program Director and the host company. In case of behavior contrary to the Honor Code or Regulations for University Internships during the internship, students can be reported to the Disciplinary Board by the Internship Office.

       3.  The Study Planning Office (Academic Services) records the internship credits by the deadline set for the study plan completion for the graduation session.

Generally, the internship needs to be completed by that date. Uncompleted internships which have met the minimum duration of time can still be recognized in the student's academic career, only if:

• the student must graduate before the end of the internship;
• the student applies for a scholarship.

In these cases, at least two weeks before the deadline set for the completion of the study plan or the other deadlines indicated above, the student must:

• make an explicit request for recognition for early ending of the internship via the Help&Contact procedure;
• complete the end-of-internship documents within the time needed to record the internship in the student’s academic career.

Postponement

Before the end of the internship, a postponement may be requested for a limit of 6 months of the duration of the internship. The Internship Office may grant a postponement after carefully evaluating the reasons for the request and only if the company demonstrates that more time is needed to reach the educational objective for the complexity of the project.
The postponement period must be communicated in advance by the company to the Internship Office on the JobGate in the My Internships area ‘Internship duration changes’ and the trainee must access the portal to confirm the postponement entered.

Suspension

Upon agreement with Bocconi University, a temporary suspension period for the internship of a maximum of 30 days can be allowed (e.g. company closure, national holiday) to be recovered at the end of the internship if it affects the minimum duration of the curricular internship. Such period must always be communicated in advance by the company through JobGate in the My Internships area - Internship duration changes, if more than 3 consecutive working days are reached. 

Withdrawal/Interruption

Without serious and/or justified reasons or reasons of force majeure, there will be limitations for accessing a new internship, which cannot be started before one month from the date of withdrawal/interruption of the previous internships.

• Withdrawals, with relating reasons, must be communicated by the trainee before the start of the internship in the My Internships area Internship Duration Changes.
• nterruptions, with the relating reasons, must be immediately communicated by the company through the JobGate in the My Internships area - ‘Internship duration changes’. The trainee must access the portal and confirm the interruption entered.

In case of curricular internships, early interruptions not authorized in advance by the Internship Office can result in the internship not being recognized, even if the minimum duration has been met. Early authorization is given on the basis of the evaluation of all internship characteristics, including the duration. The student should forward the request for authorization for early interruption of the Internship Office through the Help&Contact procedure available on the yoU@B. The Internship Office will reply to the request.

Curricular internships are not compensated. At their discretion, companies may grant an allowance (monetary contribution).
For unpaid internships carried out abroad, for which no allowance is provided, scholarships may be given by Bocconi University.

Depending on the specific internship requirements, the following may be provided:

• ERASMUS+ scholarship;
• Contribution for internships at the MAECI institutions (Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation);
• Contribution for internships at international organizations;
• Assistance for international mobility.

For more information, check the website: www.unibocconi.eu/internshipfinaid.

Though internships remain the main educational activity for students to put their studies into practice, other activities known as "similar activities" in lieu of the internships can be recognized. These include:

1. Qualified work experiences, with employment contracts, such as, for example, temporary or permanent work. These are subject to the same rules (duration, positioning and channels for finding the experience) as internships. The Internship Office will assess the actual educational value of the experience in relation to the student’s study path. To request recognition, students must take the following steps:

• At least three weeks prior the start of the experience, students must send - via the procedure available on the website Career Service > Internships - a copy of the contract signed with the company. The minimum information that must be on the contract, or provided additionally if not included, can be verified online. 
• The Internship Office, having verified that the experience is in line with the student’s study path and the University’s quality standards, enters the information relating to the activity similar to an internship via JobGate and the student must request the advance authorization, by entering ‘My internships-Training Project’ and clicking on ‘Request internship recognition’.
• At the end of the minimum of the duration for internship recognition, students must upload in the ‘My internship’ area in ‘Attachments’ area, a short report including information on the type of experience and a declaration by the company certifying the presence of the student at the company in the period specified on the recognition request. After this has been completed, students should inform the Internship Office through Help&Contact on yoU@B.
• After appropriate assessment, the Program Director will proceed with the final recognition in accordance with the procedure specified in paragraph paragraph 4.5 Internship recognition.

