November 8, 2010
School of Business, Amritapuri
Seven second-year students from the Amrita School of Business recently embarked on a trip to the University of Trento in Italy. The students will stay in Italy for ten months, attend classes and complete project and field work. Then, upon their return, they will graduate with an MBA from Amrita.
“The students were chosen as part of the prestigious India 4 EU* program,” informed Mr. Pradeep of the Center for Corporate and International Relations. “Five students were chosen from Amritapuri and one each from the Coimbatore and Kochi campuses.”
These students will all study Economics. One of them will also obtain the Masters in Business Studies, the European equivalent of an MBA.
“This is the first time that some of our MBA students are invited to spend their entire second-year at a foreign university,” commented Prof. Doreswamy, who taught some of these students. “We hope that they utilize this opportunity to its fullest.”
The students certainly are beginning to. They are busy making Learning Agreements or study plans that detail what subjects they will enroll for, in discussion with their faculty back home. They are also beginning to explore research projects and internship opportunities.
“We have already met many of the faculty and students,” the students wrote in. “We have also had a formal meeting with Dr Robert Napoli, the International Programs Manager.”
In preparation for easier social interaction, the students are attending basic Italian language intensives. “We feel so good about learning this language that we are planning to continue by taking it to a higher level,” enthusiastically commented Ritu, one of the students.
The students have also visited the nearby cities of Venice and Milan. While in Milan, they met Chancellor Amma, who was there as part of her annual European tour. “Amma asked us about our stay in Italy and whether we had adjusted,” shared Simi Pillai. “Amma was happy to know that we were cooking for ourselves.”
Amma explained to the students that it was under tough conditions that one became complete. Perhaps Amma was alluding to some tough times ahead that a stay in any new country might entail. Students asked for Amma’s blessings so that they could complete their course successfully.
Undoubtedly, as the days stretch on, this experience will prove valuable to the students, providing them much exposure to the wider world. Known for its excellence in didactics, research and international relations, the young Italian university that will be their home for the next ten months will surely see them learn some rich lessons, both for their lives and their livelihoods.
We wish these students all the very best!
*India 4EU is a unique student-scholar-faculty exchange program organized by a Consortium of some the most prestigious universities in Europe and India. It allows students to live an invaluable experience by undertaking a study or research period abroad and is funded by the European Commission.
