Doors Do Open: SCOPE-HE Internship Story

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would one day be working on a regional programme between the European Union and ASEAN, I would’ve laughed in disbelief. As someone who comes from a small town with limited access to international exposure, this kind of opportunity felt almost impossible.

But earlier this year, everything changed.

I had the amazing chance to join the EU-funded SCOPE-HE Programme as a Communication Intern, contributing to an initiative that strengthens higher education collaboration between the EU and ASEAN. The programme is implemented by Nuffic Southeast Asia and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), two organisations committed to advancing international education and cooperation.

I didn’t just gain work experience but also contributed to something much larger than myself.

SCOPE-HE is not just another campaign. It is a real initiative with tangible goals and lasting impact. It was eye-opening to see how seriously this programme takes its mission. SCOPE-HE works to improve connectivity between ASEAN and the EU in the areas of research, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and higher education, with a strong focus on digitalisation, the blue economy, and the green transition.

What stood out to me was how every activity I supported, whether it was a communication material, a social media post, or an outreach document, was grounded in these real and meaningful goals.

Although my position was in communications, the learning didn’t stop at content creation or media outreach. I was exposed to how international programmes are structured, how diverse stakeholders collaborate, and how ideas turn into real action. I helped support events, created report layouts, contributed to outreach materials, and took part in real-time strategy discussions. It felt like a front-row seat to regional development in motion. I came to realise that the EU-ASEAN cooperation is more than diplomacy; it is about people, systems, knowledge, and exchange across borders.

Sometimes I felt small being in this kind of environment, not in a bad way, but in a deeply humbling way. It reminded me just how vast the world truly is and how much there is still to learn, to experience, and to pursue. That feeling of being both overwhelmed and inspired became one of the most powerful parts of this journey.

Coming from a background where international experiences often felt distant and expensive. I used to believe those doors weren’t meant for people like me. But my internship with SCOPE-HE reminded me that doors do open, and when they do, you can walk through them and thrive.

This internship didn’t just give me skills and experience; it changed how I see the world and how I see myself in it.

For that, I’m truly grateful. To the incredible people behind the SCOPE-HE programme, Nuffic Southeast Asia, and DAAD, thank you for opening the door and guiding me through it.