Bishop Heber College, one of the oldest colleges in the city, has drawn students from United States of America and France for pursuing Post Graduate programmes under the Student Exchange Initiative.
Though the college had received foreign students for short-term courses in the past, it is claimed that it had received students from USA and France for a full semester.
While Dominic Dixon of North Carolina in USA has joined the college to pursue M.Sc Botany, three students from France including Henri Pollet have enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme.
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Considering the hot climate in the city, the college has made an exclusive hostel with air conditioned rooms for the foreign students. Moreover, it has hired a chef for making continental dishes to suit these students’ taste.
“The presence of foreign students has lightened up the environment. They mingle well with the Indian students. They take part in all activities including sports,” says D. Paul Dhayabaran, Principal, Bishop Heber College.
While stating that it would benefit both foreign and Indian students, he said that in addition to subject learning, it had given a good opportunity for the foreign students to know the cultural, traditional and heritage value of India.
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Dominic Dixon, who is primarily attached to University of Apalachian State University, USA, said that he was happy to be part of the college.
Now, he has many friends
Though he found it little difficult to move with the classmates initially, he has now adjusted to the environment and earned many friends.
The infrastructure and human resource was not inferior to that in his country.
“If you move to any country, you will have to experience some difficulties. We have successfully overcome them. We are on the right direction,” Henri Pollet of France said.