Students who wish to request validation of an internship they completed before enrollment in an MSc program (after having been awarded the undergraduate degree), must complete the request before the end of the teaching period (end of lectures of second semester) of the first year of studies.

2. Field Projects, which have three types:

2.1 Field Projects with Employers
Activated following an agreement between the University and the Employer, field projects involve research and analytical work on an organizational and/or business issue. They are assigned to a group of 2-4 students and led by a professional from the company/institution, with the involvement of a faculty member. Field projects are coordinated by Career Services. The activity has a minimum duration of 8 weeks. It is carried out mainly remotely and is supplemented by professional orientation meetings organized by the Employer, with a sector/function focus or in preparation for recruitment processes. Like internships, field projects are activated through a document on the JobGate portal prepared by the University. The recognition procedure of experiences similar to internships for curricular purposes can also be activated on the portal.

2.2. Field project activated by the MSc Program Director
Field projects are promoted by a faculty member and approved by the MSc Program Director after a specific agreement with a company, institution or professional firm. The following types of activities may be carried out:
- in-class activities: possible classroom teaching activities by the faculty member (methodological tools), presentations by professionals (e.g. application of methodological tools);
- on-the-field activities monitored by a professional or faculty member: case analysis and presentation of the work (group or individual) in the presence of an external professional and faculty member.
Considering that an internship requires a student commitment of 8-11 weeks (for internships started within 31/12/2022), the activities described above should be organized in terms of hours and/or intensity of student commitment, so that the field project is equivalent to an internship.
Most of the hours should be dedicated to on-the-field activities. Recognition occurs based on a list provided to the Internship Office by the faculty member coordinating the field project of those who intend to request that this activity be recognized as similar to an internship and have successfully completed the experience.

2.3 Field Research Project. This is an activity promoted by a faculty member involving the student exclusively in a research activity to be carried out at a Research Center or a Department at the University. Assuming that this activity is considered a part-time experience, the minimum duration for the internship recognition is 16 weeks and the maximum is 6 months. In the event of internships with a start date before 31/12/2022, the minimum duration is 11 weeks. A research field project can be completed only as a curricular activity for credit; it cannot be activated in any other form. The procedure for authorization and recognition is the same as for internships (see paragraph 4.5 Internship recognition) except for a final report on the activity carried out attaching papers or reports to be uploaded to JobGate by the student at the end of the experience.

To request certifications to from University specifying participation in an international mobility program or internship, you must use the cert@B procedure available on the yoU@B Diary (see chapter 10 Certifications and self-declarations). These types of certificates are subject to duty stamp fees. The documents described in the paragraph 4.8.2 Declarations are exceptions to this procedure.

• Declaration of completed internship: trainees must provide the address of the recipient of the declaration. In order to obtain this declaration, the internship needs to have already been recorded on JobGate and, in the case of curricular internships for credit, it needs to have been recorded on the academic career.
• To support a visa application or request: the student must provide the name and address of the company/intuition/diplomatic office/immigration office to address the declaration and the characteristics of the declaration.

These declarations are exempt from duty stamp fees. Requests for the above declarations must be sent to the Internship Office through Help&Contact on yoU@B.

Markets & Partners Organizational Unit
Internship Office
Piazza Sraffa 11 - 20136 Milano
Tel: +39 02 5836 2478
Help&Contact: available on the yoU@B Diary

Bocconi University Career Service Infopoint
Piazza Sraffa 11 - 20136 Milano
Ph. +39 02 5836 2711

infocareer@unibocconi.it
http://www.cs.unibocconi.it