Learning Across Borders: Myanmar Program 2013 Page 1 of 4

Overview

Learning Across Borders (LAB) offers answers to young people who want to combine their on-

campus 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.

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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.

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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.

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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/

GOOD LUCK! :)