In the third and final part of her reflections on the Global Engineering expedition to Borneo, Amy Hogg (Stage 4 MEng Civil & Structural Engineering) gives advice to students who may participate in the expedition in future years.

The Global Engineering module was an amazing experience and I am so thankful that I was able to participate in a project that made a real difference. The expedition was a once in a lifetime experience, providing the opportunity to immerse in a completely different culture and live in the jungle without modern technology for 12 days. For those offered the opportunity to complete a project of this nature, I cannot recommend the experience enough and hope to provide advice of some aspects of the project.

Fundraising presented quite a challenge, particularly in the final year of my degree. I would strongly advise making an early start and the summer break to apply to trusts and foundations and plan fundraising activities. This, along well as my passion for the project, allowed me to exceed my fundraising target. I would also strongly recommend group activities as they provide a chance to bond with team members before undertaking the expedition, however this does require a lot of planning!

The expedition allows students to take ownership of the project from early design through to construction. I was quite surprised at how the Raleigh staff stepped back and let us take complete control of the project. As such, it is vital to use the design stage to develop a sound understanding of the challenges presented on-site and to comprehend the scale to works to be completed in such a short time frame. I would recommend clearly breaking down the tasks to be completed and learn how to solve construction problems before arriving on-site.

The experience has really opened my eyes to the engineering challenges in the developing world and the key role engineers must play. The module has allowed me to develop a wealth of engineering skills that will prove invaluable in my graduate career. The Borneo expedition was a truly life changing experience which has most definitely been the highlight of my university career.  As such, I cannot recommend the module enough to all future students lucky enough to undertake the experience!

Life in the jungle – a truly life-changing experience!