A batch of 21 undergraduates from an Australian university participated in a unique 21-day corporate internship programme with top companies based in Mumbai, an official said here on Wednesday. [...] The corporate internship programme was implemented under the ‘Colombo Plan’, first proposed in 1949 by Indian diplomat K.M. Panikkar, through which developing countries could avail academic and training opportunities abroad.

The event is part of a project, ID100, bringing together key academics, think tanks, NGOs, international bodies and the general public to address the world’s biggest environmental, political and socioeconomic problems. The project is being led by researchers from the University’s Sheffield Institute for International Development (SIID).

One significant feature in U.S.-Chinese relations in recent years has been the establishment of Confucius Institutes in many American universities, where faculty from China provide instruction in Chinese language and offer programs on Chinese culture to American audiences. Just as some view China’s increasing global power with trepidation, many also see the spread of these institutes in an ominous light.

An internationally respected Egyptian political scientist said Wednesday that prosecutors had filed espionage charges against him, making him the second such scholar targeted this month in a widening crackdown on dissent against last summer’s military takeover.

New Year resolutions are already aplenty, but we at CPD thought you might still be interested in knowing our goals for the year head. As CPD enters its 10th year, our mission remains the same. Our work continues to be guided by a global vision, a drive to integrate research and practice for distinctive social impact, and a commitment to preparing the next generation of public diplomacy leaders and practitioners.