Chennai, Nov 19 (BPNS)
The Consulate of the United States of America in Chennai held a week-long virtual workshop “Destination South India” in association with IIT Madras, United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF), and the US-based Forum on Education Abroad (FEA) for non-governmental organizations and educational institutions to promote South India as a foreign study destination for students from the United States, a statement from the consulate said.
The week-long virtual workshop was held during the International Education Week (IEW) to create awareness about building institutional capacity to enable local colleges and universities in South India to host American students, interns, and research scholars.
According to the statement from the US Consulate, the Consul General, Chennai, Judith Ravin while speaking at the closing ceremony held at IIT Madras 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.”
She said, “Through our Destination South India partnership with IIT Madras, we aim to create 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 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 practices of hosting US students is valuable to provide a seamless and pleasant experience for the incoming students as well as to attract the best students.”
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 programmes in India for foreign students.
The conference also touched upon the important aspects of study abroad such as credit transfer, health, safety, and mental well-being, field visits, and classroom sessions.
The executive director of USIEF, Adam Grotsky said, “India’s potential as a study destination and South India in particular, in disciplines like public health, environmental studies, arts, humanities, and social sciences offer a vastly different and enriching learning experience that is simply not available in the US or in other western countries. Beyond the academic benefits, the relationships and the cultural understanding that develops between people of our two nations as an outcome of such exchanges is irreplaceable.”
