Psychology students’ international experience in Nepal

A group of undergraduate psychology students, led by Associate Professor Andrew McGrath, travelled to Nepal for a short-term study trip in December 2023, supported by the New Columbo Plan. Students worked with school children, NGOs supporting people with intellectual disabilities and malnutrition, and psychologists and psychiatrists offering mental health services in Kathmandu.

In the world-famous Chitwan National Park, the students were able to see firsthand the conservation efforts to protect endangered species such as vultures, rhinoceroses and tigers. They also had time to visit some of Kathmandu’s well-known temples and palaces, as well as learn how to make the local delicacy mo-mos (dumplings). Nepal proved to be a beautiful and welcoming destination, allowing students to observe the challenges faced by people living in a lower-middle-income economy, which has been affected by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters such as the 2015 earthquake, and ongoing economic difficulties.