Overview
ISO 29997:2025 - "Internships - Quality guidelines for host organizations" provides comprehensive guidance for designing, implementing and continually improving internship programmes. Intended for host organizations, the standard helps ensure internships are structured, learning-focused, fair and aligned with intended learning outcomes. It promotes decent work, accessibility, non-discrimination and transparency in internship practices.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and definitions: Clear terms for internship, intern, tutor and host organization to standardize practice and expectations.
- Creating effective programmes:
- Analyze organizational context and stakeholder needs.
- Define programme scope and learning outcomes jointly with interns and, where applicable, educational organizations.
- Programme implementation:
- Pre-internship promotion: diversified sourcing channels, transparent job descriptions and inclusive recruitment.
- Application and selection: documented, merit-based, non-discriminatory processes with timely candidate feedback.
- Written internship agreement: start/end dates, working hours, role, learning outcomes, remuneration, tutor details, insurance and termination procedures.
- Onboarding and integration: structured induction into team and tasks.
- Remuneration, social protection and insurance: clear communication of benefits and protections.
- Skills acquisition and tutoring: defined tutoring/support arrangements and targeted learning activities.
- Work environment: physical, virtual and social conditions that support learning and safety.
- Post-internship and career support: guidance on career development, ongoing communication and potential follow-up support.
- Evaluation and continual improvement: regular programme evaluation and mechanisms for improvement.
- Good practices annex: recruitment examples and practical suggestions for implementation.
Practical applications and users
Who will use ISO 29997:2025:
- Host organizations (private, public, non-profit) seeking to design or upgrade internship programmes.
- HR managers, internship coordinators and tutors developing recruitment, onboarding and tutoring processes.
- Educational organizations aligning curricula and learning outcomes with workplace experiences.
- Policy makers and quality assurance bodies evaluating internship quality and equity.
Practical uses:
- Drafting transparent internship descriptions and contracts.
- Establishing fair, inclusive recruiting and selection workflows.
- Designing onboarding, mentoring and assessment frameworks that map to learning outcomes.
- Ensuring legal, insurance and remuneration practices are clearly documented and communicated.
- Implementing evaluation cycles to monitor impact and improve programme quality.
Related standards
- ISO 25550 (guiding principles for fair and inclusive practices) - referenced for guiding principles.
- ISO 21001 (terminology for educational organizations) - referenced for definitions.
- CWA 17541 - referenced for coordination and communication best practices.
For implementation details and official text, consult the full ISO 29997:2025 publication from ISO.
