Studying abroad is an aspiration of many students but what about the opportunity to study in Portugal, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Vietnam and Hong Kong, all in one semester? That’s the opportunity offered by Semester at Sea, an organisation which is based on an idea dating back some 100 years, that believes travel and first-hand experience are key to every scholar’s education.
Joining the faculty on board the MV World Odyssey on this year’s 105-day voyage is Dr Viviana Premazzi, a Malta based intercultural trainer and founder of Global Mindset Development. During the voyage, Dr Premazzi will have the vital role of working with the students, not only to help them better understand each other’s cultural backgrounds but also to transform their experiences in the various countries into intercultural learning.
Dr Premazzi said: “Being on a ship for 100 days and more with people you’ve never met before is always going to present some challenges, especially when you have dozens of countries and cultures represented. Bringing such a diverse group of students together is, of course, one of the great aspects of Semester at Sea, so I am very much looking forward to helping students make the most of this opportunity both on board and from the field trips and experiences on land. There’s also no doubt that this journey will be a great learning experience for me, developing new skills from which my colleagues and customers in Malta will also benefit.”
Setting off from The Netherlands last week week, the voyage will end in Bangkok, Thailand on December 22. At each port visited, students will have the opportunity to join organised field trips and travel independently to deepen their understanding of the world. These experiences will complement the on-board lectures and classes in various degree topics including Oceanography, International Relations, Business Ethics and Global Studies. Semester at Sea journeys take place twice a year and more information is available at https://www.semesteratsea.org/. More information on Global Mindset Development is also available at https://gmd-global.com/
Photos: Dr Viviana Premazzi and the MV Global Odyssey in Malta during a previous Semester at Sea.