In the master program there are many opportunities to collaborate with a company. Especially during the second year, when you shape your final master project, you can collaborate with a company for your project or proposal. To ensure a good learning environment to work on your development, there are some guidelines.
Typically, the collaboration in a project during the master program is not an internship, where the company completely decides what has to be done (and is strictly regulated by Dutch law), but a project where you decide how to execute it. Make sure that the project you will be working on is a complete learning experience that can be assessed as design or design research project following the rubrics. It is necessary that the end product of the project is assessed according to TU/e rules, and that the result will be known and can be shared and archived for educational (and assessment) purposes.
Company
The Department of Industrial Design has many connections with companies in the field (e.g. of Alumni, collaborations with squads, teachers or former projects). You can consult your mentor on what companies suit your professional identity, vision, overall competence development and future career.
Company coach
It is advised that the company has a clear understanding of the value of an Industrial Design graduate student for their project. The person who will guide you during the project (e.g. the company coach) needs to have a background, work experience and qualifications that match your intended development during the project and learning goals.
Agreements
We strongly recommend that graduate students sign a work placement agreement with the company they work with. You can find the work placement agreement on the Forms and files page and need to send this before the project starts to the Internship Coordinator. You can ask the Internship Coordinator for further support concerning contracts.
Should a company introduce their own agreement, take into account that the document needs to first be checked by the department before signing the document(s).
Be aware that you should not sign a contract, or at least be careful before signing a contract that includes “monetary fines” or a “non-competition clause” as this limits your freedom after your education regarding joining or starting a company in competition with the company.
In some cases, companies request an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) to be signed. Please go to the NDA page for additional information.
Always make the department aware if you are working under an NDA; this is e.g. necessary for the preparation of Canvas assignments to deliver your work.
Special circumstances
The Department and/or the mentor reserve the right to cancel the collaboration after consulting both the student and the company if they agree that you have insufficient possibilities for effective learning and development. If this happens, you will have to do the project elsewhere, or carry out alternative learning activities.
You can plan a meeting with the Internship Coordinator in case you have further questions on the contracts or procedures.
The TU/e Career Academy can also support you in applying, writing a cover letter or resume.