Lerato Labase, an Masters in Technology and Innovation Management student of GSTM, was recently part of an exchange programme between Høgskulen på Vestlandet – Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Norway and University or Pretoria’s Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM).

The student exchange was funded by the Norwegian INTPART-project, which is focused on developing entrepreneurial mindsets across cultures. The exchange programme included a 10-week internship experience at StartupLab, a company whose mission and vision are aligned with keeping innovation thriving in Norway. The company’s focus is to have an innovative approach towards business development. It provides a platform for technology start-ups to exist, and to continuously innovate in order to remain relevant and competitive. StartupLab provided Lerato with the opportunity to learn about the start-up ecosystem in Norway. The organizational culture and team structure enabled her to utilize her diverse set of skills, while also expanding her knowledge. The team provided a conducive and interactive environment to learn and grow, through constant and affirming feedback. “They also demonstrated a lot of trust towards us, myself and the Norwegian intern I was placed with, and implemented our contributions throughout the duration of the internship. This improved our self-efficacy and provided the space to freely take initiative, while adapting to the flexible work culture.” There was a lot of autonomy with the completion of work tasks and high levels of accountability. In addition to the internship experience at StartupLab, the programme included conferences, lectures, industry seminars, and cultural excursions. “The entire experience is one that has greatly contributed towards my skills and intercultural competence, and has provided me with international exposure to entrepreneurship and innovation.”