Purpose: An important aspect of an academic curriculum in higher learning institutions for technical disciplines is the industrial internship programme for students. The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' perception of the effectiveness of an industrial internship programme offered by a private technological university in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: Utilising a case study approach, the data for this study were collected though a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire gauged students' perception of their eight-month internship programme. Findings: The students rated the industrial internship programme favorably. Generally, students viewed the learning through practical experience during the internship positively. In addition, factors related to the organisers' operational and administrative efforts and the role played by the host company were also identified as important in determining the success of the industrial internship programme. Originality/value: Industrial internship programmes in respective universities vary according to various needs. By sharing the findings in this case study, other institutions with similar or different industrial internship programmes can benefit from the information discussed in this paper. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.