CHENNAI: Twenty-five students who attended a one-week training program at Durham University in the UK, aimed at gaining international exposure and advanced skills in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, returned to Chennai on Monday. This opportunity was part of the Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent in Tamil Nadu (SCOUT) under the Naan Mudhalvan programme, a collaboration between the British Council and the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC).
Out of 1,267 applications from undergraduate students, 100 students were selected for a comprehensive 24-hour online course provided by Durham University that was held over a period of a week last December. From this group, 25 students, 20 belonging to government colleges and five from private colleges, were chosen for the one-week training program at Durham University, held from June 9 to 16. Among the participants, 10 were from arts and science colleges and 15 were from engineering colleges.
Students said that the teaching methods at Durham University were different from the colleges in the state. “The teaching was interactive and mostly based on teamwork. We were engaged in several activities related to data science and artificial intelligence and the professors there were pleased with our performance,” said M Satheesh Kumar, a student from Tiruchy who was part of the group. He added that this short-term training would improve their employment prospects once they graduate and this has helped to improve their network.
Many of these students are from financially backward families and they expressed their gratitude to the state government for organising the training. They also met Chief Minister MK Stalin and Sport, Youth Welfare and Special Projects Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who congratulated the students.