Dolphin spotting might not be the usual way an Arts/Law student spends their days but, for Lily Hansson, it was a highlight of her recent UniGO sustainability experience in Malaysia.
And, she discovered, it’s done a little differently off the islands of Langkawi. Scientists with the marine mammal organisation MareCet identify their research subjects without the use of any technology.
“Instead, the markings and disfigurations on a dolphin's dorsal fin when they breach are enough for the scientists and the boat drivers to identify them by sight,” Lily said.
“It was touching to have something shared with us so evidently driven out of passion.”
Around 180 students like Lily have recently returned from the first UniGO experiences in South East Asia with new perspectives, and a lot of new friends.
Focused on regional sustainability challenges, the 18-day fully-funded travel experience in Indonesia, Malaysia or Vietnam allowed students to explore how their own study area could contribute to solutions.
“My arts major is International Relations and so this trip has been very relevant and helpful to my studies in that area,” Lily said. “For Law, UniGo has lent me the ability to understand where people are coming from, how cultural contexts influence perspectives, and especially how the Australian attitudes and cultural differences influence cross cultural interaction, which will be really valuable moving forward.”
Students across more than 20 Degree courses could undertake UniGO – or University Global Opportunity – as an elective over summer.
The cost of the trip was fully covered by a partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s New Colombo Plan, with only the normal HECS fee applied to students. With accessibility a key pillar of the program, students with financial needs were offered scholarship funds to ensure they could cover passports and out-of-pocket costs while they were away. Necessary vaccinations for all participants were also covered.
For a group of Arts/Law students also including Molly Hartog, UniGO turned the classroom into real life.
“The UniGo opportunity took the theoretical to the lived experience, allowing me to take classroom learning on global relations, sustainability, cultural values and history to ‘the field’ and immerse myself in a space that encouraged hands-on education around these topics,” she said.
For Birgitta Albans, planting 450 mangroves with her group was a highlight.
“This was so memorable because mangroves hold immense significance for the local community,” she said. “Seeing the locals’ passion and dedication to the project was so inspiring. Planting mangroves not only had a positive environmental impact but also brought a shared sense of purpose to the group and made us feel more connected to nature.”
Equally important were the friendships formed among students across courses and from partner universities who otherwise may never have met.
“The warmth of the people and the richness of the traditions will definitely stay with me forever,” Birgitta said.
“Throughout the trip, I learned to deeply appreciate cultural diversity. By navigating through language barriers, I now understand the importance of respectful cross-cultural communication. Coming back to Australia, I find myself understanding my place of privilege and have found so much gratitude in so many different ways.”
More information on UniGO is available here or contact global.opportunity@utas.edu.au