University of Queensland journalism students will be filing stories from more than 5000 kilometres away this week, with 10 student journalists reporting from Vietnam.
The students, from UQ’s School of Communication and Arts, are in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 17 to 27 February.
Journalism Lecturer and project manager Bruce Woolley said students would report on issues affecting Vietnamese people and learn skills required to be effective foreign correspondents.
“This is the third course held in Vietnam, and all of them are innovative work integrated learning projects designed to replicate real life as a foreign correspondent,” he said.
“That means students are involved in intensive, immersive experiences, all the while being supported and coached by industry trained professionals.
“I’m very pleased to have Liss Fenwick taking part as a tutor on this trip, given her track record as an award-winning photo-journalist for organisations such as National Geographic.”
Student Zinzan Clements said he had applied for the trip because he wanted to operate as a journalist in a foreign country.
“I think many journalism students one day dream of travelling the world and working as journo,” he said.
“Here is my chance to experience it while still studying.
“So far it has been a challenge making contacts from Australia, but I look forward to getting there and nailing my first story.”
Student Grace Wilson is in her final year of a dual journalism/communication degree.
“This trip has presented me with an exciting opportunity to combine study with travel in a way that is going to push me outside my comfort zone and better equip me to face the challenges of the workforce,” she said.
“My time spent in Vietnam will undoubtedly hone my practical skills and dramatically inform my view about what it actually means to be a journalist."
The students’ stories, for television, radio, print and online, can be viewed at a dedicated website: vietnamtoday.com.au, where they will be uploaded daily. All stories will also be freely available to media outlets around the world under a Creative Commons licence.
The students are participating in a 10-day full-credit course, JOUR3401, with funding from the federal Department of Education AsiaBound program.
Mr Woolley has published an article on these courses in the Asia Pacific Media Educator journal.
Contact: Bruce Woolley, b.woolley@uq.edu.au, @brucelwoolley, +61 488 798 679
Image: Staff member Courtney Barnes joins students Rhiannon Smith, Giulietta Avenia, Georgina Auton and Hannah Twiggs. Photo: Genevieve Worrell.
