Students set for Indian summit

Ten Charles Darwin University students will contribute to designs that could improve the livelihoods of rural communities in India, when they attend an international summit.

CDU co-organiser Mike Miloshis said the students would gain experience in human-centred design as part of the two-week India Humanitarian Design Summit, run by Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Mr Miloshis said that during the summit the students would live in remote villages with host families for four days and work in groups to develop design concepts for that community.

“Students are encouraged to speak to residents about issues that affect their village, and to develop engineering solutions,” he said.

“This activity provides an opportunity for students to learn about the steps required to create successful designs within a cultural framework.”

Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies student Tiana Hokins said her interest in disaster management had led her to apply.

“I’m pretty excited; it’s going to be the trip of a lifetime,” Tiana said.

The students will attend the summit as part of their summer semester unit, “Design and innovation: communicating technology”. The first group will attend the summit in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, in December, while another will attend in Hubballi, in Karnataka state, in January 2017.

The trip is supported by a total of $33,000 in New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.