Research Assistant – University of Exeter Modern Languages

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

In this internship, I conducted research for the Russian Department on how Russian is taught at every other university in the UK, so the department could analyse the data to ensure the course at Exeter is of the best possible quality. I also conducted similar research for the Chinese, Portuguese and Italian departments. In addition to this research, I also created two documents – a resources guide for students on their Year Abroad and also a ‘Survival Guide’ for the incoming Beginner’s Russian cohort.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I have never worked in an office environment before and by working in academia I learnt a lot about teaching and research, and the entire ‘behind the scenes’ of an academic’s life.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

The research and Year Abroad document were tasks that the department had wanted to do for a long time, but did not have the manpower or hours to complete. By completing these tasks, I lightened the work load of the department and hopefully provided plenty of data through my research than can be used to make improvements in the future.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, problem solving, negotiation

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Motivation, personal awareness, work ethic