FPJ Education conference: 'Learn before you leap for foreign education'

FPJ Education conference: 'Learn before you leap for foreign education'

There are lots of options when it comes to studying abroad—many countries offer varied courses. But while choosing to study overseas one has to take decisions based on one's needs. This was reiterated to more than 200 students by education experts who participated in a conference that was recently organised in Indore by Free Press and The Globalizers.

FPJ BureauUpdated: Monday, September 30, 2019, 12:23 PM IST
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(L to R) Ed Peters, Performance Coach and Career Counselling Expert; R N Bhaskar, Consulting Editor; Shobhit Jayaswal, expert on MBBS degree courses abroad; Bharati Bacha, Education Advisor; Tara Scheurwater, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada; Sujit Nair, Manager, Campus France, Ahmedabad; Varun Kapoor, Additional Director General of Police, Indore zone; Ryan Pereira, Regional Officer, United State-India Education Foundation; Prashant Hemnani, Managing Director, The Globalizers and Abhishek Karnani, Director, Free Press Journal Group |

Edited views of experts:

Varun Kapoor

Additional Director General of Police, Indore zone

1700% increase in cyber crime in 5 years in India

Varun Kapoor

Varun Kapoor | Additional Director General of Police, Indore zone

Being a country of young people comes with their own set of risks. On the one hand, it can work wonders for the country, on the other hand, if (youth) energy not diverted to the right direction can be destructive. This idea was echoed by Varun Kapoor, Additional Director General of Police, Indore zone during the seminar.

He said, “There has been 1,700 per cent increase in cyber crime in India in last five years. This is an invariably high percentage. It will be difficult to live if it continues to rise at such a rate. Nobody seems to be really bothered, not even police or administration.

We don't know what to do? The solution is awareness and alertness.” He added that for physical crime, one can increase patrolling and have preventive arrests. “But in case of cyber crime, it is crime between people and their devices.”

Tips to be safe

• The idea to be safe, helps you to stay alert.

• Never accept friend request of a person whom you don't know in real world.

• Never take short cuts. Never have a greedy mindset because money does not come easy in life. These crimes are generally categorised as phishing.

• Think before you act. Before posting anything on social media, think twice. Under the law of cyber crime, culprits using social media wrongly can be punished.

Ed Peters

Performance Coach and Career Counselling Expert

Term 'multi' to dominate the upcoming generations

Ed Peters

Ed Peters | Performance Coach and Career Counselling Expert

Ed Peters, a performance coach, has been to India in the past. But this time around, he was able to interact with Indian students. “I have been in India for a week and I am impressed with students’ abilities, their commitment and answers to my questions.

We know that future is India. I am not going to tell you where to study,” he said. Rather, he tried helping the students to look at aspects such as think about things that interest them; evaluate strength and weakness; and take their own decision.

He stressed that the future of the upcoming generation will be lot more multicultural, multi-lingual, multi-skilled and multi-country. Peters added, “The world of work is changing.” It will not be what our parents had felt or experienced.

“Many jobs that exist today will not exist tomorrow. There was a time when people talked about security in job but even those jobs are not so secure any more. It is about learning, growing and retreating.”

He added many people in the UK often get doctorate after retirement because they want to keep learning. “People make choices that do not focus in one field only.

For example, some might start as a lawyer, then learn designing or software. He/she might use the law degree to run their software company business.”

Questions students can ask themselves

• Are you ready to be in such a changing world?

• What do you really love doing? 99 per cent students talk about what they don’t love.

• What are you good at? Don’t talk about what you are not good at.

• What skills do you have? What are you bringing to table?

• What can you do to make a fantastic career?

Ryan Pereira

Regional Officer, United State-India Education Foundation

Do not rely on unofficial sources for ranking

Ryan Pereira

Ryan Pereira | Regional Officer, United State-India Education Foundation

Terming the United States as a country imparting quality education, Ryan Pereira, Regional Officer, United State-India Education Foundation said there are a lot of reasons to study in the US. But the students should find a reason customised to themselves when they choose any country.

Pereira said, “You need to have the right reasons for studying abroad such as exposure, stepping out of comfort zone and learning something new.” Other than that, he said,

“All the students here have seen and heard of rankings of universities. But which one is official ranking? None. These rankings are declared by publications to sell their products.”

According to recent data, around 1,96,000 Indian students are pursuing their education in the US. Students from India is the second largest international student community in the US, which grew by 5 per cent this year.

