A new course is teaching students about the social, urban, rural and environmental issues faced by communities in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
The course was developed by The School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management in conjunction with Can Tho University in Vietnam.
During the summer semester 20 students participated in the inaugural course, to investigate the rapidly developing region and its broad spectrum of environmental and planning issues.
"The experience was designed to enhance our student's learning outcomes by placing them in the field and raising awareness of issues faced by developing regions, such as the impacts of climate change, and sustainable practices," Head of School, Professor James Shulmeister said.
"Putting their studies into this global context is important as many our graduates will find themselves working for organisations like The United Nations or The World Wildlife Fund where understanding the challenges faced by different regions and societies in this increasingly globalised world is essential."
Student feedback about the course supported the value of learning in an international environment.
Many of the students gave positive feedback with one student saying, "The lectures and fieldtrips were extremely interesting as we got to witness what we were learning about first hand. It's been a very valuable personal and academic experience that has broadened and shaped my thinking."
Another student wrote, "I feel like I'm a piece of uranium that has undertaken an enrichment process. I think I'll be able to draw upon all I've learned across the rest of my journey."
The academic component of the course was a key aspect of the program with students attending lectures and field trips focused on ecology and management, urban planning for sustainable development and understanding climate change in the Mekong Delta.
"This course has given me the opportunity to gain a better understanding of topics such as urban planning, coastal protection, natural resources and socio-economic development," one student said.
To immerse themselves in the local culture, students were also required to stay with a Vietnamese family for part of the trip.
"We wanted to make it more than an academic experience for the students. We wanted them to understand who is affected by the issues they were learning about," Professor Shulmeister said.
In the coming weeks, students will be submitting their final assessment piece, contrasting the different issues faced by Vietnam and Australia.
The School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management plans to run the course again in Summer Semester 2012 with continued funding from UQ's Teaching and Learning Committee and The Faculty of Science.
Media: Kate Swanson (07 3346 7406 or k.swanson@uq.edu.au).
