About 1,700 students take part every year in the student exchange programmes from India
As the exchange semester draws near, the scare of contracting swine flu is not being taken lightly by premier management institutes. Even though the drop in the number of students opting for the exchange programmes is not alarming, management schools are not taking any chances. Students have been issued advisories on swine flu and also advised to undergo a medical check-ups before leaving the nation, and undergo diagnosis after they come back from long-term vacations.
Care is being taken since the stakes are high. Every year, about 1,700 students take part in the student exchange programme from India. Out of these, about 400 students go from India to other foreign universities.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), for instance, have tie-ups with B-schools across the US, UK, Europe, Asia and Australia.
In the next semester, students from IIMs will complete their course credits at international campuses, while students from these campuses will complete their course requirements in Indian schools. These exchange programmes last three-five months.
This year, about 200 students from across IIM campuses are expected to head out to international campuses, while about 300 are likely to come from these campuses in affected countries.
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However, the number of students going abroad through these exchange programmes has seen a drop of about 10 per cent across India, according to AIESEC, which is the world’s largest student-run organisation. At IIM Calcutta (IIM-C), 67 students are expected to go to various partner universities in Europe and USA. Students would be coming in from various universities, CUNY, Colorado, Empressa, Boonni, to name a few.
“Around four students have opted out due to personal issues. Incoming exchange students will have to undergo a mandatory health check-up on their arrival in the campus. In case a student is found showing symptoms of swine flu, he or she would be immediately sent for proper medical test. At the same time, the outgoing exchange students have been issued an advisory note on swine flu and have also been advised to undergo a health check-up,” according to Vaishali Aggarwal, student exchange program representative at IIM-C.
Kapidhwaja Singh, president of students’ council of IIM-C, adds: “The institute’s resident medical officer (RMO) has been asked to take special diagnosis for any symptoms, if found. All students are advised to consult the RMO and if symptoms are found, arrangements have been made for further treatment. All students are advised to undergo diagnosis after they come back from term end vacation.”
At IIM-Lucknow (IIM-L), only one student has opted out of international exchange program citing personal family problem.
Nitin Jacob, spokesperson for IIM-L, says: “We have informed all students who will be coming to IIM- L to get their medical checkup done and get a medical certificate issued from their respective countries. Then we expect them to go through proper screening at the airport. On campus we have talked to the doctors at the health centre. These students will be referred to Balrampur Hospital in Lucknow which conducts swine flu tests.”
All IIM-L, students who will be going overseas for the exchange program will be provided a dossier which will have information regarding swine flu, its symptoms and precautions. Also a basic checkup will be done by the health centre in IIM Lucknow. IIM-L has alliances with institutions across four continents and 22 universities. This year, 45 students from IIM Lucknow will be going to universities in Europe and America. IIM Lucknow will also play host to 30 foreign students from other countries.
At IIM-Kozhikode (IIM-K), students leaving for other institutes, as part of the international exchange programme, will be given an advisory prepared in consultation with the institute doctor. A professor of the institute informed, “Our partner schools are all in Europe, and as of now, we are not anticipating much of a problem.” Around 14 students from IIM-K will head out while around 8-10 students are expected from the partner institutes.
Similarly, 60 students from IIM-Bangalore will be heading to colleges across the US, the UK, Asia. By end-August-early-September, students from international campuses will come to IIM Bangalore to complete their semester.
This year about 94 students are coming in the next two terms and IIM Bangalore is trying to work out something and are in consultations with medical doctors to check swine flu symptoms in students.
IIM Ahmedabad is ensuring that apart from being tested in the airport, participants in the exchange programme from abroad are also given a second medical screening by the medical team on campus.
The institute has already acquired masks for prevention of this disease, but is awaiting government directives to distribute it among the students.
IIM-A will see 50 students come on campus next semester, while 100 students will leave from IIM-A to pursue their programmes abroad.
XLRI Jamshedpur, too, is going ahead with its international students exchange program as scheduled.
“There has been no dampening of spirits of students both going abroad as well as the ones coming to India. On both ends, preparations are on enthusiastically as students decide course, schedule and get other formalities in place. On August 18, 25 students from St Mary’s College, California, visited campus on a group study tour and had both formal and informal sessions with the students of XLRI,” informed student council of XLRI Jamshedpur.
However the institute has decided to take precautionary measures and all incoming foreign students shall be screened for H1N1 virus by experienced medical practitioners.
In case any case of virus infection is detected, the student shall be quarantined and provided with the required care.XLRI students exchange programme are with 20 international partners, including University of Darden, USA; EM Lyon, France; University of Muenster, Germany; France; Asian Institute of Management, Manila. About 30 students from XLRI will be going to these colleges and receive 25 students at the campus.