British Council, Karnataka govt launch 4 new programmes to enhance higher education, skilling initiatives

These new programmes have been launched under the recently signed MoU between British Council and Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).

British Council with Government of Karnataka Launches Four New Programmes to Enhance Higher Education and Skilling Initiatives. (Source: British Council)

The Government of Karnataka and British Council, UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange, on September 10 announced the launch of four new programmes. These new programmes have been launched under the recently signed MoU between British Council and Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).

These four new programmes are ‘Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent (SCOUT) programme by GREAT’ for the Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC), ‘English Skills for Youth’ an initiative by British Council and Microsoft India to empower students in Karnataka Government Engineering Colleges, ‘Capacity Building Training for International Officers’, and a ‘Freemium Digital Library Wall’ inauguration at Bengaluru City University.

SCOUT programme

For the SCOUT programme, the 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 Kalaburgi, Raichur University, Tumkur University, and Rani Channamma University, along with 2 KSHEC officials, to participate in a two-week immersive learning experience at the University of East London from November 9 to 22.

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This programme aims to provide deserving students from less privileged backgrounds with valuable international exposure, fostering academic excellence, innovation, and research skills, while empowering them to contribute positively to their communities and future careers. Some key themes identified for this programme include Sustainable Development Goals, Critical Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Personality Development.

English Skills for Youth

This programme has been launched by the British Council, in partnership with Microsoft India to enhance the English language and communication skills of young adults aged 18-25.

It will be implemented across 16 Government Engineering Colleges under the KSHEC, benefiting 5,795 students in Semesters two and three. Students will complete 40 hours of self-paced coursework via the Microsoft Learning Management System (LMS), supplemented by 30 hours of in-person or blended English Practice Club sessions.

Capacity Building for International Officers programme

In this programme, KSHEC has shortlisted 28 universities and over 56 participants for this workshop designed to bolster the internationalisation efforts of Indian universities.

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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.

Additionally, the Freemium Digital Library Wall was launched by the Minister for Higher Education, Karnataka, at Bengaluru City University, offering faculty and students access to freemium layer of digital content.