A study tour to Vietnam is taking students out of their comfort zone to help them gain new perspectives on life and work.
A new program is opening up a world of opportunities for RMIT students.
The McCall MacBain Global Citizen Leadership program gives students the chance to build leadership skills and cultural awareness through a six-day study tour to Vietnam.
The trip – which took place for the first time in 2023 – is fully funded for all 20 participants, thanks to a generous gift from the McCall MacBain Foundation. The program was developed by RMIT’s Global Experience team and aims to help students grow in the areas of empathy, agility, openness, collaboration, and problem solving.
“Feedback from the students has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Global Experiences Coordinator and one of the leaders of the 2023 tour, Philippa Scott. “Many of them reflected on the impact that one week can have – even when an activity is not for academic credit.”
The students selected for the tour ranged in age, cultural background and gender identity and came from 16 different discipline areas across undergraduate and vocational education.
The McCall MacBain Global Citizen Leadership program participants outside the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City
All had faced substantial barriers to other global experiences. For some, the cost was prohibitive, while others’ timetables or degree structures did not allow for time overseas.
A key element of the 2023 tour was the Big Industry Challenge – a two-day workshop with industry professionals designed to solve a real-world problem for Vietnam businesses.
Students learned about innovation mindset as a key employability skill, then put it to the test by carrying out a micro-internship at one of the 11 participating companies. They were given a real-life issue focused on sustainability and the circular economy and pitched their solutions to industry representatives.
“It helped them think about how sustainability looks in a middle-income country, which is quite different to what it looks like in Australia,” says Philippa. “Seeing all the different approaches was a bit of an eyeopener for the students.”
Feedback from the participants was excellent, with many saying it had boosted their confidence and helped them develop new skills.
“I feel as if I have gained so much from this study tour,” says Kaylee Towart, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student.
“It has opened my eyes to challenges in developing countries. I think I certainly have gained better communication skills. I’m more empathetic to others and I am certainly more adaptable.”
It was a life-changing experience for me … I have gained a different perspective on life.
For Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) student, Ashlyn O’Brien, the tour was an opportunity to learn how to adapt to change.
“It has reminded me that I can do big scary things such as live overseas independently, which I will be doing soon in Indonesia,” she says.
“It prepares us for a future that is full of chances and different pathways where we can determine which way we want to go. We are putting ourselves out of our comfort zone in order to grow professionally and personally.”
The McCall MacBain Foundation previously funded the Global Leadership Experience which was a global online conference for RMIT students.
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