AIMSTo provide students in higher education with technical experience relevant to their studiesTo offer employers well-qualified and motivated traineesTo be a source of cultural enrichment for trainees and their host communities.MISSIONTo operate a high quality practical training exchange programme between members in order to enhance technical and professional development and to promote international understanding and goodwill amongst students, academic institutions, employers and the wider community.About IAESTEThe IAESTE A.s.b.l is an Association of National Committees representing Academic, Industrial and Student interests. Each Member and Co-operating Institution is responsible for the administration of the exchange in its own country.The Association was founded in January 1948 at Imperial College, London, on the initiative of the Imperial College Vacation Work Committee. National Organisations of ten European countries represented at this meeting became Members and Mr James Newby was elected General Secretary. The geographical coverage was soon to spread to most of Europe and beyond, as new countries were admitted to Membership.The Association became a registered body according to Luxembourg law at its General Conference 2005 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. It is a non-political, independent, non-governmental Organisation, in operational relationship with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and maintains consultative relationships with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the International Labour Office (ILO). IAESTE is also in contact with the United Nations Economic Council for Africa (ECA), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the European Union (EU), as well as with other educational non-governmental Organisations.