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UK university keen to make India teaching partner

Milena Bobeva from Bournemouth University

UK university keen to make India teaching partner

Bournemouth University (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

UK-based Bournemouth University organised the 3rd edition of the Global Festival of Learning, in the Capital recently. The Festival tried to explore the changes in the areas of media, health, technology and education. Milena Bobeva, interim Associate Dean (Global Engagement), MBA Director, Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, shared her views about studying in the UK and discussed insights into business and management degrees. In a conversation with The Statesman, Bobeva talked about the opportunities Indian students can avail of in the United Kingdom. Excerpts:

What are the main points which the Bournemouth University is focusing on Indian students?

This is our way to demonstrate how globally focused we are and how important our partners in India are. We have collaborated with the Symbiosis University in Pune and also, we have our faculty members of media and communication in Chennai as well. We are ready to recognise talents in India and we are looking forward to make India our teaching partner.

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Many of the Indian Universities are still way behind in providing skill-based training to students that can earn them better employment opportunities. What arrangements has the UK made to provide jobs once a student graduates from any university?

Our actions are regulated by registered agencies in the United Kingdom. For international students, we make sure to make them understand how their visa will enable them to take most of our work experiences. We try to encourage our students to start applying for work experience from the very beginning. We also make sure that the work experience doesn’t have to be a blockage. So we make sure that they work for one or two days in a week. That equals to 20 hours in a week. The students can develop opportunities with the company and be offered a suitable job when they graduate.

There are many challenges a student or a worker faces while abroad, due to changes in political scenarios, such as the recent amendments being done to the H1B1 visa in the US. What are your observations on this?

I am not aware of any such political challenges existing in the United Kingdom. We have a very straightforward approach. We work on the applications of the candidates in the Bournemouth University and based on their academic grades, the appropriate candidates are selected and granted visas. So, such challenges aren’t here.

What are the differences in the academic curriculum between Indian and the United Kingdom’s universities that you have observed so far?

Well, I haven’t got enough time to know the real differences as this is my first visit to India. So even I am asking the same questions to my colleagues working here. But we do have very strong personal development-based curriculum, based on the ideas embedded in the curriculum for the students. We provide our students the best quality workshops and seminars so that they earn a recognition in the English companies. In Bournemouth University, every student has an academic advisor and they guide the students under the self-development programmes. It is up to the students how they make most of the opportunities.

The present Indian government is focusing more on start-ups and entrepreneurship. Being a management teacher yourself, what is your advice to those who are looking for opportunities in entrepreneurship?

Innovation and creativity are the key features. Three years ago we introduced courses in innovation management and entrepreneurship and in the years we have seen a growth in its popularity. We work on certain programmes to make more resources available so that the students can be benefitted by them.

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