International Professional and Training Stays (Raiffeisen Foundation)

The Raiffeisen Foundation supports young professionals and trainees from cooperative enterprises with the program “International Vocational and Training Stays” in planning and carrying out short-term stays abroad. The aim is to enhance career opportunities and promote exchange within the international rural cooperative sector. Funding is provided for pupils, trainees, vocational school students, technical school students, university students, and young professionals under 35 years of age, provided there is an invitation from a foreign institution. Travel expenses are covered as a grant, enabling participants to gain insights into enterprises, institutions, and educational establishments of the cooperative organization worldwide. By incorporating sustainability aspects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, additional impulses are given for sustainable development in rural areas.

Applications can be submitted informally at any time in German. Required are the invitation from a foreign institution, a funding application, and a project-related description (maximum six pages). This should include information about the project, the planned schedule, and the anticipated travel costs. The Raiffeisen Foundation reviews applications for formal completeness, relevance to the cooperative sector, and sustainability criteria. After evaluation by the board, the final decision is made by the advisory board. The straightforward procedure enables committed young professionals to acquire international competencies, build networks, and thus sustainably strengthen regional knowledge exchange.