FAQs

• How many places will be available at the Summer School?

There are 80 places available to students of Commonwealth universities.

• Who is eligible to attend the School?

The School is open to those in their final year of undergraduate (with intention to go on to post-graduate studies), undertaking Masters or doctoral level degrees at any university in the Commonwealth. Priority will be given to candidates who are studying at ACU member universities. In the event that some non-bursary places are still available by the closing date, applications will be considered from students at non-ACU institutions, at a higher non-member rate.

• How can I find out whether my University is a member of the ACU?

A list of all current ACU members can be found here:https://www.acu.ac.uk/membership/acu-members/

• When will the School convene?

The School commences on the August 17^th and will conclude the evening of the August 23^rd 2014.

• What is the cost of attendance?

The cost of the programme is £350 for participants from member universities and £500 for non-member delegates. This includes accommodation (in same sex shared rooms), all meals at the conference venue and conference registration.

• What bursaries are available?

The Association of Commonwealth Universities is offering two types of bursary for students from member universities only. Full bursaries include return economy air travel to Kuala Lumpur and registration fees, accommodation and most meals. They do not include the cost of visas, vaccinations or transfer costs to and from airports.

Partial bursaries may be used towards registration fees (as outlined above) or travel. They cannot be put towards visa, vaccinations costs or additional costs.

Full bursaries are very limited in number and should only be sought by candidates who are very unlikely to be able to raise their travel costs from any other source.

• Can I apply for more than one type of bursary? 

No. You should indicate on the application form whether you wish to apply for a full or a partial bursary. We are keen that full bursaries are reserved for candidates from member universities who would not otherwise be able to attend, and who have not had the opportunity to travel internationally previously.

• If I am not applying for a bursary, can I reserve a place now?

No. Even if you intend to be a self-financing participant you must still complete the application form. If your application is successful, you will be notified and an invoice for attendance issued at that point.

• What format will the School take?

The School aims to challenge participants to think and work together to  tackle the issue of global food security. The school is highly interactive with many opportunities to engage with other students, faculty and workshop leaders exploring the issue and themes addressed.

A wide range of topics will be covered, including the environment, biotechnology, supply chains, migration, demographics, economics as well as health and nutrition. The summer school will be completely hands-on; taking delegates into the market towns, rural farms and food processing plants to look at how food goes from farm to fork. 

Participants will be divided into working groups with a facilitator who will help guide their final presentation and position paper.  Workshops throughout the week will look at intercultural communications, poster design, critical thinking and team building.

Speakers will include leading figures in food security, engineering, urban planning, politics, sociology, geology, gender, health science, nutrition and economics from the Commonwealth and beyond. It is expected that speakers will be announced on the ACU web site in early March.

• How can I get to the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus?

Public transport is available from the campus to the nearest bus and rail stations providing easy access to Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding region.   There will be two shuttles taking delegates from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the UNMC campus.  Shuttles must be booked in advance as there is limited availability.

Transport from the airport will be included as part of the bursary for full bursary holders.

• Where can I find more about the location?

The UMNC is located in Semenyih, 30km south of Kuala Lumpur city centre.

Occupying a scenic position overlooking green hills on a 101-acre site, and designed to mirror the attributes of University Park in the UK, the campus is a self-contained and self-sufficient neighbourhood village in a garden environment with over 3800 students.

More information about the region can be found here:  http://www.tourismselangor.my/selangor-in-brief/about-selangor/

• Will I need a visa or vaccinations to enter Malaysia?

Yes. All participants will require an appropriate visa and in some cases proof of Yellow Fever vaccination, please read this document carefully. Yellow Fever Certificate is required to be produced upon landing in Malaysia. It is your responsibility to obtain these, and an application should be made as soon as you are notified that you have been offered a place.

In the event of a bursary candidate not being able to obtain a visa or vaccinations, their place at the School and any bursary will be withdrawn.