Work-integrated learning in Artificial Intelligence: Norwegian - Canadian internships for students funded for four years

Twelve masters and PhD students from NTNU will have a 6 montsh applied research internship at the University of Waterloo just outside Toronto, Canada at its research networks and industry partners. The program planning begins in the winter of 2023. 

Vice versa the Canadian university will send students to NTNU and the partners SINTEF Digital, Cognite and Aneo.  The two universities partner to focus on talent development in artificial intelligence (AI) through co-operative education and work-integrated learning (WIL).

The project will run from 2023 through 2026 and the NTNU work is lead by Associate Professor, Özlem Özgöbek, NTNU who is closely connected to NorwAI. Funding is provided by the UTFORSK program that aims to support the government’s strategy to establish and strengthen educational cooperation with selected countries outside Europe, Canada among them.

- These licenses will strengthen Norway as a nation of knowledge. I am happy to see that the project we are now supporting means that more students can go on exchange to our priority partner countries, says Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe.

The university of Waterloo is among Canada’s highest-ranking universities. Waterloo is a leader in building the intelligent systems of tomorrow through Waterloo.AI. This project is an investment in developing future-ready talent using our co-operative education model. The Canadians will fund Waterloo co-op students as they undertake AI in Norway at NTNU and at their industry partners.

This exchange intends to grow international mobility pathways between these AI networks.

-Through this initiative, the goal is to expand the AI talent pool to yield positive impacts that help improve the quality-of-life for people around the world. This research exchange will prove to be invaluable for years to come, says Harold Godwin managing director of Waterloo.AI.