We live in a world that thrives on diversity, and NMIMS aims to leverage the same for holistic development of its students and transform them into impactful leaders of the future. Organising events that allow the students to develop global skills of adapting, collaborating, solving problems, making decisions, appreciating diversity, etc. is one of the potent means at NMIMS to develop well-rounded leaders. This program aligns well with Internationalisation at Home one of the important pillars on NMIMS Internationalisation, promoted the cause of inculcating the much-needed diversified set of skills among students.

In all, 53 University students from the UK (Brunel University London, University of Dundee) and India (NMIMS University Bengaluru Campus) took part in Global Leadership Experience 2022 at NMIMS University Bengaluru Campus. During the 4-day programme, participants learnt to use Human-Centered Design Innovation process on navigating the challenges of inclusive education.

Global Leadership Experience 2022 hosted by Common Purpose, at NMIMS Bengaluru, in association with the University of Dundee and Brunel University London, between September 6th and 9th, 2022, encompassed immersive and experiential learning techniques to foster the global participants’ ability to lead inclusively. Diversity is an essential component for success and being a part of a cross-cultural team facilitated invaluable cross-cultural learnings. The event was a way to build social and cultural awareness among students so that they learn to adopt appropriate communication strategies while interacting with students from other cultures and ethnicities, collaborate with them effectively, and work in diverse multidisciplinary teams to create real world solutions.

The challenge given to the participants was ‘How to ensure inclusive education in Bengaluru to increase access to opportunities?’ The participants immersed in foreign environments to explore the challenge from diverse perspectives and learnt to maximise the diversity within their teams for fresh insights and offer creative solutions to present to senior city officials.

A 4-step Human-Centered Design process was adopted, which included Contracting, Disruption, Ideation and Experimentation. Day 1 emphasised on Contracting and dealt with the scope of the challenge and the participants adopted roles of global leaders. Anusha Nagavarapu, Co-founder of The Sai Ashwini Initiative, shared her insights on the city. The participants were briefed about the challenge by Suman John, the Co-Founder and CEO at Diya Innovations and Pavithra K L, Associate Director, Programs at Dream a Dream. Day 2 dealt with Disruption. The participants met some NGOs committed to the cause of inclusive education. They were joined on the campus by Mr. K Thiagarajan, COO, Agastya Foundation, Mr. Mangal Pandey, Co-Founder and CEO, Key Education Foundation, Mr. Shivaram Deshpande, Head of Operations, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, and Mr. Madhusudhan Ramesh Atri, Education Consultant, Azim Premji University. The participants also visited Diya Foundation, Raza Educational and Social Welfare Society, Dream a Dream, and Association for Community Care, Education and Social Services, and received first-hand insight into the respective organisations. The students got clarity on the education system in Bengaluru, India, specifically on the quality of education for the marginalised sections of the society.

Day 3 belonged to the Ideation stage where the participants had to map the challenge and regroup their thoughts, reflect on the solution to the challenge and work on the presentations. Day 4 saw a workshop on ways to engage the audience and keep them hooked, followed by pitching of solutions by the teams to the esteemed panel of Dr. Rajendra V Nargundkar, Director NMIMS Bengaluru, Ms. Benazeer Baig, Founder Secretary at Raza Educational and Social Welfare Society, and Mr. Mangal Pandey, Co-Founder and CEO, Key Education Foundation.

The Global Leadership Experience 2022 was hosted by Common Purpose in association with the University of Dundee and Brunel University London to develop unique and customised learning solutions to the challenges of inclusive education, by the leaders of tomorrow. The programme was highly commended by the participants.