In the exchange's first year two students from Sport and Exercise Science will have the opportunity to spend a year in Canberra, after which it will be opened up to students from across the University, with up to ten students able to participate.
Swansea undergraduate students will have the chance to study abroad in Australia, thanks to a new student exchange agreement signed with the University of Canberra.
The exchange programme, which will start in 2023, is the latest benefit to flow from the flourishing partnership between the two universities.
The exchange is open to Swansea students who are enrolled on the University’s degree programmes which include a year abroad. In its first year two students from Sport and Exercise Science will have the opportunity to spend a year in Canberra, after which the exchange will be opened up to students from across the University, with up to ten students able to participate.
Canberra - the Australian capital - has repeatedly earned the title of Australia’s Most Liveable City, being close to snow fields, national parks and beaches as well as to Sydney.
The new agreement with the University of Canberra (UC) is the fifth student exchange programme that Swansea offers with Australian universities. The others are Deakin University, Queensland University of Technology, University of New South Wales and University of Newcastle.
Swansea’s overall partnership with UC, which started in June 2021, covers teaching and research as well as student exchanges.
It has already led to several collaborations in Sports and Exercise Science, which is an area of strength in both universities, including:
- Joint seminar series;
- Research collaborations on topics including psychological literacy in youth sports, testing cognitive performance in team-sport athletes and the benefit of lifelong participation in sports for immune function;
- Staff sabbaticals;
- Collaborative PhDs;
- Teaching collaborations to develop VR teaching models for anatomy and to examine student wellbeing which will inform recommendations and interventions that enhance the wellbeing of students at both Swansea and UC;
Discussions are also under way about collaborations in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences.
More about Swansea's partnership with UC
Professor Paul Boyle, Swansea University Vice Chancellor, said
“As a University with a global outlook and a diverse and inclusive staff and student community, we are passionate about the transformative power of student exchange. In the wake of a global pandemic and the challenges imposed by travel restrictions, we are delighted that, through our developing partnership with University of Canberra, we are now able to offer our students this life-changing opportunity.”
Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra, said:
“Exchange programs add an experiential layer to study that is enriching and life-changing. Students get to explore a science and technology scene which is culturally very different, as is immersive learning, and they gain an appreciation for the destination country’s culture and heritage.”
Dr Laura Mason is co-head of the Department for Sports and Exercise Science at Swansea, along with Professor Liam Kilduff who also heads the department's A-STEM research team.
Dr Laura Mason said:
"It's great to see this collaboration going from strength to strength. It's already producing a number of great research and teaching outputs, and the recent addition of the student exchange will only further enhance opportunities for our students."
Dr Caroline Coleman-Davies, Deputy Head of Academic Partnerships at Swansea University, added:
“I’ve seen the life-changing impact that study abroad has on our students, so I’m delighted that we are able to give Swansea students the opportunity to study in Canberra, and in return show students from Canberra all that Swansea has to offer.”
To find out more about Swansea University’s exchange programmes visit the Go Global website