AIER has been receiving requests to host the visits of delegates from other countries. Since its inception AIER has been honouring such requests. It has so far hosted the visits of guests from UK, China and Japan.
The League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers (LECT), that has been looking after the Teachers' International Programme of Development (TIPD) of the Government of UK requested VPM to arrange educational tours of British teachers to India. Beginning from February 2003, VPM has hosted more than five visits of British teachers to Mumbai. The visiting teachers came from the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) of Newham, Waltham Forest (London), West Sussex, Leeds, Manchester, Oxfordshire, Birmingham and Kingston upon Thames (London). These teachers were taken to schools, both in rural as well as in urban areas, to facilitate their interaction with Indian students and teachers. These visits resulted into a good relationships between Indian and British teachers. In addition to schools the visitors were taken to science centres and institutions conducting basic research in science education. As a result, they could understand the salient features of the school science curriculum and efforts made to implement it effectively in Indian schools.
Authorities in the education department of the Government of China showed interest in understanding Indian education System. In this context AIER hosted the visits of two delegations from China. The first delegation, composed of the office bearers of the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST), Beijing visited Thane in 2007. The objective of the visit was to study teaching of science in Indian schools. The second delegation comprising members of Shanghai Association of Science and Technology (SAST) visited Thane in 2009. The objective of this visit was to understand out of school support to science education in India. On both the occasions VPM arranged interactions of the visiting members with school students, teachers, office bearers of teacher associations and voluntary agencies. Through these interactions the host as well as visiting members could know the best practices from each other’s education systems.
Since 2012, AIER has been hosting the visits for students pursuing Asian Studies at the Kyoto Sangyo University at Kyoto in Japan. During a visit, lasting for two weeks, the visiting students are given guidance in communicative Hindi and English apart from cultural inputs and indigenous sports. Lessons in yoga, the ancient Indian technique of wellbeing, forms an important part of interaction for these students. They are taken to the places of religious and historical importance during their stay. At the same time ample opportunities for social interactions and cultural exposures are provided to the students. As a result there is close interaction between the visiting students and students from different institutions managed by the Vidya Prasarak Mandal, Thane.
Visit of Japanese team to Atma santulan village at Lonavala (Sept 2014)
A Group photograph in front of college canteen (Sept. 2014)
Japanese students at Thane Municipal Corporation (Sept. 2017)
Japanese students engaged in cultural activities (Sept. 2017)The activities planned for the visiting team are highly appreciated by the students as well as the accompanying faculty member. This programme has led to the formation of close bonds between Indian and Japanese students. Encouraged by good relationships established during the visit of Japanese students it is proposed to arrange an educational tour of Indian students and teachers to Japan. It is hoped that this initiative would lead to a regular exchange of students and teachers between Japan and India.
Dr. Sudhakar C. Agarkar
Professor & Dean
VPM's Academy of International Education & Research,
Dr. Bedekar Vidya Mandir, Naupada
Thane - 400602.
Maharashtra, India.
Email: sagarkar@vpmthane.org
Website: http://vpmthane.org/aier/
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