TAISI inauguration in Hyderabad

The newly-registered, Bangalore-based the Association of International Schools of India (TAISI), an autonomous, non-profit representative organisation of international schools in India, is all set to inaugurate its three-day launch conference in Hyderabad on September 23. The venue of the conference-cum workshop is the ICRISAT (International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arids & Tropics), campus on the periphery of Hyderabad. “This conference will translate the broad objective of TAISI which as per our memorandum of association is ‘to bring international schools in India together for the advancement of education, intercultural understanding and friendship’, into a more focused annual plan of action. Moreover over the three-day conference, a galaxy of keynote speakers including school principals and eminent educationists will discuss ways and means to integrate best international school practices into Indian education. That’s why the conference is open to all schools in India,” says Anu Monga, principal of the Bangalore International School and the first chairperson of TAISI. According to TAISI sources, over 150 principals and senior teachers from schools across the country have confirmed participation. For further information e-mail [email protected] or phone 080-28445852/ 28465060. Driscoll’s India lecture tour In his capacity as the chairman of a group of 30 mainstream universities promoting widening access to higher education in the UK, Prof. Michael Driscoll, vice chancellor of Middlesex University delivered a series of lectures in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, sponsored by the British Council. Driscoll advanced three broad reasons for the growing attraction of UK’s higher education sector — comparatively less expensive (a UK degree can be completed in three years as compared to four in other countries), international reputation, and success rate of overseas students indicated by low drop-out percentages. “Encouraging critical thought and next generation innovations is necessary to advance learning and that is the way we measure our own success and not necessarily, by picking from among the best of lots as largely practised,” said Driscoll. Middlesex University offers unique courses in education and health studies apart from high quality regular mainstream graduate and postgrad study programmes in science and engineering, management, humanities and the liberal arts. Horlicks Wiz Kids 2006 The Horlicks Wiz Kids 2006 contest sponsored by the consumer healthcare major Glaxo Smithkline (GSK) which has attracted entries from over 200,000 students from 1,500 schools in 25 major cities across the country, has reached its penultimate round. The finalists of the 25 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Cochin, Thiruvanthapuram, Madurai, Coimbatore, Vizag etc have been selected. In early September, 50 wiz kids (one each from junior/ senior category) from the 25 cities will converge in Bangalore for the national final. The three-level (school, city and national) competition managed by Bangalore-based events management company The Activity, features 30 knowledge-testing competitions in diverse subjects such as music, literature, dance, singing, writing, speaking, creativity, art and design for students from classes I-XII. “This programme has been a resounding success in terms of countrywide participation, interest and propagation of our philosophy of providing valuable nourishment to children,” says Subhijit Sen, vice-president…