March 28, 2026

The project “Internship Participation and Student Outcomes in Singapore”, supported by Singapore’s Ministry of Education Tertiary Research Fund (TRF) from 2024 to 2026 and led by Professor Jessica Pan, with co-investigators Associate Professor Liu Haoming and Associate Professor Kelvin Seah (NUS Economics), seeks to understand how internships shape students’ educational experiences and career pathways in Singapore.

Internships have become an essential part of higher education, often seen as the bridge between classroom learning and the professional world. Universities and policymakers alike emphasise their importance in helping students acquire practical skills, industry exposure, and confidence before entering the workforce. However, despite their popularity, surprisingly little is known about whether internships make a difference—who benefits most, what kinds of experiences matter, and how they translate into tangible outcomes such as employment, earnings, or workplace readiness.

This study sets out to answer those questions through a systematic and data-driven evaluation. It focuses on four main goals.

First, the team will examine which students tend to take up internships, exploring how factors such as gender, academic ability, socio-economic background, and field of study influence participation. This will shed light on whether internships are equitably accessed or if certain groups are more likely to benefit.

Second, the researchers will look at how internships relate to student outcomes—both during university and after graduation. They will study whether internship experience is linked to better grades, smoother job transitions, higher wages, or stronger employability skills.

Third, they will identify what kinds of internships work best. Are longer internships more beneficial? Does relevance to a student’s major matter more than duration? Do local or overseas placements make a difference? By unpacking these questions, the study will reveal what makes an internship truly valuable for students’ personal and professional growth.

Finally, the researchers will measure whether internships themselves lead to improved outcomes, or if students who take them up were already more motivated or better prepared to begin with.

The research is expected to offer valuable insights for policy and practice. If internships are shown to improve learning and employability, the findings will strengthen the case for expanding and refining internship opportunities. If the results suggest mixed or limited benefits, universities can use the evidence to redesign their internship frameworks to make them more effective. In both cases, the goal is the same—to ensure that internships genuinely help students acquire meaningful skills, build confidence, and transition successfully into the workforce.

For policymakers, the study will offer clear evidence to guide how internships can be structured and supported at scale. For universities, it will provide a blueprint for improving programme design and aligning experiential learning with real-world needs. And for students, the findings will help them make more informed choices about where and how to invest their time during their studies.

Ultimately, the project reflects a broader commitment to evidence-based education policy in Singapore. By evaluating the link between internship participation, academic outcomes, and early-career success, the NUS Economics research team aims to contribute to the ongoing national effort to prepare students for the future workplace—one where adaptability, applied skills, and lifelong learning are key to success.