Since 2016, Dr Martin Anda has supported students to study in the Indo-Pacific through the New Colombo Plan (NCP) Mobility Program.
Over the years, Mobility projects have proven successful in providing students with a rich experience in environmental engineering, environmental science, and energy management in an international context.
In July 2022, the Murdoch University academic led one of the first in-country Mobility projects since Australian borders reopened, giving 10 students the chance to travel to Japan.
Dr Anda said as well as learning about their field of study, NCP projects give students the chance to immerse themselves in a country’s culture and environment.
“The NCP Mobility Program is window to the world, widening students’ interpretations of Asia,” he said.
“We are based in Perth so for most students they think of Bali as a key Asian destination, but the NCP takes them to many different locations off the beaten track that Aussie tourists never go to.”
Rae Stade and Courtney Francis were two of the students who travelled to Japan, where they spent time on the campuses of Tokyo City University, University of Tsukuba and Kyoto University.
Working alongside their Japanese peers, the students engaged in lab and field practical projects. For Rae, the experience provided insights to her future career.
"The project gave me an amazing opportunity to spread my wings and learn what the world had to offer in terms of the possible avenues that my engineering career could take me,” she said.
“I was able to learn about Japan and the country’s research in a wide range of engineering fields, such as agricultural robotics.
“Meeting the Japanese engineering research students and learning about their projects helped me see new applications for my own study.
“Dr Wataru Kitamura from Tokyo City University was particularly influential. His research explores urban greening to overcome species loss, methods to stop the prevalence of wildlife harm from wind turbines, as well as methods of habitat management.”
Courtney said she saw the project as a valuable opportunity to explore the world, expand her network and see different perspectives on how STEM studies are conducted in other cultures.
“This trip was an invaluable and life-changing experience that I will never forget, especially being able to share it with the new friends I made,” Courtney said.
“The experiences I had continue to inspire me. We had the chance to experience campus life by attending interactive workshops, meeting like-minded students and professors while applying our studies in a new environment.”
Both students appreciated the enriching cross-cultural experiences they had through their study tour, where they were able to see a side of Asia that an average tourist would never see.
“This trip was not only academically beneficial, but it also provided a lot of experience for cultural familiarisation,” Rae said.
“I loved the Japanese architecture, where it seemed that designs found an interesting balance between simplicity and complexity.
“The juxtaposition between overwhelming amounts of concrete buildings and the overgrown flora, climbing vines, and moss was beautiful.”
The chance to get out of the cities and explore some of Japan’s natural beauty was a highlight for Courtney.
“I loved exploring the streets of Tokyo, catching bullet trains across the country and into the mountains, where we travelled up to the towns of Tsumago, Nagiso and Nakatsugawa,” she said.
“We hiked to castle ruins and walked along a section of the Nakasendo trail through the clouds in the mountains. The breathtaking scenery made the challenging trail very worthwhile.”
Reflecting on the experience, Rae said what surprised her the most was how much the trip helped her grow as a person.
“It was an experience that will shape me for the rest of my life. I formed some amazing friendships with other students and learnt a lot about Japanese culture,” she said.
“This helped me to be more culturally sensitive and aware of how people in other parts of the world differ from Australia when it comes to work ethic, values, and just daily life.”
