Overview Learning Across Borders (LAB) offers answers to young people who want to combine their oncampus education with direct experience in other cultures. LAB programs emphasize people and ideas. LAB participants enter a new culture with a respectful and open-minded attitude, seeking both commonalities and differences in order to understand the larger human experience. These are not sightseeing programs, though in fact the programs include some of the most important cultural sights of each country. Rather, these programs are designed for young people who want to confront and understand both the leading issues and underlying culture of each society. The program thus requires highly motivated, active participants who are willing and eager to interact with students, professors, NGO and UN staff, business people, villagers and others. LAB programs are conducted in English, the most common language available for such exchanges. Thus, a LAB program becomes an immersion experience in English usage. The emphasis is not on perfect grammar but rather on willingness to communicate. LAB offers three programs: a Contemporary Southeast Asia Issues program in late February and early March, a Myanmar (Burma) program (which includes an initial period in Thailand) in late August and early September, and a Civil Society in Thailand program in mid-November.
Learning Across Borders: Myanmar Program 2013
Page 1 of 4
Myanmar Program Myanmar is an Asian nation which:
which is in the midst of transition from military dictatorship to a much more open society, one in which Japan is playing an important role with private investment and government aid; has 60 million people; has a rich cultural heritage, including Bagan, an area with over 2000 temples and pagodas built 800 years ago; has a wide diversity of people and cultures—from the majority population (Burmans) to Chinese, Indians and many local ethnic groups; offers a high degree of safety to its visitors.
Despite all of these advantages, this nation is understood and visited by very few people. Traditionally called Burma, it was re-named Myanmar by its former government. It offers the visitor—and especially any interested student of world affairs—a fascinating exploration of culture, development, ethnic diversity and important questions of economics and politics. It offers a rare view of a nation in the midst of difficult but encouraging change. Rather suddenly, Japan and other Asian and Western nations are actively involved in this transformation.
Learning Across Borders: Myanmar Program 2013
Page 2 of 4
Why LAB? This program allows a select group of Japanese and Taiwanese university students to do what they could not do on their own: to enter this country in a way which offers close contact with the people and the historic richness of their culture, religion and art. The schedule includes: A seven-day program in Yangon, Myanmar’s capital, designed and led by local students who plan this entry into their culture. To explore social issues, we’ll talk with UNICEF staff and visit various NGOs. Japanese students will meet with diplomats at the Japanese Embassy. At the same time, Taiwanese students will explore the Chinese community in Yangon while Thai students will be visiting Thai Embassy.
Leadership This program is led by Dwight Clark, who first began introducing Asia to university students when he was Dean of Freshmen Men at Stanford University. He founded VIA and served as its President for 40 years. In 2004 he started Learning Across Borders, a non-profit educational organization which offers international study programs such as this. He has led 33 study programs to Southeast Asia for Asian university students, including similar programs to Myanmar since 2004.
Learning Across Borders: Myanmar Program 2013
Page 3 of 4
Participants This program requires highly-motivated, responsible students who can deal diplomatically with sensitive issues and who agree to use English in all group settings. Being enrolled as an undergraduate degree student at Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University majoring in International Relations (IR) is mandatory. Participants are responsible for the program fee of US$310 meals and accommodation will be provided (airfare excluded).
Applications Duration: 22 August – 28 August 2013 (7 days 6 nights) Cost: US$ 310 meals and accommodation provided (airfare excluded) Eligibility: Undergraduate students who has been enrolled in Faculty of Political Science, International Relations major (1st – 4th year) Chulalongkorn University Application Deadline: Tuesday 18th June 2013 Please submit a completed application form to lab.chula2013@gmail.com Application form is availble here: http://bit.ly/18bDU4d Announcement of successful candidates: Via phone or email on Thursday 20th June 2013 More info.: E-mail lab.chula2013@gmail.com or Website http://learning-across-borders.org/
Learning Across Borders: Myanmar Program 2013
Page 4 of 4
G O O DL U C K ! : )