Members of the Democratic Education Network (DEN) enjoyed an eight-day field trip to Vietnam in August 2022, hosted by one of Westminster’s partners, the University of Hanoi.
At the trip the students were accompanied by Dr Farhang Morady, Principal Lecturer in Development and International Relations, and Academic Director of DEN.
DEN aims to encourage dialogue and the sharing of knowledge between students, international universities and diasporic communities in London. The Network provides pathways for local and global participation, experience in field research, workshops, short courses and conferences through a range of funded and student-led projects. DEN has connections with international universities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), enabling students to learn in a global environment and to share knowledge with practitioners. This academic year members meet online every Wednesday between 3-6 pm.
During the pandemic, when international travel was not possible, DEN continued providing opportunities to interact with international organisations, NGOs, universities and their students. A series of virtual field trips were organised to offer a better understanding of international relations, communication, research, creative and networking skills.
Speaking about the Vietnam field trip, Dr Morady said: “After two years of the COVID pandemic, we are delighted to return to Vietnam. A fantastic trip for students to expand their knowledge and skills, learn about different cultures and customs, and collaborate with the academics and students from Hanoi University. This will be a lifelong memory for them.”
The students posted a series of posts on Inside of Westminster, a blog led by DEN, talking about their experiences of the field trip. The students spent most of the trip in the capital Hanoi, visiting cultural sites, such as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and the Hoa Lo Prison. They also travelled to Ha Long Bay and Duong Lam Ancient Village, which are both featured on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Talking about the field trip, Grete Kurik, third-year student from the Human Nutrition BSc course, said: “The field trip to Vietnam allowed me to take the knowledge I had learned before from the virtual field trip and upgrade it with lived experience. Now I have a personal experience of Vietnam, its people and history, as a part of the latter lives on in the local places and culture. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit Vietnam, a part of the world from which we all have so much to learn.”
Another second-year student, Lucas Lacuzzi, from the Politics and International Relations BA course, said: “The recent DEN field trip to Vietnam is easily one of the most unique experiences I have had in my time as a student at Westminster. After over 10 weeks of virtual field trips and having had multiple opportunities to talk to fellow students from Hanoi University, I managed to grasp a greater understanding of Vietnamese culture, economics, politics, society and geography. However, this all paled in comparison to the knowledge, interactions, and experiences I had on this week-long trip.”
Join DEN, read about the students’ experiences on Inside of Westminster, and explore the DEN YouTube channel.
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