Antony Perry
14 November 2017: International exchange students coming to study at the University of Canberra will soon enjoy a seamless transition to life at the University thanks to a new application developed by current students.
Four students studying the Master of Information Technology Systems at the University have designed a smart phone application to help incoming students through the online process from start to finish.
An interactive checklist within the application will assist users to accept their offer to study at the University, apply for a visa and find accommodation on campus. It also includes a frequently asked questions section.
The application will also create less work for Study Abroad staff by superseding paper handouts and allowing staff to track the progress of students’ applications online.
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The Study Abroad project was presented to staff, students and industry guests at a recent Students + Industry event on campus. Photo: supplied
The application has been designed for Android devices and a version for iPhone is under discussion. Study Abroad Inbound Advisor Laura McKay said it will be available as soon as an iPhone equivalent is ready.
“We needed to create a smoother journey from a student’s application to study at the University to arrival in Australia and this application has done that,” Ms McKay said.
“The goal was to eventually replace the paper-based content that is distributed to students upon arrival.
“An application seemed like the best option because it is able to hold all the information students require in one place that is easily accessed via smart phone.”
The application was created by students Tumendelger Erdenebayar, Loan Thi Hoang, Huong Nguyen Ngoc and Vilasack Khamchaleun and was crowned the winning project at a Students + Industry event this month.
First year Bachelor of Engineering in Network and Software Engineering student Shookouh Kabiri was also recognised for a project she is developing to prevent theft at supermarkets through the detection of shopping trolleys at checkouts.
Ms Kabiri showcased an early prototype which can detect model shopping trolleys, but she is hoping to progress the project to the point empty trolleys can be distinguished from ones with products in them. She said it would assist supermarket staff to ascertain whether or not all items in a trolley had been scanned.
The Students + Industry event, hosted by Careers UC and the information technology and engineering division within the Faculty of ESTEM, is an opportunity for students studying STEM-related degrees to share the projects they have worked on throughout the semester.
It also provides a chance for the University to showcase the numerous partnerships it has with industry, including the Industry Based Learning (IBL) program being run in conjunction with PwC.
Launched at the start of semester two, the six-month program is a unique opportunity for students to undertake paid work placements that are fully integrated with the University’s curriculum, meaning the program replaces classroom learning for a semester.
Students wanting to find out more about the IBL program should contact Careers UC.
