International Short Term Program - Vietnam
Faculty of Science
School of Community Health
Topic Area: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, speech pathology, podiatry
"The Vietnam overseas placement at Chua Ky Quang Pagoda was a very challenging but fantastic learning experience. It provided me with opportunities that would be rare to see in Australia. It developed skills in areas of my profession that I would not have otherwise done if I stayed in Australia for placement. This placement not only offered a great educational experience, but also gave me the chance to grow as a person. It taught me to think outside of the square and be creative with therapeutic intervention, to communicate effectively with both non-English and English speaking co-workers and with the children, while dealing with the cultural barriers, organisational restrictions and the placement structure.
CSU participant 2013
Proposed 2014 program
The School of Community Health has been running this well established paediatric and disability program for fourth year students since 2001. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams with children with disabilities and their carers at Chua Ky Quang, a Buddhist Temple which houses an orphanage for children, many of whom have disabilities.
The goal of this program is to establish a mutually beneficial, long term relationship between Chua Ky Quang staff, the School of Community Health, and Yooralla that facilitates an improved quality of life for the children living there.
Students will be supervised by experienced CSU staff and by therapy staff provided by Yooralla, a large disability organisation based in Victoria. Students will work at Chua Ky Quang for a five week period.
Students are advised that there is a compulsory two-day training program that they must attend in Melbourne, run by Yooralla and CSU staff, prior to departing for Vietnam. The dates for this pre-departure training program are to be advised.
This program is partially funded by the Australian Government’s Study Overseas Short-term Mobility Program through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. CSU recognises the support of the Australian Government in providing targeted funds which have subsidised the cost of this program to students.
Program Dates: June/July, 2014 - five weeks (exact dates to be confirmed)
Available program places: maximum 8 places
NB. This program will require 6 students to proceed
Cost: Approx $1150* (exact costs TBA)
*The $500 Vice Chancellor Travel Grant and DIICSRTE funding is not awarded directly to students but has already been included in program costings.
Costs should include: In country accommodation, language classes, interpreters, Yooralla pre-departure training.
Costs do not include: CSU subject fees, flights, insurance, visas, passports, vaccinations, meals, transport, sightseeing costs, daily living expenses, pre-departure training associated costs (including accommodation and travel).
Please note: This is an individually ticketed program (students to purchase their own flights, travel insurance, visas and passports).
Eligibility: Fourth year students (in 2014) enrolled in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Podiatry, or Bachelor of Health Sciences (Speech Pathology) courses
Credit: Eligible students will be given credit towards a workplace learning subject as participation in Vietnam Program is in place of a workplace learning placement in Australia. Students must liaise directly with their Course Director for credit approval.
Application timeline:
- Application closing date: 14 October, 2013
- Successful students notified: within one week of application closing date
- Non-refundable $500 deposit due: 1 November
- Full payment date: 1 April, 2014
(You must have a valid passport, or be in the process of applying for one by the final program payment date. Your passport must have a minimum of 6mth validity from the program's return date) - Pre departure sessions/modules: TBA
Click here to download an application form [pdf]
Completed application forms must be submitted by the due date to:
Alice Wood
CSU Global
Charles Sturt University
Bathurst
Phone: 02 6338 4068
Email: alwood@csu.edu.au
Further enquiries regarding the program should be directed to:
Michael Curtin
Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy
School of Community Health
Charles Sturt University
Tel: 02 6051 9209
Email: mcurtin@csu.edu.au
Click on the image below to read about past participants' experiences.
