UK students to soon get flavour of Indian culture

Beginning summer 2015, about 25,000 students will come to India in next five years

Come summer 2015, several students from the United Kingdom will be able to get a taste of Indian culture, study and work environment. The Generation UK-India Cultural Immersion placements will enable about 25,000 students from the UK to come to India in the next five years.

Speaking at the Ficci Higher Education Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, Greg Clark, the minister of state for universities, science and cities, the UK, said India had a history of sending students to the UK and this presented an opportunity from a long-term perspective. Clark added this initiative would help students come to India and work in the country in various roles like teaching assistants in different educational institutions. This placement will enable students to spend two weeks based in an Indian institution as part of a wider group of UK students. These students will undertake a range of activities to get a deeper understanding of the education sector, working practices and culture in India.

They will also get a chance to meet Indian peers and build connections for future collaboration. Clark said online applications will open on Friday and can be done through the British Council website. Talking about the study opportunities in the UK, he explained that they would grant visas to all genuine applications. "All students from India who are enrolling into recognised institutes in the UK will be granted a visa," he said. Students also have an opportunity to work in the UK for five years, subject to some conditions.

The UK also has the UKIERI (UK-India Education and Research Initiative) Study India Programme, which aims to provide students from the UK with an eye-opening experience in Mumbai and Delhi.

Over the three week programme successful applicants get to see Indian culture from different perspectives, do workshops with their Indian counterparts and even do a week's work experience.