As part of the British Council’s Generation UK-India Study India programme, 150 UK students and graduates arrived in Delhi recently to learn about and experience living, working and studying in the vibrant and diverse India. The programme is a step forward to the British Council’s consistent efforts to build stronger relationships based on mutuality and partnerships. This is the third cohort to visit India this summer with another 190 visiting in the next couple of months.
Over the next 5 years, the British Council will work with partners to support up to 25,000 young people and professionals from the UK to gain experience in India. The programme has three strands, teaching assistantships, work placements and cultural immersion placements.
The two week engaging placement gives participants a chance to explore contemporary India with the opportunity to interact with Indian students, universities and businesses and contribute to thought-provoking panel discussions and workshops on everyday life in India. The participants will be travelling to Delhi and Mumbai visiting a range of organisations including Delhi University, IIT Bombay and the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Speaking on the occasion, Rob Lynes, country director, British Council India said, “The Generation UK-India Programme encourages internationalism and is a fantastic opportunity for young people from the UK to come and learn about India, one of the countries that will shape the 21st century. Their experience will help broaden their understanding and their ability to operate in diverse contexts and a multi-cultural environment. This will hopefully lead to stronger links and partnerships between the UK and India.“
All students got an opportunity to spend three exciting days at the renowned Delhi University. This gave them a chance to share their cultural similarities and differences with their Indian peers. Participants also engaged with academics and industry experts through workshops, lectures and panel discussions to explore relevant topics in greater depth.
In addition to institutional visits, the students also spend time investigating the local economy in Dharavi, meeting residents of a rural village in Maharashtra, interacting with pupils from Mumbai schools and exploring the sites of Old Delhi. These experiences help participants to gain a deeper understanding of the country and meet people from all walks of life, building connections for future collaboration.
Throughout the two weeks, the participants undertook cultural activities, improving their yoga and Bollywood dancing skills, visiting sites of political, religious and historical importance to put into context the country they are visiting.
Study India is one of three different cultural immersion placements taking place this year supporting 400 participants. In addition, 100 teaching assistants are teaching in schools across India as part of the Generation UK-India teaching assistants’ programme. These 500 young people and professionals from the UK coming to India on the Generation UK-India programme will lay the foundation for many more successful years of mobility between the countries.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It aims to create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.in.