US Consulate General Chennai in association with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), and the U.S.-based Forum on Education Abroad (FEA) organised a workshop for educational institutions and non-governmental organisations in South India to promote the region as a foreign study destination for U.S. students.
Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, IIT Madras presents a memento to U.S. Consul General Judith Ravin at the closing ceremony of “Destination South India” workshop at IIT Madras on Thursday The week-long virtual workshop “Destination South India” at IIT Madras held during the International Education Week (IEW) helped create awareness about building institutional capacity to enable local colleges and universities in South India to host American students, interns, and researchers.
US Consul General Judith Ravin, who attended the closing ceremony at IIT Madras on Thursday, November 18, said: “I am so pleased that you are here today to talk about how your institutions can create a platform for future leaders to work, live, and study together to solve the world’s toughest challenges. Through our Destination South India partnership with IIT Madras we aim to see more and more American students immerse themselves in South Indian culture, languages, and educational traditions. Interest in studying abroad in places like South India will only continue to increase, though temporarily constrained due to the global pandemic.” Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, IIT Madras said: “In today’s world, we have to learn to travel, meet, and work with people across cultures. So, a workshop like this where our international offices, particularly in South India, are familiarized with the culture and the practices of hosting U.S. students is valuable to provide a seamless and pleasant experience for the incoming students as well as to attract the best students that desire this holistic opportunity to come, live, and learn from the best colleges in this part of India, and go back with the rich view of the world at large.”
Adam Grotsky, Executive Director, USIEF said: “India’s potential as a study abroad destination, and South India in particular, in disciplines like public health, environmental studies, arts, humanities, social sciences just to name a few, offers a vastly different and enriching learning experience that is simply not available in the U.S. or in other western countries. Beyond the academic benefits, the relationships and the cultural understanding that develops between the people of our two nations, as an outcome of such exchanges, is irreplaceable.”
The representatives from the Forum on Education Abroad shared and discussed the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad along with experienced Indian faculty who have established successful study programs in India for foreign students. The conference touched upon important aspects of study abroad such as credit transfer, health, safety and mental wellbeing, field visits and classroom sessions, role of Indian students, community connections, diversity and inclusion, research, ethical practices, and preparation for post-pandemic programs. “Destination South India” is a result of the U.S. government’s commitment to expand study abroad opportunities for American students to gain critical global skills, while also contributing to India’s National Education Policy 2020 goal that envisages internationalizing Indian educational campuses through the presence of visiting international students.
About International Education Week: International Education Week (IEW – https://iew.state.gov/) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
Original News Link
https://www.oneindia.com/india/us-consulate-general-chennai-promotes-south-india-for-us-study-abroad-students-3337736.html?story=1
