University of Tasmania’s UniGO Program
UniGO immerses students in learning experiences that are focused on how leaders, government, businesses and civil society in the Indo-Pacific are solving critical sustainability problems at a local, national and global level.
Commencing in 2023, the University of Tasmania’s UniGO Program is the College of Arts, Law and Education flagship social and environmental sustainability-focused international mobility unit. UniGO delivers an accessible, distinctive and high-quality international learning experience that is closely aligned with UTAS’ sustainability mission and commitment to transformative education.
The establishment of the UniGO program by UTAS is all about transformative education and is a proactive response to helping stem the attrition of high-school graduates leaving Tasmania for mainland Universities as well as addressing overall student satisfaction levels, which had been flat and below the national average.
AVI supports UniGO in delivering this accessible, distinctive and high-quality international learning experience through a combination of funding from UTAS and the New Colombo Plan. UniGO has been able to offer eligible students a fully funded international study tour, therefore addressing barriers traditionally associated with participation in international mobility programs.
Email the program manager to learn more
Download the full Case Study
Program Design
UTAS students discover hidden Bogor gems guided by BogorTours. The social enterprise was created in 2014 by Yayasan Cipta Mandiri (YCM), an Independent Creative Foundation supporting disadvantaged children and youth in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia through education and economic empowerment.
With its topical focus on social and environmental sustainability, UniGO immerses students in learning experiences that are focused on how leaders, government, businesses and civil society in the Indo-Pacific are solving critical sustainability problems at a local, national and global level.
Engagement with a local University partner is the focal point of each trip and interactions include formal learning opportunities, such as seminars and lectures as well as immersive learning via field visits to research sites or key actors of the local sustainability sector.
As implementing partner, AVI provides all the back-end mobility including:
- Co-design of the program and itineraries;
- Selection of partner organisations
- Leveraging AVI’s network in the region;
- Risk and incident management throughout the development and delivery phases of the program;
- Logistic coordination;
- Students’ pre-departure preparation;
- In-country coordination including pastoral care and logistic support;
- Program monitoring, learning and evaluation.
Together, UniGO and AVI work closely with partners to develop tailored itineraries (based on learning objectives) and to prepare students, ensuring they are equipped with the tools and information they need to make the most of this unique cross cultural learning opportunity.
UTAS students discover hidden Bogor gems guided by BogorTours. The social enterprise was created in 2014 by Yayasan Cipta Mandiri (YCM), an Independent Creative Foundation supporting disadvantaged children and youth in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia through education and economic empowerment.
The Pilot
UTAS students participate in a mangrove replanting initiative under the Sustainable Ecosystem Program led by CGSS in Merbok, Kedah.
After a successful Pilot, UTAS has committed to an annual program and engaged AVI as its implementing partner. Design and implementation for all future programs are based on this successful Pilot, taking a continuous improvement approach to each subsequent program.
Since January 2024, over 300 students and 35 Coordinators have travelled to Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, to participate in an 18-day study tour as part of UniGO. AVI coordinators work side-by-side with UTAS Academics to facilitate local logistics, incident response and provide pastoral care to students.
Measures were put in place to make the UniGO experience as accessible as possible resulting in 23% of students identifying as having a disability (vs 9% UTAS general) in 2024. Students who had declared pre-existing health conditions had appropriate health management plans in place to support their safe and secure participation in the program and to enable UTAS and AVI to implement adjustments as required.
UTAS students participate in a mangrove replanting initiative under the Sustainable Ecosystem Program led by CGSS in Merbok, Kedah.
University of Tasmania UniGO study tour participant
Learn more about UniGO
Visit the University of Tasmania’s website“UTAS selected AVI as our partner for the UniGO program due both to their deep experience and logistical capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region and their strong values alignment with UTAS and the UniGO program through their demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion and sustainability.”
Duncan Buckeridge, UniGO Program Director
“The support provided by AVI was incredible. We had an AVI staff member, Lanh Anh, accompany us on our trip and I can honestly say that it was one of the highlights of the trip for me.”
Lily, University of Tasmania student, South Vietnam Systems Thinking Group.
UniGO Reflection
