- Panel discussions on higher education, international assessment of skills, continuous professional development and sessions on communication skills, study and scholarship opportunities to be part of programming
- Showcase of BLOODHOUND SSC show car as part of UK’s GREAT BRITAIN campaign at the UK stall in the International Pavilion
The 7th Vibrant Gujarat Summit which runs till 13 January 2015 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, will see a large UK presence. The British Council will be part of the Country stall at the International pavilion along with the British High Commission, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and several UK Universities, companies and trade organisations.
Rob Lynes, Director India, British Council who will be in Ahmedabad for the Summit states, “The UK’s expertise in education and skill development has great synergy with the Governments’ ambitions in these areas. With over three decades of working with Gujarat across library services, projects in health and education, the UK already has several existing partnerships. We are keen to develop these further and support the Government’s reform agenda especially in the fields of education, skills development and upgradation in a way that develops new connections between the education and employment system and reduces the mismatch between what students learn and what employers want.”
The UK has a global reputation for excellence in the field of education and skills. It has 4 of the world’s top 6 universities and is home to 30 of the world’s top 200 universities. Building on this expertise in education, there will be several panel discussions and talks at the Summit including one on ‘Internationalisation of Higher education: Making it Happen’ at The Gateway Hotel, Ahmedabad on 10 January, 2015. Chaired by Sharon Memis, Director British Council, West India, the panel will include Mukesh Puri, Principal Secretary, Higher and Technical Education, Government of Gujarat; Prof Mark Spearing, Pro-Vice Chancellor (International), University of Southampton; Dr Shailendra Mehta, Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University; Dr Anup K Singh, Director General, Nirma University; Prof Rakesh Basant, Chairperson, Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad; Professor Harish Padh, Vice Chancellor, Sardar Patel University and Manjula Rao, Assistant Director Internationalising Higher Education, British Council India.
Another panel on UK Approach to Large Scale Skills Projects and International Assessments chaired by Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Chair of UKIBC will focus on international assessments of skills, workforce development and use of technology within this context.
The British Council will host a stall in the Education Pavilion of Vibrant Gujarat where delegates will offer taster sessions and talks on presentation and communication skills, opportunities for studying in the UK and scholarships (including the prestigious Chevening and more recently launched GREAT Scholarships), international skill assessment tools such as APTIS, GENERATION UK INDIA and details on education and arts programmes and collaborations. There will also be an interactive session to explore ways in which teachers in the Indian context can continue to develop professionally.
Bloodhound Supersonic Car: In addition to the large programming at the Summit, the much talked about ‘BLOODHOUND Supersonic Car (SSC) Show Car’ designed to go up to 1,000 mph (just over 1,600 kmph) will be showcased at the UK stall of the International Pavilion. The show car part of the ‘GREAT BRITAIN’ campaign (“GREAT”)and previously showcased in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, was built to inspire the young generation to pursue higher education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) courses and later careers in those fields.
- A detailed schedule of the British Council programme, panel discussions and biographies of spokespersons are attached for reference
- The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide. The British Council was established in India in 1948. The British Council is recognised across India for its network of 9 libraries and cultural centres. We offer a range of specialised projects in arts, education, exams, English language and society to audiences across India and more than 100,000 members. We also provide access to English language training and learning for both students and teachers, offer UK qualifications in India and enable opportunities to study in the UK. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.in
- With over three decades of a working relationship with Gujarat through library services, projects in health and education, school programmes, services for International Education Marketing, research programmes such as UKIERI, English language training and partnerships, arts projects and Corporate Training, the UK has a long standing connection with the State. We are committed to building on these relationships, working closely with the government to create more opportunities for both countries through strategic and academic collaborations.