The internship program will be implemented nationwide and will be open to undergraduate and graduate students, and early career researchers. Recruitment and selection of applicants will follow a competitive process. Participants of the program should be properly endorsed by the university, their institution, or company. For students, it is envisioned that this program will enable them to develop skill-sets related to their chosen area of specialization further equipping them to enter the workforce, enable them to finish their theses, and help them to build networks as they begin their journey to the professional world. For early career professionals and researchers, this program hopes to enhance specific skill sets necessary to perform their tasks more efficiently.
Successful applicants will join advanced cross-cutting research activities in bioinformatics, genomics, computer science, and other related areas – such as molecular physiology, biotechnology, marker-assisted breeding – in the Rice Breeding Innovation, Sustainable Impact In Rice-based Systems, Integrative Research Support, and other research platforms.
On the part of the university or agency from which the participants will come, this is a very good opportunity to build networks for future collaborative research activities. To ensure that each participating intern will benefit academically from the internship, the program may be divided into two parts. For students, the first part will be done in the university and may be tied with the conduct of their thesis or academic courses and for early career professionals, with their organizations and support their current tasks. In such a case, the participants with their respective adviser or supervisors should clearly indicate which portion of the work will be conducted at IRRI and its corresponding relevance and benefit to their activities as a student and as a professional.