Summer at Vancouver Island University

I undertook a Global Short Exchange Program recently over summer at Vancouver Island University to study Forensic Psychology. I was very excited by the opportunity to study at a university overseas and to gain a perspective of another country’s university lifestyle, and Canada did not disappoint!

I undertook a Global Short Exchange Program recently over summer at Vancouver Island University to study Forensic Psychology. I was very excited by the opportunity to study at a university overseas and to gain a perspective of another country’s university lifestyle, and Canada did not disappoint! While it was on the colder side and a bit wet being that it was the middle of winter in Canada the program still allowed us students to make the most of our time there. Whilst studying our Forensic Psychology content, we went on a variety of field trips, such as to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, to Mount Washington for skiing and snow tubing, and to the Malahat Skywalk which had incredible 360-degree views of the water and surrounding bushland below.

Amongst all of the exciting excursions, the program I was participating in also educated us on the social and political issues British Columbia is facing such as increasing levels of homelessness and addiction illnesses. We were able to see first-hand how these issues are playing out in Vancouver Island and also what the government and the communities are doing to combat them.

While the content of the Forensic Psychology course was challenging at times, being that I had never undertaken study of a psychology subject before, it was very interesting and engaging as we learned about topics such as criminal profiling, false confessions and the unreliability of eyewitness testimonies. As it was a condensed course, fitting two assignments and two exams in to just under 4 weeks was stressful, however seeing the study payoff with good results is always rewarding – it helped too that I enjoyed learning about the content!

As part of the program, CIS Australia, the program facilitators, paired each student with a host family throughout our stay. I was extremely fortunate to have been paired with a couple (and their 6-month-old puppy Fergus!) who were two of the most welcoming and kindest people I have met. They went out of their way to show myself and my housemate the best of what Vancouver Island had to offer and we both felt like part of their family by the end of our stay.

I have also made lifelong friends throughout my Global Short Exchange Program in Vancouver Island and cannot wait to reconnect with them all either in Australia or maybe back in Canada one day.

McKeand, Alayna

Global Short Program Student