I am a first master student of Biomedical Sciences. For my internship I got the option to chose Seoul National University as my internship laboratory. The Belgian government allows me to enter South-Korea for study purposes which means I can perform my internship starting from the 1st February 2021 until 21st May 2021. The South-Korean government also looks positive towards this decision. 

I am a student at the Liberal University of Brussels, my university formed its own rules:

Internships/ Studies to a European country is allowed if it is in an orange or green zone. But when it comes to a non-European country the color-coding system is not used. The students are not allowed to intern outside of Europe even if the color is orange or green. Students did have the option to ask an exception, an exception would be accepted if there are no other internship places in Belgium and if not going could lead to prolongement of my studies. 

The topic about my internship is cancer, the laboratory spots about cancer at my own university laboratories are taken by other students. There are a few other laboratory spots left but these are not in my interest-range. 

My request for an exception got denied, the reason: “There are enough places in Belgium to perform the internship”

The only places I can intern are universities and the other universities do not have a place of interest. My university sees all these places as an option, but I cannot intern in a place that does not interest me. This will not teach me anything, I currently have to look for another place in Belgium even though I have exams in 4 weeks. I should be studying, but instead I am worried about my future. 

Belgium is currently a red zone and I do not feel safe to travel with open transportation to other universities for 2 hours long. I had Corona end October and now I am scared of being in contact with other people in my own country.

Please sign this petition so that I can go to South-Korea and learn about a topic of interest. Not going to South-Korea will lead to staying at home for 1 year with only a few classes.