A passage to India

UNSW Business School students will travel to Mumbai in June to experience life and work in India, in the wake of increasing higher education connections between Australia and India.

In a partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, part of the India-based multinational Tata group, the Business School will provide a 3-week program to “immerse” students in an Indian business and cultural environment.

Most of the visiting students will be placed with Tata, while others will be placed with a start-up called Flexiloans, or work in UNSW’s India office.

UNSW has several projects and partnerships in India. In April, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull presented a pair of replica Mahatma Ghandi spectacles, made entirely from waste using breakthrough recycling technology developed at UNSW, to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modhi.

UNSW also offers scholarships to Indian students and the number of students from India coming to UNSW is expected to increase by 90 per cent this year.

Approximately 70 students from a wide range of disciplines within the Business School will be given the opportunity to attend a Global Business Practicum program in 2017. The successful applicants will attend a 3-week program in either Tianjin (China), Bangkok (Thailand) or Mumbai (India).

The practicum experience is designed to expose students to the cultural and economic landscape of one of the world's fastest developing regions.

Associate Dean, International and External Relations at UNSW Business School, Professor Richard Dunford, along with International Unit project officer Emily Cohen, will accompany the 22 students going to Mumbai.

Professor Dunford said: “This is the Business School’s first Global Business Practicum in India and is recognition of the potential for India as a destination for our graduates. Studying overseas encourages students to be adaptable and solve problems, and improves their ability to communicate in a cross-cultural environment. It will also help to prepare them for work – and life after graduation.”

International Unit Manager Andrew Roe said: “By integrating themselves into an Indian office environment for 3 weeks, the students will create long-lasting relationships with local staff – strengthening the people to people as well as industry links between Australia and India.”

Project Officer: Emily Cohen: emily.cohen@unsw.edu.au

Media contact: Ibrar Khan: 02 9385 9887, email: ibrar.khan@unsw.edu.au