Students

Agribusiness in Vietnam

 

Further information

UWA Science Global
Summer School students in Vietnam

Would you like to visit Vietnam while gaining 6 credit points? The UWA School of Agriculture and Environment is offering an exciting unit to be studied in Vietnam: AGRI 2299 'International Fieldwork in Agribusiness'.

This unit allows you to attend Summer School in Vietnam for two weeks at the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) near Hanoi, and achieve 6 credit points. On site, UWA students will work jointly with Vietnamese students.

Preparation work will start in October, with the group scheduled to depart to Vietnam on Saturday 24th November and return on Saturday 8th December. This program is exclusively for undergraduate students.

Further details are available in this video

What will I learn?

You will investigate how agriculture in a developing country can contribute to its economic development while addressing challenges to protect the environment, conserve natural resources and look after the health of food consumers.

You will be able to:
  • analyse the challenging relationships between economically profitable and environmentally sustainable agriculture in a developing country
  • explain why Vietnam’s development, agricultural and environmental policies have changed the way they have in the last few decades, and how effective or not they have been
  • explain a developing country's challenges in trying to capitalize on international trade to add value to its agriculture produce
  • understand potential business models for a developing country’s agriculture
  • identify and describe social, political, economic and cultural realities that differ markedly from Australia

What support will I get?

This course is benefiting from the Australian Government initiative, New Colombo Plan, which provides up to 25 grants in 2018 worth AUD$2,500 to each eligible student to cover most of the cost of undertaking the program.

How can I apply?

25 places are available for UWA students. If you are interested, please provide a written expression of interest and a current CV addressed to Steven Schilizzi. Expression of interest must be no longer than 300 words maximum to be eligible. Applications are NOW open and will remain open until the eligible places are filled, on a first-come, first-served basis. So if you are interested, send in your EOI and CV as soon as possible, to ensure you can be considered on time for a place.

To be eligible to apply you need to have completed 48 points in any UWA degree, including units that demonstrate your interest in at least one of the following aspects:

  • Agriculture
  • The natural environment
  • Economic development
  • International trade involving developing countries
  • Food safety and public health
  • Asian culture or languages
  • Vietnam’s history, culture, language, etc.
  • Policies of developing countries

Selection criteria will be based on: Appropriate academic background (above), valid passport, written expression of interest, academic merit (as shown by University transcripts), and other background relevant to this unit will be used for selecting candidates.

In addition, there are several eligibility requirements for the New Colombo Plan scholarships. To be eligible you must:

  • be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident. Students cannot receive a Student Grant for a program in a host location in which they have dual citizenship or residency rights, or in which they have previously been a citizen or permanent resident
  • be enrolled in an on-shore campus of an Australian University throughout the duration of the program
  • be undertaking a Bachelor Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree or Concurrent Diploma at the commencement of the program
  • not have received a New Colombo Plan short-term grant or New Colombo Plan semester grant previously

How do I get more info?

For more information, contact Unit Co-ordinator Steven Schilizzi or contact the Science Student Office.

Frequently asked questions

What are the eligibility requirements for the program?

25 places are available for UWA students in 2018. If you are interested, provide a written expression of interest and a current CV addressed to Steven Schilizzi. Expression of interest must be no longer than 300 words maximum to be eligible.

To be eligible to apply you need to have completed 48 points in any UWA degree, including units that demonstrate your interest in:

  • Agriculture
  • The natural environment
  • Economic development
  • International trade involving developing countries
  • Food safety and public health
  • Asian culture or languages
  • Vietnam’s history, culture, language, etc.
  • Policies of developing countries
Selection criteria will be based on: Appropriate academic background (above), valid passport, written expression of interest, academic merit (as shown by University transcripts), and other background relevant to this unit will be used for selecting candidates.

