September 2009 — Volume 3, Issue 5

Students without borders get ahead

The University of the Sunshine Coast’s Global Opportunities (GO) outbound exchange program aims to make the international experience accessible to as many students as possible. Now GO’s creator has been awarded a citation for enhancing students’ cultural engagement, personal development and
employment opportunities through the program.

Program coordinator Liani Eckard believes the outbound exchange program develops students’ multicultural skills and cultural sensitivity, while the cultural adjustment required is important to their academic, social and personal development.

“Learning strategies overseas gives students a competitive edge. Students come back full of self-confidence and achieve great success when applying for jobs by being able to say they studied or completed an internship overseas as part of their degree,” says Ms Eckard.

Core to the GO program is a dedication to making an outbound exchange a possibility for all students. Age is no barrier with students’ ages ranging from 18 up to 68. Many GO students are mature-age, often with families.

Ms Eckard provides personal support to each student to ensure health conditions, learning or physical disabilities do not prevent participation. Also on offer are short-term programs of three to four weeks for those with family or professional commitments.

Since starting GO in 2003 Ms Eckard has been continually improving the quality of the program. She has developed a complete information system consisting of an internal website, personal advice for each student about specific courses and options and comprehensive pre-departure guides. She also organises regular information sessions and events and links departing students with those returning from the same
destination as well as international students from partner universities.

Another innovation has been a Facebook site. In August last year Ms Eckard asked all GO students to become members to meet and chat online and the group has since grown to over 170 members.

“I can’t believe how well it took off,” says Ms Eckard. “Many students now post discussion topics like how to overcome pre-departure nerves, travel tips, living costs and expenses.”

The Facebook group has even been used to solve financial problems for a student studying in Japan who could not access her bank account through members exchanging hints and tips online as well as offering personal assistance overseas.

While surveys show that 95 per cent of USC students know about the program, for many the cost is a barrier. To overcome this Ms Eckard has been very successful in seeking funding to provide financial assistance.

For 2009 she obtained $217,000 in Federal funding, primarily for students travelling to the Asia Pacific, US and Mexico plus USC provides $3000 to any student who cannot receive Federal assistance.

To ensure that USC staff and students benefit from the program, GO students return and complete their degree at USC and share what they learnt overseas in their tutorials contributing to international education.

At her direction the USC Art Gallery now exhibits a changing display of enlarged images taken by returning GO
students’ during their travels. Just one example of Ms Eckard’s commitment to communicating the benefits of the GO Program on a wider scale.

Ms Eckard, born in Germany, has lived in Australia for 21 years and was one of the first 500 students to study at USC.

“When I was studying here there was no exchange program in place. Now I really try to convince every student
that I meet to participate in the GO program as it is very important to develop global skills and being competitive in today's job market."