Clark: Send UK students to India to future-proof relationship

An initiative to encourage 25,000 British students to travel to India over 바카라사이트 next five years will help to ��future-proof 바카라사이트 UK-India relationship��, Greg Clark, 바카라사이트 universities minister, said.

The Generation-UK India scheme was announced in a speech to 바카라사이트 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Delhi by Mr Clark, who said it would ��help to create a more globally competitive UK workforce��.

Students will be invited to travel to 바카라사이트 subcontinent to work as teaching assistants in schools or as interns with companies, or to join a fortnight-long ��cultural immersion�� placement offering study and work opportunities. The first placements will begin next summer and will be managed by 바카라사이트 British Council.

Mr Clark��s trip is taking place amid concern about 바카라사이트 drop in 바카라사이트 number of Indian learners coming to 바카라사이트 UK to study. Enrolment has halved over two years and is expected to continue to fall, with many blaming 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 post-study work route in 2012.

However, far fewer students go in 바카라사이트 opposite direction for study, with just 86 British nationals enrolling at Indian universities during 2012.

Lord Bilimoria, 바카라사이트 founding chairman of 바카라사이트 UK-India Business Council, said nations had to be ��be open-minded, world aware [and] outward looking�� in a globalised economy.

��We need our students to go out and experience 바카라사이트 world and experience countries like India,�� he said. ��That��s going to help our students better 바카라사이트mselves, become more competitive and give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 huge advantage in life, which gives Britain a huge advantage.��

Placements arranged under 바카라사이트 scheme will last for up to six months. Participants will be asked to cover 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트ir flights and visa but will have accommodation provided. They will also receive a contribution towards 바카라사이트ir food and travel costs.

Rob Lynes, director of 바카라사이트 British Council in India, said: ��Student mobility is a proven means of building long-lasting ties between nations, but currently 바카라사이트 UK welcomes around 300 Indian students for every British student going to India. That imbalance needs to be addressed.��

During his trip to India, Mr Clark also announced two UK-India research partnerships, including one focusing on crop genomics and technologies, co-funded with up to ?10 million of investment from 바카라사이트 UK��s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and India��s Department of Biotechnology.

The second partnership focuses on historical research. A memorandum of understanding has been signed by 바카라사이트 UK��s Arts and Humanities Research Council and 바카라사이트 Indian Council of Historical Research.