Apart from offering a holistic education rooted in India traditions and values, Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior (SKV) has been leaving no stone unturned in opening up new avenues for its students for global citizenship and providing them education encompassing international dimensions. By enrolling as a member of AFS India – an organisation that provides intercultural exchange programmes – SKV has opened several vistas for its students to get global citizenship education.
The social impact of student travel for international exchange programmes is well known. The programmes are designed to enable student learning at a whole different level but the primary goal is to nudge them out of their comfort zone so that they not only experience enhanced learning but also personal growth.
International Exchange at SKV
France: Strengthening the Indo-French relationship with the motto of holistic student development, a group of 65 students and staff from Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, visited partner school Lycée Fernand Darchicourt, France in June 2022. The group was certified to be the biggest female group visiting France from India in the post-Independence era. The entire exchange programme was managed by Paris-based organisation Le Frehindi-Paris under the high Patronage of Indian Embassy in Paris. The students not only learned more about French language and culture but also taught the Indian ways of life and culture to them.
Following their return in January 2023, 20 French students and two teachers from Lycée Fernand Darchicourt visited SKV Gwalior in reverse exchange programme. The programme helped foster compassion and understanding of the cross-cultural differences. Students from both the countries also got better insights into environmental issues and impact of human activities on the environment.
Denmark: Three SKV students Rea Agrawal, Ananya Satish and Ishika Gupta embarked on a month-long exchange programme to Denmark in October 2021.
Naisha Gupta and Vedika Nilesh Khandelwal went to Denmark for a month-long exchange programme and experienced the academic life of Ranaum Efterskole School.
Japan: Aniben Rai was selected as the recipient of Asia Kakehashi Project 2021 got a chance to earn this fully sponsored 6-month long scholarship programme in Japan.
Hungary: Suhani Agrawal travelled to Hungary in June 2022 for a month long exchange programme.
Spain: Saumya Gopal travelled to Spain in July 2022 and explored the vibrant country.
USA: Harchintan Kaur earned the prestigious STEM scholarship awarded by British Petroleum. In July 2022 she visited Houston, Texas for the AFS Global STEM Academies programme
Ishika Gupta was at the Foxcroft School Middleton, Virginia USA for a year-long exchange programme that commenced in August 2022. She returned to India in June 2023.
Egypt: Sujal Tandon (class X) is currently in Egypt for a month-long (July 2023) exchange programme for STEM education.
Brazil: Karishma Agarwal (class XII) visited Brazil in June 2023 for a month-long exchange programme for STEM education.
Domestic Exchange
In a series of collaborative domestic student exchange programmes, SKV welcomed students from Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ooty in December, 2022; in reverse exchange, 10 students from SKV visited Lawrence School in April 2023.
Students from Maa Anandmayee School, Dehradun; Rajmata Krishna Kumari School, Jodhpur; Lotus Valley School, Noida and Happy Days School, Shivpuri visited SKV in April, 2023 followed by Shri Ram Global School, Delhi in July.
“Through these programmes, the students have developed new interpersonal skills, forged new relationships and are ready to receive global citizenship education. Their self-esteem and confidence have increased and they show greater maturity and tolerance for global peace and brotherhood,” says a school spokesperson.
SKV believes that education is “for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”
