The AIESEC approach to enabling young people to discover and develop their potential is a full experience with several stages that is based on a few key principles. This approach, called the AIESEC Experience, helps young people to build the desire and capacity to have a positive impact in society.

The AIESEC Experience Upon joining AIESEC, all members go through a formal introduction to the organization and the opportunities it provides before they begin to take on responsibility in some area. They then have the option to go for a leadership role, work abroad, or both. The final step is to head to the future – To take the skills, inspiration, and networks from AIESEC to have a positive impact in society. This flow and the opportunities within it are reinforced by 5 key principles, that are reflected in all parts of the process. These principles are explained below:

Taking an Active Role

AIESEC provides the opportunities and some support, but it is ultimately up to the individual to make the most of those opportunities. Each individual must take responsibility for his/her own experience within AIESEC.

Each individual must also take responsibility for the organization. It is through the collective efforts and commitments of everyone involved in AIESEC that we are able to provide so many opportunities – 350 conferences, 4,000 work abroad opportunities, and 5,000 leadership positions, plus many other activities.

Developing Self-Awareness and Personal Vision

We think that as young people we need more space and support to answer fundamental questions such as “What do I want from my future?” and “How do I want to contribute to the world?”. AIESEC supports us in clarifying our ambitions through mentorship, personal vision exercises and an inspiring environment that helps us to think about our view of the world and our role within it.

Increasing Capacity

Through conferences, work abroad opportunities, and the management of our offices, we provide young people with the opportunity to increase theoretical knowledge in a wide range of functional and soft skills and the opportunity to put it into practice.

Building a Network

We all need a network that can guide and support us on our way towards our vision and goals. Through conferences, learning networks, innovative online platforms, and a growing alumni network, AIESEC provides young people with the opportunity to create a strong and global network to support them in their personal and professional pursuits.

Challenging Your Worldview

Through intense experiences such as conferences, working abroad, and engaging in diverse environments, AIESEC challenges us to think about how we see the world. A stronger and more holistic view of the world enables us to more easily incorporate new perspectives, see interdependencies, and identify ways to positively impact any given situation.

In short, AIESEC provides us with experiences that will not only develop our potential as individuals but also helps us be confident about our chosen direction, with a purpose of having a positive impact on society through our actions.