Global Opportunities: New Colombo Plan Scholars Gain International Exposure at IMU’s Nutrition Programme

In 2023, the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Nutrition programme at IMU welcomed New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholars E Clarke from Deakin University, Australia, and Rebecca Kerstens from the University of South Australia. This provided them with the chance to gain international exposure as a part of their degree programme, enriching their academic and social experience at the university, broadening their perspectives, and improving their employment prospects. The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is a highly competitive and prestigious scholarship programme under the Australia Government initiative aimed to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific region in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduate students to study and undertake internships in the region.

Some of the modules taken by E and Rebecca include the Health Promotion and Project Management in Nutrition, during which they collaborated on a mini project with IMU’s BSc (Hons) in Nutrition students Tan Yi Tseng, Chan Zi Xuan, and Luqman Fitri. Together, they organised an initiative to educate the public about nutrition facts, debunk myths, and provide cautions regarding plant-based milk alternatives.

This project provided an avenue to train our Nutrition students with the competencies and skills required for the promotion of nutritional well-being and prevention of nutrition related diseases to the public.

Other activities include conducting Small Group Education sessions with young athletes, emphasizing the significance of iron and calcium intake for their growth and development. Given the importance of effective communication and educational skills in delivering information and consultations, our students are trained not only in theoretical knowledge but also in applying these skills within the community.

“I really appreciate the emphasis that is placed on real life practical experiences that I was able to complete through the various modules taken in IMU. Having real life opportunities to practice public speaking, and fostering relationships and connections with communities beyond the classroom occurred in these modules are memorable experiences that I will bring with me beyond my studies. I couldn’t recommend IMU enough to prospective national and international students.” E Clarke, Deakin University.

An educational visit was also organised to the National Sports Institute of Malaysia to further enhance learning through several interactive sessions at the human movement lab, jungle gym and Juz reward station. This visit was part of the Physical Conditioning module where students learn the basic competency in the area of exercise prescription for sport, health and fitness.

“The experience was exceptional, and I enjoyed the opportunity to participate in nutrition and exercise science subjects under the expert guidance. I was particularly grateful to have the chance to learn some practical skills in a practical setting. I also found the faculty, students, and teaching teams to be friendly and welcoming. IMU was full of friendly faces, and I enjoyed my time there.” Rebecca Kerstens, University of South Australia

“The experience was exceptional (having E and Rebecca at IMU) as it gave us the opportunity to explore the different ways other countries tackle nutritional issues and concerns.” Luqman Fitri Feizel, NT1/21

BSc (Hons) in Nutrition, IMU now offers funded international exposure to students as part of its Practicum 2 module of the programme. Students will be given an international mobility experience to collaborate with renowned international nutrition institutes, research centres and health promotion boards to offer unique learning experiences. With this exposure, Nutrition graduates from IMU will get to learn from international experts and experience working in culturally and linguistically diverse settings and enhance graduate competency as nutritionist.