On 3-17 July 2018, the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) successfully concluded its first ever Asia Deep Dive Program (ADDP), a two-week cultural immersion program for students of the AUA member institutions. The Asia Deep Dive Program is designed to grow into a permanent and featured program of AUA, coordinated by the AUA Secretariat.
This year Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan hosted a diverse group of 24 undergraduate students from the following 13 AUA universities: Chulalongkorn University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, King Saud University, National University of Singapore, Nazarbayev University, Peking University, Seoul National University, Tsinghua University, University of Colombo, University of Malaya, University of Tokyo, and University of Yangon.
During the two weeks, the students were immersed in the culture of Kazakhstan and Central Asia through lectures, sightseeing tours in Astana, and field trips to other regions of Kazakhstan. They attended a series of special classes on the Kazakh language, culture, and history. They also learned about modern Kazakhstan’s development, its economic and healthcare policies, as well as state programs on digitalization and modernization of public consciousness through exciting presentations by distinguished speakers.
The participants travelled to the southern part of Kazakhstan to experience the local culture, diversity of landscapes, and discover the history of the ancient Silk Road. Thus, the program effectively advanced the AUA’s objective of fostering a multicultural learning environment and promoting cultural exchanges among students.
Each year, the AUA Secretariat will invite one AUA institution to develop a deep dive program for students. It aims to deepen students’ understanding of Asia’s various cultures and societies in order to improve the communication and mutual understanding between peoples. The ADDP will also help develop students’ vision as global and more responsible citizens, which is a key mandate of the AUA mission.
