This year's Get Engaged Conference was held at Bard College Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, from June 24, 2024, to July 1, 2024. The Get Engaged is an annual conference that brought together 49 enthusiastic student leaders from 22 partner institutions in the network to present their projects, share ideas, network with students from different universities, and attend professional training. Two Class of 2026 students and one Class of 2027 student from Parami University were selected to participate in the conference.
Participants selected for the conference presented their community development projects at the meeting. They received feedback and ideas and collaborated with other participants to find solutions to improve their communities. Parami's students were excited to talk about their projects under the themes, such as education and health care, presented at the Get Engaged Conference. They also shared their experiences and thoughts on the global exposure opportunities Parami University provides to the students.
Health Journal Club Project
The Health Journal Club is a student-led initiative at our online university designed to bridge the gap between complex health research and practical, everyday applications. The club was founded to address the unique challenges faced by our diverse community, particularly the difficulty in comprehending complex health-related papers. It not only enhances the club members' understanding of health topics but also equips them to challenge public misconceptions, fostering a more informed and health-conscious community.
"Our approach goes beyond traditional academic critique, aiming to empower members to navigate health research and apply insights in real-life contexts. I chose to present this project at the conference because it embodies the spirit of inclusive education and practical impact, demonstrating how even virtual platforms can foster deep engagement and learning."—Theint Thaday Phyu, Class of 2026
Vitalizing Student Research Initiative Project
Vitalizing Student Research Initiative aims to fill the education deficits for youths and students from different places in Myanmar through online workshops and a training series for conducting research papers. It allows young people to search for pragmatic, positive, and research-based solutions for better transformations of social issues. It aims to work through several projects through a strong and established network of emerging researchers.
"The next phase of my project will be working on the upcoming frequent guest speaker series every month and introducing the quarterly student research training for youths and students who are disadvantaged in education and suffer from the conflicts and instability in Myanmar. I also connected with other student-led projects and working students to extend partnerships on grant submissions, project implementation, and workshop series for upcoming projects to introduce a sense of belonging to global exposure."— Phyo Thiha Aung, Class of 2027
Mental Health Project
A student-led EvolveMinds Club promotes the power of peer understanding and empathy among students. Mental well-being is as important as physical well-being for students and university members.
"After attending the conference, I got many ideas on how to make my project more impactful and beneficial to my community. I plan to expand my project to support young people's mental health and well-being in Chiang Mai and Mae Sot, where many immigrants face numerous challenges. We are contacting community schools to explore their needs and ensure our support program meets them."— Pone Nyet Aung, Class of 2026
With the global connection they have built during the conference, the students plan to collaborate with other student leaders who work on similar projects within the OSUN network to implement the best practices and innovative strategies they learned at the conference.
Global opportunities for students
Parami University ensures bringing diverse international exposure opportunities such as in-person international exchange programs, conferences, workshops, and internships. Through these opportunities, students are encouraged to improve their leadership skills, develop an innovative mindset, and have compassion for making positive impacts on their communities.
“Such multicultural conferences can enhance our leadership competence and help us understand different issues and challenges faced by various countries, and the role of student leadership in addressing them. Witnessing different projects addressing different issues was truly eye-opening. Exchanging challenges and finding solutions with people from different backgrounds gave us different perspectives and allowed us to learn from each other's experiences.”— Pone Nyet Aung, Class of 2026
“As a student from Parami with a synchronous online learning platform, I believe that this global exposure, such as the Get Engaged Conference 2024, exceeds expectations of having an exchange student life abroad. This is truly an inspiring and tremendous opportunity for me to join the conference as a student representing Myanmar. —Phyo Thiha Aung, Class of 2027
"As an online student, I often miss traditional universities' in-person interactions and networking opportunities. The Get Engaged Conference provided a unique platform to connect with peers worldwide, participate in hands-on workshops, and present my project to an international audience. The experience met and surpassed my expectations by offering practical, real-world engagement and fostering a sense of global community." —Theint Thaday Phyu, Class of 2026
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