Students from Nepal, Australia, UK & USA to learn about India

To learn about the rich diversity of India, students from Nepal, Australia, UK and USA will study at the University of Calcutta campus here soon.
Under the 'Connect to India Programme' started this year by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and University Grants Commission (UGC), Calcutta University would welcome the first batch of students from Nepal this November, Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das told PTI today.
"We are the first university in India which has been selected for this programme. Next month I am going to Mumbai to sign a MoU with the Australian government for an exchange programme with their universities. We are also preparing similar tie-up plans with the British and American governments," he said.

The varsity has already got funds of around Rs 75 lakh from UGC for the purpose while another Rs 25 lakh was expected soon.
From Nepal, a batch of 20 students would arrive here in November, while 15 students would come from Australia and other countries for the 2015 academic session.
"They will study here for four weeks and the credits earned will be transferred to the institute where they are coming from," the VC said.

The objective of the program was to facilitate the visit of undergraduate students from different nations to India, allow them to experience and understand different facets of life in India, the progress made by the country in various fields, specially economic and industrial development, science and technology, communication and information technology, education, art, culture etc.

The program would offer short term courses in the form of summer schools to help foreign students understand and appreciate contemporary India better, foster closer ties and enhance their engagement with India.
The curriculum would also include visits to places of historical importance/monuments, NGOs, participation in cultural programmes, exposure to yoga and so on.
Besides Calcutta, the University of Hyderabad, Mysore, Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, have also been selected under the programme.