Harvard Summer Program in Borneo, Malaysia

  Malaysia

• Other Cities in Malaysia: 
Kota Kinabalu

Term: Summer 
Dates: TBA

Description: The name Borneo holds a special place in Western cultural imagination. It is the quintessential tropical wilderness, full of unexplored jungle and exotic indigenous groups that were once headhunters. Today, Borneo is less romantic but far more complex: a vast island of outstanding geographical, biological, and cultural diversity that is split by international boundaries and exploited by multinational logging, mining, and oil-palm corporations.

In its parks, visitors still encounter some of the highest local biodiversity on Earthfrom orangutans, hornbills, and thousands of tree species to coral reefs. But Borneo also offers an excellent case study in the challenges facing nature conservation in the tropics. This summer program in Malaysian Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah) immerses students in the biology, culture, and conservation issues of this amazing island.

Highlights: Course: The Biodiversity of Borneo

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: 6,000 USD

- tuition
- room and most meals
- course-related excursions
- course materials

In addition to the program fee, students are responsible for the following:

- a health insurance fee (approximately 165 USD; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States)
- transportation to Miri and from Kota Kinabalu (suggested routing via Kuala Lumpur on Malaysian Airlines)
- basic hiking gear (backpack, boots, etc.) and snorkeling gear (mask, fins, and snorkel)
- A list of required equipment will be provided.

Experience Required: yes

Students get the most from the program if they have taken one of the following courses (or equivalents): Foundations of Biological Diversity (OEB 10), Evolutionary Biology (OEB 53), Ecology (OEB 55). However, there are no official prerequisites, and students are invited to discuss their academic preparation with the program director. Campbell Webb: cwebb@oeb.harvard.edu

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Essay
• Other
• Transcript
• Written Application

Harvard Summer School Study Abroad Programs's Mission Statement: The Harvard Summer School makes Harvard's academic resources a distinguished faculty, well-equipped laboratories, fine museums, and a world-class university library available to men and women of many ages, backgrounds, and nationalities through an intensive summer session of liberal arts courses in Cambridge and overseas. Our international student body includes Harvard undergraduate and graduate students, visitors from other colleges and universities, highly qualified secondary school students, adult learners, and nonnative English speakers seeking to refine their language skills. Students take courses to challenge themselves academically, meet degree requirements, prepare for graduate school, gain college experience, advance their careers, and pursue personal enrichment. Students, who study at Harvard Summer School may reside in a supportive residential environment, commute to campus, complete courses via distance education, or participate in one of the faculty-led programs based abroad. Many come to experience the extraordinary environment of Harvard College academics, resources, and residential life. Harvard Summer School serves the University community by providing faculty with teaching opportunities that allow them to experiment with new materials and teaching methods. Students from many Harvard schools take advantage of the breadth of summer course offerings to meet requirements for concentrations and degree programs, and to create more flexibility within their term-time academic program. Harvard graduate students from abroad can work on refining their English language skills, and Harvard College students take advantage of the summer session to expand their cultural, social, and intellectual horizons by studying abroad.