Process to apply for studies in the US

• Research your options

• Finance your studies

• Complete your application

• Apply for student visa

• Prepare for your departure

Sujit Nair

Manager, Campus France, Ahmedabad

Connect with Campus France for public university

Sujit Nair

Sujit Nair | Manager, Campus France, Ahmedabad

Campus France is an official contact for students who wish to study in France. It has 30 offices in India to help Indian students. Sujit Nair, manager at Campus France, Ahmedabad who represented France at the seminar said that India and France signed a pact recently to mutually recognise each other's degrees excluding few degrees. He added, “There are over 700 collaborations between France and India.” Thus enabling some processes between both countries smoother.

Nair said, “Most universities in France are public universities. Education in France is highly subsided. An average tuition is about 15,000 Euros (which is about Rs 12 lakh).”

In France, under housing allowance for everyone, about 15 per cent of the rent is given back to students. He added, “France believes in equality, hence, there is not much difference between local and international tuition fee.”

If a student wants to attend public university, it should go through Campus France (www.inde.campusfrance.org). In case of private universities, students can directly go to websites of that institutes, Nair informed the students at the seminar.

Financial aid

• Scholarships for Indian students

• Charpak Scholarship

• Raman Charpak Scholarship

• Eiffel Scholarship

• Franco Indian Education Trust

• Co-financed and joint scholarships

Bharati Bacha

Education Advisor

UK: An option for studies, not settling down

Bharati Bacha

Bharati Bacha | Education Advisor

The changing policies in United Kingdom (UK) has changed the way students approach the English-speaking country. Understanding the policy changes in the country, Bharati Bacha, Education Advisor for UK education advised, “It is a destination for studies. If you wish to settle there, then think twice, because stay is not an option for students taking a degree from the UK.”

Other than that she spoke about various educational options like study for two years in India and one year in the UK; and study for two years in India and two years in Australia or the US.

She stressed that such options work for Indian students who are overwhelmed with the idea to study abroad due to fear such as challenge to manage oneself; no family support system; new culture; new climate etc. “Indian students have to take care of everything alone when they go abroad. It can be overwhelming for many students,” Bacha added.

Some colleges in India offering UK-based programmes

• Russell Square International College offers ISBF programme of University of London

• Podar World College offers programmes of University of Wolverhampton and ISBF programme of University of London

• S P Jain School of Global Management

Prashant Hemnani

Managing Director, The Globalizers

Varied definition of success

Prashant Hemnani

Prashant Hemnani | Managing Director, The Globalizers

Based on the experience garnered over the past decade, Prashant Hemnani, Managing Director of The Globalizers, claimed under graduation is critical.

“It is the time when you grow and learn,” he added. He claimed at that age of one's life, he or she evolves. “You must fight for what you really want.

Unless you are in top university in India, you are treated as a mediocre. So, you must get career counselling, psychometric coach, personal traits analyst and most importantly, a mentor to evolve,” he stated.

Yet another aspect, Hemnani felt is important is related to hard work. “Finance is not going to hamper your way. Work hard and you will get there. Cultural fitness will decide your future outside India. It will determine your safety.”

How do you define success?

• Professional excellence

• Social acceptance

• Financial soundness

• Physical health

Tara Scheurwater

Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada

Diversity is strength in Canada

Tara Scheurwater

Tara Scheurwater | Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada

The flow of Indian students to Canada have been on a rise and this is mainly due to favourable policies adopted by the Canadian government. Commenting about this favourable policy in Canada, Tara Scheurwater, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada, said,

“It is a country where you will feel included. It is safe and stable. Since we always need new people, there is no question of protecting jobs for Canadian citizens in the country.”

About 2,00,000 Indians are studying in Canada this year. “This (figure) surpassed China’s record this year, making Indian students became the highest international student community in Canada.

Talking about Canada, Scheurwater said Canada is the second largest country in the world following Russia. “Canada is three times larger than India with the population of only 36 million. It is the most diverse country in world. More than 51 percent of people residing in Canada are born outside Canada.” She claimed that Canada leads in artificial intelligence and robotics.

Education attraction

• Uniform quality education with maximum public institutions

• Private colleges providing certificate courses with practical training

• Work permit of three years to practise in Canada after completion of degree

• Average tuition fee for undergraduate programme is Rs 12 lakh, cheaper than the US

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