The New Colombo Plan (NCP) Mobility Project, or Study Tour, is a unique opportunity for eligible students to gain experience in innovation and entrepreneurship in collaboration with the largest software outsourcing and IT solutions and services company in China.
This IT Innovation & Entrepreneurship program is a successful recipient of a 2018 New Colombo Plan Mobility Program. This funding will support 40 students who are enrolled in relevant programs in the School of ITEE, UQ to participate in a four-week program based in Dalian, China.
The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.
Selected students will each be offered a mobility grant of $3,000 to cover study tour fees, including flights, the program fee, and living expenses. Please see more information in the ‘Costs’ section below.
The project builds on UQ’s links with Neusoft and Dalian Neusoft University of Information.
The study tour will involve training and practical experience on how to initiate an innovative IT product. This work will be based on course material and a practicum offered by Dalian Neusoft University of Information. You will receive expert advice on presenting business cases, negotiating with angel investors and conducting market investigations. You will work in groups under the guidance and mentorship of IT professionals and entrepreThis informationneurs to create a new IT product and establish a pseudo-company to develop and market this product. There will also be visits to cultural sites and participation in cultural activities around Dalian and Shenyang, plus the option to visit Beijing. Please note, program activities are subject to change.
The planned theme for this year’s projects is “smart cities”. You will be asked to propose a product that takes advantage of modern technologies to improve quality of life or efficiency of business. You will be provided with training of how to use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and visualisation techniques to support development of your product prototype.
See the 2023 Start-Up China Summer Program brochure for more information.
Please see more information in the ‘Who is eligible’ section below to check your eligibility before applying.
A note on the COVID-19 pandemic
Given the current situation surrounding COVID-19, this opportunity is subject to the University of Queensland, Australian, and Chinese Government's travel restrictions and regulations at the time of departure.
Participants are responsible for ensuring they have a valid Australian passport (more than 6 months remaining at departure) in a timely manner. Please note that you should allow a minimum of 6 weeks to get a new passport without paying for an urgent application, and you are required to have a valid passport by Monday 27 March.
Participants are also required to follow the Chinese Government guidelines and regulations in relation to COVID testing and isolation requirements. Please review the Smart Traveller website about China for more information about this, plus other relevant travel advice.
This information is correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
How to apply
Please read the full information on this page, then you can submit an application in the 'How to apply and selection process' section.
Important dates
- Applications open: Wednesday 22 February
- Information sessions:
- Tuesday 7 March 11am-12pm AEST in 46-914 or Zoom (Watch recording)
- Applications close: Thursday 9 March (CLOSED)
- Outcomes announced: Wednesday 15 March
- Acceptance of places due: Sunday 19 March
- Valid passport due: Monday 27 March*
- Visa application submission due: Friday 31 March*
- Program dates: Approx. 19 June to 16 July (please see below - subject to change)
- Travel: Sat 17 or Sun 18 June
- Program dates: Mon 19 June to Fri 14 July
- Beijing optional add on (3 days): Sat 15 to Mon 17 July
- Travel: Sat 15 July or Tues 18 July
*Due to the very tight turn around time, if you are interested in partaking in this tour but do not have a valid Australian passport (your passport would need to be valid for six months FROM the date you plan to enter China, around 19/20 June 2023), then we strongly recommend applying for a passport when applying to the program. Waiting until you get accepted into the program, could prevent you receiving a Chinese visa on time. If you don't have a valid passport when you receive an offfer, you would need to apply for an urgent passport (approx. $237) to have a chance of attending.
Information sessions
Attend one of our information sessions to find out more about the program, funding and fees, eligibility, and how to apply:
- Tuesday 7 March 11am-12pm AEST in 46-914 (Watch recording)
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to participate in this Mobility Program, you must:
- be an Australian citizen
- not be an Chinese citizen and not have residency rights in China (you will be required to submit a declaration to UQ about this)
- be aged 18-28 – please note provisions are in place for a certain % of students over the age of 28 to participate
- be an undergraduate student that has
- currently enrolled in, and will be enrolled in Semester 2 2023, in the following programs:
- Bachelor of Information Technology
- Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) or Bachelor of Engineering & Master of Engineering (BE/ME) in Software Engineering or Electrical Engineering Fields
- Bachelor of Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science (Computer Science or Data Science) with permission
- completed 1 year of study (#16 units)
- have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5
- students who have an academic warning or have been required to show cause in their most recent #16 units of enrolment at UQ may not be approved for overseas opportunities, even when their GPA is 4.5 or above
- have #2 units elective space remaining in your program*
- programming skills (minimum CSSE1001 or ENGG1001)
- currently enrolled in, and will be enrolled in Semester 2 2023, in the following programs:
- be able to attend all activities including a pre-departure seminar, travel to China in the mid-year break (mid June – mid July 2023)
- hold (or be eligible for) a valid Australian passport with more than 6 months validity.
You will need to declare whether you have received a New Colombo Plan short-term mobility grant previously, as this may make you ineligible for this program (we will double-check this if you apply).
No knowledge of the Chinese language is required.
*BEng and BE/ME students may also be eligible professional practice hours.
Costs
The $3,000AUD mobility grant can be used to contribute to your trip costs including:
- Approx. $2,000-3,000AUD for flights (depending on the time of booking). We are hoping for more flights to/from China become available now the country has opened. Please note a group booking may be required to accommodate time constraints, limited flights/available seats, and increasing fare costs. More information will be provided to participants by the program staff; and
- Program Cost:
- Single Share Room $2,576 AUD (Approx.) or 12,000 RMB
- Twin Share Room $2,361 AUD (Approx.) or 11,000 RMB
- Program costs include accommodation, weekend tours (not including Beijing), cultural activities and airport pickup
- Approx $110aUD for an invited or student Chinese visa
- Approximately $400AUD for food and incidentals/miscellaneous costs during the program.
The final cost amounts are subject to change.
How to apply and selection process
Applications must be submitted through the online application form by Monday 13 March 2023. Late applications will not be accepted. The following details will be requested in the online nomination form:
- Name
- Student ID number
- UQ email address
- Contact mobile phone number
- Date of birth
- Degree and plan in which the applicant is enrolled
- Current year of study
- Current cumulative grade point average
- Equity/diversity groups e.g.
o Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
o Low-Socio-Economic Status Background
o From a regional or remote area
o First in your immediate family to attend university
o Gender
o Disability
o Non-English speaking background
- Citizenship or residency status
- Previous NCP grant recipient status
- Programming experience and skills
- Personal Statement, outlining why you would like to participate in this opportunity (250 words or less).
A selection panel consisting of representatives from the School of EECS will consider all applications and students will be selected on the basis of academic merit and response to application criteria. Students will be required to enrol in COMP3880 or SCIE3050 at UQ. Preference may be given to applicants whose inclusion will promote diversity across equity groups and genders.
Study Tour June/July 2023 Student Photos
Contact
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the program, please contact:
Rachel Crooks
EAIT International Mobility Coordinator
mobility.eait@enquire.uq.edu.au
Richard Thomas
Senior Lecturer EECS, and academic project lead
richard.thomas@uq.edu.au