How can two weeks abroad reshape the way students see themselves and the world?

Earlier this year, RMIT Vietnam welcomed students and academics from SGH Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) for a week of academic and cultural exchange in Ho Chi Minh City. In June, the partnership continued as an RMIT Vietnam delegation travelled to Warsaw for a fully funded two-week exchange under the NAWA PROM programme. 

The programme took participants from research workshops and sustainability discussions to the Institute of Management Symposium, the Forum of Economic Ideas and company visits. Along the way, they exchanged ideas with students from Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and beyond. 

During this trip, Bachelor students Khoi and Xuan, and PhD candidate Van Anh each had their own reflections and memorable experiences that would change themselves for the better. 

For a third-year Psychology student like Khoi, the exchange was initially about learning. Having recently completed a course on sustainability, he hoped to strengthen his research skills and see how sustainability is approached beyond Vietnam. 

But some of the biggest lessons came outside the classroom. 

At home in Vietnam, Khoi was often surrounded by friends and family. In Warsaw, he stayed alone in an apartment he found via Booking.com and found himself spending more time in his own company. 

“I found out that I actually enjoy spending time with myself,” Khoi recalled. 

Between programme activities, he explored Warsaw at his own pace—trying restaurants, walking through parks and wandering around shopping centres alone. 

“I do really enjoy spending time... going to restaurants, parks or the malls by myself, just rolling around, and it was really fun,” he said. 

Khoi also reconnected with a Polish friend he had first met during SGH students' visit to RMIT Vietnam earlier in the year. Having a local friend gave him a closer look at Warsaw beyond the exchange schedule. Rather than only seeing the city as a visitor, Khoi spent his two weeks discovering its culture, history and everyday rhythms through both local connections and time on his own. 

Although the programme lasted only two weeks, the experience left Khoi imagining what it might be like to stay for longer. 

“I really enjoyed my two-week stay, especially in Warsaw,” Khoi shared. Having already considered pursuing a PhD in Europe, experiencing everyday life in the city made that distant possibility feel a little more real. 

“So, I might think of doing a PhD there in the future, maybe. Who knows,” he said. 

For Khoi, Warsaw became more than a place he visited for an exchange. Two weeks of exploring the city in his own way gave him a glimpse of a life he could imagine returning to for the next chapter of his academic journey. 

For a Digital Marketing student like Xuan, the exchange became an opportunity to see familiar issues through new perspectives. 

Xuan joined the programme hoping to explore macroeconomics and discover insights that could complement her marketing studies. But learning alongside students from different cultural and academic backgrounds soon broadened that curiosity. 

“It showed me how people from different cultural and academic backgrounds approach the same global challenges from completely unique angles,” Xuan shared. 

One topic, in particular, stayed with her. During a workshop on microplastics and the environment, Xuan learned more about how microplastics enter the food chain. For someone who already considered herself environmentally conscious, the discussion made the issue feel more immediate and personal. 

“It completely changed how I think about my daily consumption,” she recalled. 

The lesson followed her home. Rather than leaving sustainability as a topic discussed in a Warsaw classroom, Xuan began reconsidering the small choices she made every day. 

“Now, instead of buying bottled water or milk tea in disposable cups, I make a conscious effort to bring my own reusable tumbler,” she said. 

The people around her also influenced how she saw her future. Travelling alongside Master's and PhD students, Xuan observed how they navigated research, work and scholarship opportunities while continuing their academic journeys. 

“Seeing how brilliant they are, their impressive profiles, and how they successfully balance their research, work and scholarships gave me a huge push,” Xuan shared. 

For a final-year student approaching the end of her Bachelor's degree, seeing these different academic paths up close made postgraduate study feel like a possibility worth considering. 

“It completely shifted my mindset. I am now highly motivated to pursue higher education, such as a Master's degree, so I can continue to learn, travel, and bring greater value to both myself and the community,” she reflected. 

For Xuan, the exchange changed her perspective at two different levels: the everyday choices she makes and the future she now imagines for herself. What began as a chance to explore new academic ideas became an experience she could carry into life beyond Warsaw.

For a PhD candidate such as Van Anh, the exchange offered more than a chance to visit a new country - it became a rare opportunity to connect. 

After years of spending much of her time coding, reading and conducting research, Van Anh joined the programme hoping it would bring "a freshness" to the final year of her PhD. Instead, what stayed with her most were the people she met along the way. 

As she explained, doctoral students often work independently, leaving few opportunities to get to know one another across the University. 

"We don't have a PhD space for PhD students, so normally we don't know each other," she said. 

The two-week programme changed that. Beyond attending lectures and workshops together, participants explored Warsaw, shared meals and exchanged stories about their academic journeys. Along the way, Van Anh found herself relating to fellow PhD candidates in ways she hadn't expected. 

"I thought I encountered it myself, but actually other people also experienced the same thing," she recalled. 

The exchange also introduced her to students from different countries, including a master's student from Hungary, whose perspectives broadened her understanding of different academic and cultural experiences. Spending time with undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students throughout the programme also created conversations that rarely happen back on campus. 

Reflecting on those moments, Van Anh believes the friendships formed outside the classroom were just as valuable as the academic programme itself. 

"It helped to connect everyone and to share different perspectives, different lifestyles," she reflected. 

As a Computer Science researcher, she also welcomed the opportunity to step outside her discipline. Sessions on sustainable economics and business offered fresh insights into how academic research can inform industry practice, giving her a broader perspective beyond her own field. 

Looking back, however, it wasn't a lecture or workshop that defined the experience. It was the simple act of stepping away from research and reconnecting with people. 

"After the trip, I felt like I had a refreshed mind... talking with everyone made me feel happier," she said. 

For Van Anh, the greatest lesson from Warsaw wasn't only about expanding her academic knowledge. It was a reminder that even in the often-solitary world of research, meaningful conversations and shared experiences can become the most rewarding part of the journey.

Khoi discovered how much he enjoyed exploring on his own. Xuan brought a classroom discussion into her everyday choices and began imagining a new academic path. Van Anh rediscovered the value of connection in a journey often defined by independent research. 

Although each student experienced Warsaw differently, their stories share a common thread. What began as an academic exchange became an opportunity to grow beyond the classroom - through new friendships, unfamiliar perspectives and experiences that challenged the way they saw themselves. 

Through international partnerships such as the NAWA PROM programme, RMIT Vietnam continues to create opportunities for students at every stage of their academic journey to learn in global settings, connect across cultures and develop the confidence, curiosity and adaptability that extend well beyond a university degree. 

Sometimes, two weeks are enough to explore a new country. Sometimes, they're enough to discover a new version of yourself. 

Story: Le Thanh Van, Professional Communication student. This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam as an institution.