Semester Abroad Program to facilitate global exposure for 1050 students over the next 5 years

UPES plans to send over a thousand students over the course of the next five years to complete a semester at partner foreign universities under its Semester Abroad Program

UPES has signed agreements with four aspirational foreign universities to provide an enriching international experience to its students through the Semester Abroad Program. The Semester Abroad Program will enable UPES students to experience diverse cultures, customs, and lifestyles at these foreign campuses, while earning credits for their studies. 

According to Dr Sheetal Khanka, Head, Department of International Affairs (DIA), UPES, experiencing foreign culture, improving one’s global connections, learning from a foreign faculty among diverse groups of students, and living an independent life, miles away from one’s home are life-changing experiences and UPES “recognizes the importance of this platform for our students”.  

“Therefore, we facilitate semester abroad opportunities through a Semester Abroad Program with universities across the globe,” she adds. 

The Semester Abroad Program has been signed with institutions such as the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, Germany; the University of Law, UK; and the University Canada West, Canada, among others. Under these collaborations, students from UPES School of Business, School of Law, School of Computer Science, and the School of Design will have the opportunity to complete a semester abroad with fully sponsored tuition fees from UPES. It will enable them to study abroad and gain comprehensive global exposure, making them adept at tackling the demands of the new normal.  

This opportunity will help the students in saving substantial costs on their education while gaining international exposure that will greatly enrich their learning experience. The students will be expected to pay only for their airfare, visa, accommodation, and other personal expenses. 

International exposure such as this helps enhance the personal growth of students as it nurtures their cross-cultural understanding and imparts new life skills, making them competent to live, thrive and face the challenges in an increasingly globalized economy and society. 

Trying to adjust to a culture different from one’s own comes with its own set of challenges. Overcoming these challenges increases one’s confidence and self-belief. The unique experience of living in a foreign land helps make students worldly-wise, a quality that has become extremely important in today’s dynamic world.

Some of our students who have been on semester exchange programs have found the experience to be extremely beneficial.

Shubham Singh, a B.Tech. Electronics Engineering graduate from UPES, describes his experience at Coventry University, UK, and Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia, as extremely ‘wonderful’.

“I was fortunate enough to study in prestigious universities such as Coventry University, United Kingdom, and Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia. Managing academics, projects, or assignments while being thousands of miles away from home was not an easy task, but the knowledge and skillset I acquired at UPES made me sail through,” he says.

Ankshit Dixit, a graduate of B.Tech. Power System Engineering, credits the student exchange program for “shaping his life”.

“My university gave me several opportunities to learn and shine. One such opportunity was the international student exchange program. I was selected for one of the world’s best universities, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia, for my seventh semester,” he says.

Elaborating further on his experience, he says, “The exposure and practical expertise which I got from the international faculty and highly-equipped laboratories, improved my academic performance. Above all, I learnt how to live independently. Constant support and guidance of the professors helped me hone my skills and face the challenges of the practical world.”

UPES is committed to providing its students the right platform for growth and enrichment. As a ‘University of Tomorrow’, we place a lot of emphasis on getting our students access to the best opportunities, infrastructure, and exposure. For worthy and meritorious students of UPES, the sponsored programs are a wonderful opportunity to explore the world.