British Council, Mumbai NGO to collaborate on edu, culture

The British Council India today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NGO Mumbai First to work together in the areas of education, tourism, art and culture in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The two organisations will initiate projects and activities to work towards an all-round achievement in two key areas that will positively impact the citizens of the MMR - education and culture.
The British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
The initiative is aimed at enrichment of teaching skills as well as quality improvement of low-cost private English medium schools in the MMR, Alan Gemmell, Director India, British Council, said.

Professional development and language proficiency training programmes will be introduced to focus on improving teaching skills and learning outcomes, he said.
These programmes will be conducted face-to-face and digitally, with government primary and secondary school teachers across the MMR.

The two outfits will also support the creative and cultural economy of the MMR to promote the region as a preferred destination for tourists coming to India, Gemmell said.
There will be initiatives to take the diverse range of music of the metropolis to a global audience through 'Mix the City Mumbai' project, which features recordings of performances by Mumbai musicians curated online.

The collaboration will seek installations to be placed in public spaces across the financial capital, creating multiple sites where people will be able to become a part of the city's rich musical heritage.
The initiative will also include exchanges throughout the year between the UK and Indian artists, organisations and the public through collaborative projects designed to nurture talent and promote wider cultural dialogue.
"We are delighted that in Prime Minister Modi's UK- India Year of Culture, we can deepen our connections with the city through a new partnership with Mumbai First," Gemmell said.
"For almost 70 years, we have helped put education and culture at the heart of the UK's relationship with Mumbai," he added.