BENGALURU: In a bid to bridge the gap between Karnataka’s educational institutes and foreign universities, the state government and the British Council on Tuesday launched new programmes.
Under the ‘Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent (SCOUT) programme by GREAT’, the Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) will select a cohort of 30 students, which include five students and one faculty member each from Bangalore University, Bengaluru City University, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, Raichur University, Tumkur University, and Rani Channamma University, along with two KSHEC officials. They will participate in a 2-week immersive learning experience at the University of East London from November 9 to 22.
The programme aims to provide students from less privileged backgrounds with international exposure, fostering academic excellence, innovation, and research skills. Some key themes include sustainable development goals, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and personality development.
In another initiative, ‘English Skills for Youth’ by the British Council, in partnership with Microsoft India, will be implemented across 16 government engineering colleges, benefiting 5,795 students in semesters II and III. Students will complete 40 hours of self-paced coursework via the Microsoft Learning Management System, supplemented by 30 hours of in-person or blended English Practice Club sessions. This initiative is designed to boost students’ confidence and proficiency in English, equipping them with vital skills for academic success, job interviews, and workplace scenarios.
Under the ‘Capacity Building for International Officers’ programme, 28 universities and over 56 participants have been shortlisted for the workshop designed to bolster the internationalisation efforts of Indian universities.
“The programme will offer modules to develop the skills and effectiveness of international officers, promoting knowledge sharing and practical outcomes to support the overall internationalisation agenda of participating institutions,” stated an official release by the council.