36 Teaching Assistants visit Chennai for a 3 day induction programme
23 September 2015: The British Council conducted a three day induction programme for 36 Teaching Assistants in Chennai at the Residency Towers from 21 – 23 September 2015. This batch of Teaching assistants complete the programme for this year which builds a further expectation of bringing in Teaching assistants to increase student outward mobility from UK to India. The placements will vary between 2 to 6 months in various schools in India and they will be teaching various subjects and skills across.
Mei-kwei Barker, Director, British Council South India hosted a networking reception. The programme was attended by Bharat Joshi, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai, Dr. Amudhavalli, Director, ICOM (International Centre for University of Madras), Dr A Azad, Director, Centre for International Affairs, Anna University.
“Whatever you do in your future lives you will take this cultural experience and the relationship you build with India will stay with you ” Mei-kwei Barker, Director, British Council South India told 36 teaching assistants from the UK who reached Chennai as part of the Generation UK-India programme. She mentioned the importance of people’s relationship which this programme builds and connects people at a young age, emphasizing that this journey will be a learning and sharing experience.
“The energy, excitement and enthusiasm of the young people from UK taking part in the Generation UK-India Teaching Assistant programme was incredible. The integration between the host schools from 18 different states in India and 36 young people from different cities in UK was very exciting. It’s a great Initiative from British Council and Generation UK-India will help the younger generation to build a stronger relationship between the India and the UK, with exposure to Indian culture, Indian companies and Indian education” said Bharat Joshi, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai.
The 36 students and graduates are part of 500 UK young people and professionals who are coming to India this year as part of Generation UK-India which aims to promote international experience and build engagement and trust between the UK and India. Over the next 5 years, the British Council will work with partners to support up to 25,000 young people and professionals from the UK to gain experience in India. The programme has three strands, teaching assistantships, work placements and cultural immersion placements which are supported by UKIERI (UK –India Education and Research Initiative) and delivered by IndoGenius. The programme will also work with UK and India universities and organisations to support more mobility between the two countries.
Although many Indian students spend time studying in the UK, fewer of their counterparts make the journey in the opposite year. In the first year of the programme, Generation UK-India has begun to change this and has raised the profile of mobility to India as well as increasing the opportunities available.
The British Council hope that this will be the first of many successful years of the programme which will continue to build excellent relations between the UK and India.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide.
We work in more than 100 countries and our 7000 staff – including 2000 teachers – work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year by teaching English, sharing the Arts and delivering education and society programmes.
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