UK students to learn Indian culture

Thiruvananthapuram: The British Council has launched an exchange programme for students from the UK to study in India.
A group of 500 students will arrive in the country and 50 among them will be joining the University of Kerala for a two-week-long course in Indian Studies. The syllabus will be prepared by the faculty attached with the University of Kerala.
"After considering the research opportunities at the University of Kerala, the programme will be launched.It will be a short-term course on Indian culture and studies. It will be a great opportunity for students in their career to get an international exposure and to understand and connect with the Indian culture," said Alan Gemmell, director of British Council India.
Gemmell also held a meeting with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding a partnership programme to support English language education in 300 students in the state. In the programme, the British Council will provide training to students to improve their skills in English and help them in getting employment after their graduation. British Council has conducted an Advanced Placement (AP) test for 40,000 students from across the country to participate in the training programme.
British Council has also come up with the largest-ever student exchange programme in the country for 2017. A total of 500 students will be given scholarship to study in Britain, which is the largest ever number of scholarships issued by the council for the student exchange programme.
The programme is funded by Newton fund, an initiative of the UK government to fund research after the announcement of UK-India Year of Culture during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to London in November 2015. It will be conducted in partnership with universities in Britain.
"The number of scholarship will be awarded as part of the Year of Culture celebration. The aim is to highlight the cultural history of the two countries and celebrate, reconnect and aspire the relationship," Gemmell said.
British Council will organise a fair from November in which British universities will participate to collaborate student exchange programme.