Grants pave way for more CDU students to study abroad
As many as 72 Charles Darwin University undergraduates will embark on short-term study opportunities in South-East Asia over the next year, following more than $150,000 in grants announced by the Australian Government this month.
The New Colombo Plan Mobility grants will allow up to 30 law, six environmental science and 30 Indonesian language students to undertake intensive study programs in Indonesia, and a further six education students to participate in teaching practicums in Hong Kong.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Maddocks said the funding would help strengthen ties with several leading universities and education partners with whom CDU already had long-term strategic relations.
“Not only will this expose our students to new ideas, perspectives and friendships, but it also will lay the foundation for continuing relationships and a two-way flow of students and staff into the future,” Professor Maddocks said.
“These are potentially life-changing experiences for people but equally they are an important demonstration of our commitment to preparing graduates with the skills and knowledge to participate effectively in a globalised economy and workforce.”
Professor Maddocks said eligible School of Law undergraduates would be afforded the opportunity to study and research international law at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, transnational criminal law at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, and legal pluralism at the Udayana University, Denpasar.
Environmental science students will be offered opportunities in tropical zoology, tropical botany and two biodiversity courses through Gadjah Mada University’s Faculty of Biology.
The practicums in Hong Kong will take place at selected international schools where students will gain an insight into the culture and language of the teaching profession in an overseas urban mainstream setting as well as gain valuable technical skill and experience.
The Indonesian language students will participate in the Regional Universities Indonesian Language Initiative intensive language and culture program at the University of Mataram, Lombok.
Professor Maddocks said these grants were in addition to the funding CDU received earlier this year under the New Colombo Plan, an Australian Government initiative to deepen relationships with the Indo-Pacific.
“Fourteen of our law students recently returned from Yogyakarta and Jakarta where they looked at property law and organised crime in an international context,” he said.
Visit www.cdu.edu.au/international/study-abroad for further information about CDU’s international study and exchange programs.