Learnings from Italy

Combining sport with the mind

Ashleigh has always enjoyed sports – whether watching or playing – and that interest is shaping her future career. 

“I’ve always been a sporty person growing up and have always wanted to support people in my future career – and studying psychology as well was especially enticing,” she says.

“I’ve always been interested in human behaviour and that’s led to a further interest in behaviour and performance in sport.

“I would love to get involved in sport psychology in my future career.”

But to fully understand what drives human behaviour, it meant looking beyond what happens on the sporting field. 

That’s what made her Rome study experience all the more valuable: it offered a broader look at the factors that shape people’s mental health and wellbeing.

“It provided me with a wider perspective of how people struggle with their health and how the environment affects this as well,” she says.

Different culture, different perspective

During the two-week period, the students visited the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and the Museo Laboratorio della Mente (The Museum of the Mind) – a “storytelling museum” that documents the history of asylums in Rome. 

The unit gave the class an opportunity to examine mental health within a different cultural context because mental health does not exist in a vacuum. 

For Bachelor of Psychological Science student Gabriella Penna, the experience was a startling reminder of the scale of mental health.  

“It was amazing to expand my conceptualisation of psychology to a global level,” Gabriella says.

“You obviously hear about psychological abnormalities and mental disorders but then seeing it happen in foreign countries was incredibly eye opening.

“Learning that human psychology doesn’t just end in Australia and people around the world face the same problems that we do every d was really amazing to experience first hand.”

Family, friends, upbringing and cultural identity can all influence how people experience psychological challenges and seek support.

Immersing herself in Italian culture helped Ashleigh appreciate how these factors can shape people’s experiences in different ways.

“By being immersed in Italian culture, I developed a new perspective and empathy for how mental health and psychology changes in different cultures,” she says.

In sport psychology, for example, recognising that every athlete brings their own experiences, pressures and motivations can help practitioners better understand the person behind the performance.

Building confidence beyond the classroom

While the academic experience was the main drawcard, travelling overseas also gave Ashleigh and Gabriella the opportunity to develop confidence and independence.

The combination of organised activities, study and cultural immersion allowed students to focus on learning while also experiencing life in Italy.

“I was surprised by how easy everything was,” Ashleigh says.

“From travelling on my own, to organised group activities, as well as general life on campus, everything was well explained and thorough.”

“I definitely had a bit more of a culture shock than I was expecting,” Gabriella says.

“At the start, it was challenging but I got used to it pretty quickly and soon found a routine that was enjoyable and felt like home.”

Adding another dimension to study

The trip demonstrated how learning beyond the traditional classroom can bring academic concepts to life, encouraging students to question assumptions, develop empathy and consider perspectives they may not otherwise encounter.

Both Ashleigh and Gabriella’s experience also highlighted the benefits of studying at ACU.

“I would definitely recommend others to study at ACU – especially my course,” Gabriella says.

“ACU has a really detailed and hands-on psychological science course that I would definitely recommend to others.”