Vijayawada: The University of Melbourne has successfully surpassed the ambitious target set in December 2023 to reach 50,000 students through the Schools Engagement Program in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The milestone was passed ahead of schedule and has now exceeded 60,000 students engaged in AP alone, with more than 70,000 students from over 150 schools across India reached through the program since 2020.
The Schools Engagement Program supports underrepresented secondary school students in India through career guidance and future planning, helping them understand labour markets and develop their social mobility, empowering them to thrive in their studies and life. Initially launched in seven schools in Pune and Madurai, the program expanded to over 100 Government schools in five districts in Andhra Pradesh in 2023.
Professor Michael Wesley, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement), University of Melbourne said: “This program reflects the University of Melbourne’s commitment to long-term engagement within India, supporting the country on its ambitious education journey. India is home to the largest tertiary population in the world. Empowering the tens of thousands of young students through this program is just one of the ways we endeavour to enrich academic capabilities in India, and we would like to reach as many students as possible”.
ASR district Collector Dinesh Kumar emphasised the importance of engaging with young students, who are the future leaders of society.
He said The expansion throughout Andhra Pradesh was made possible by support from the Government of AP, Department of School Education, Rotary International Districts in Zone 7, Rotary India Literacy Mission and Samaghra Shiksha.
Across all pilot programs in Pune, Madurai, Vijayawada, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the Schools Engagement Program has also supported over 1700 teachers and over 100,000 parents, carers and guardians through capacity building activities.
The University of Melbourne, Australia’s number one ranked university (globally ranked 13th), has embedded world-class research into the program. Professor Lindsay Oades, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education said: “We have embedded coaching into the classroom as part of this initiative and this is a new pedagogy in India.
Now teachers aren’t just clarifying concepts; they serve as a life coach. This strength-based approach inspires young people to become the best version of themselves, encouraging them to take responsibility for managing their studies, life, and career goals.”
Mr.B.Srinivasa Rao, State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha AP, said, “In today’s world the problems we are dealing with are complex, requiring many specialised areas of expertise. This calls for an innovative model involving government, academia, and industry to work together in a symbiotic manner, across secondary and tertiary sectors of education.”
The University of Melbourne continues to explore opportunities to expand the Schools Engagement Program further within Andhra Pradesh and across India, hoping to reach as many students as possible with this important early learning and careers guidance program.
