Twenty New Colombo Plan mobility students recently participated in a field trip to deepen their understanding of the culture and history of the indigenous Paiwan people of southern Taiwan and witness first-hand efforts to rebuild their economy following the worst typhoon in recorded Taiwanese history.

The trip was organised by Taiwan's Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP), with support from the Australian Office in Tapei, and complemented the University of Melbourne business students' participation in a two-week course on Asian emerging markets at National Chengchi University.

Many Paiwan villages are located high in the mountains of southern Taiwan and suffered the worst effects of Typhoon Morakot, which devastated large swathes of the island in 2009 and forced entire villages to relocate.

Local communities have worked tirelessly to rebuild their economies by focusing on specialty and organic agricultural production, such as coffee production, and tourism.

The students showed a particular interest in information sessions focused on the economic rebuilding effort, and were able to offer insights to assist CIP with its ongoing development of the tourism sector in indigenous areas.

As part of the field trip, students enjoyed homestays with local families, local food and dancing, and participated in a range of traditional activities such as coffee-making and leatherworking. Spectacular scenery and the tireless support of CIP staff contributed to this once-in-a-lifetime experience.