In addition, there are several eligibility requirements for the New Colombo Plan scholarships. To be eligible you must:

  • be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident. Students cannot receive a Student Grant for a program in a host location in which they have dual citizenship or residency rights, or in which they have previously been a citizen or permanent resident
  • be enrolled in an on-shore campus of an Australian University throughout the duration of the program
  • be undertaking a Bachelor Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree or Concurrent Diploma at the commencement of the program
  • not have received a New Colombo Plan short-term grant or New Colombo Plan semester grant previously
At least 90 per cent of students participating in the program must be aged 18 to 28 inclusive at the commencement of the program.

If you have any questions about the scholarship criteria, please contact the UWA Global Learning Office.

When will I know if I've been accepted into the program?

An announcement informing applicants of their success or otherwise will be made shortly after all eligible places are filled. Successful applicants will then be required to register with the Global Learning Office who will process your scholarship. You will also need to enrol in the unit with Student Administration.

What are the travel dates?

The course will run in Vietnam from Monday 26th November until Friday 7th December 2018. You will depart Perth on Saturday 24th November and return on the evening of Saturday 8th December, 2018. Flight bookings and travel will be done by Course Administration to ensure best prices and allow the host institution (20 km from central Hanoi) to come and pick everyone up and drop everyone back at the airport in one cohort. Students can stay longer if they wish to return independently of the university (under their own insurance etc.) but the date and time of departure from Perth is fixed for everyone.

You must have a current passport which is valid for at least 6 months after the return date. You will also need a tourist visa.

Location: Vietnam National University of Agriculture VNUA, 20 km east of the centre of Hanoi.

Can I book my own flights?

Flight bookings and travel will be done by Course Administration to ensure best prices and allow the host institution (20 km from central Hanoi) to come and pick everyone up and drop everyone back at the airport in one cohort. Students can stay longer if they wish independently of the university (under their own insurance etc.) but the date and time of departure from Perth is fixed for everyone.

Do I need a visa?

Yes, you will need to apply for a visa for Vietnam. We will provide you with details once you have been accepted into the program.
You must have a current passport which is valid for at least 6 months after the return date.

What is the approximate cost associated with the program?

There are 25 New Colombo Plan scholarships of AUD$2500 each available. The New Colombo Plan scholarship will cover most of the cost of the flights and program fee. Note however, depending on what you plan to spend locally, that you should budget for an out-of-pocket expense of $500. Normal UWA tuition fees will apply.

Please note you may need to pay for the flights and program fee prior to receiving your scholarship funds into your bank account.

Is it an exchange program or independent study abroad? i.e. are the fees paid to UWA or directly to the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)?

The normal UWA fees apply as for any other 6-credit-point Unit.

What accommodation is available in Vietnam? Is it organised as part of the unit or is it self-organised?

Accommodation is organised for you and is part of the program fee. The rooms are on site at VNUA. They are very basic but clean, and students share twin or triple rooms.

What is involved in the work prior to the program?

Individual research and reading tasks will be specified by mid-October, and will be assessed prior to departure for Vietnam through a written report and an online quiz. These tasks are meant to prepare you for your visit and to allow you to know what questions to ask once there. You will need to hit the ground running as soon as you arrive.

Associate Professor Steven Schilizzi will be holding a briefing session prior to the trip so that you are prepared for the journey.

How will the unit be assessed?

The unit will be assessed through written reports (35%), oral presentations (30%) and quizzes (35%). All work while at VNUA will be done jointly with your VNUA student partners.

How will this unit fit with my study plan?

Please seek advice from your Faculty student office to work out how this unit would fit in your study plan; once you apply for the program you will need written Faculty approval to take the unit, before you can enrol in the unit.

The unit is 6 credit points and does not need to be part of your Semester 2, 2018 enrolment. The unit contributes to the whole degree's total credit points, and could be added to Semester 1, 2019 enrolment for example.

When will I get my final marks?

As the Summer School is running at the end of the year, processing of your final marks for this unit may be delayed into 2019.

If you are in your third year of studies, this may delay your graduation; please speak to your Faculty student office.