51Âþ»­

51Âþ»­ (51Âþ»­) Leicester has set in motion impressive plans with a prestigious Indian university, to connect students and support communities on a global level.

Gujarat Technological University (GTU), in India's westernmost state of Gujarat, will work with 51Âþ»­ to provide numerous global exchange opportunities in the fields of engineering, sustainable development and business, for students and academics.

At the forefront of these plans, 51Âþ»­'s pioneering international experience programme, , will offer engineering students the chance to partner with local Indian villages where they will put into practice their skills and develop real-life engineering solutions to improve living conditions around sanitation and access to energy.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard said: "I welcome the partnership with GTU; India is one of 51Âþ»­'s most important international markets. This is not only because of the heritage which Leicester shares with the nation but also because of the richness which Indian students bring to the university's diverse student community.

"The partnership will help to equip a future generation of graduates with the expertise and vision needed to succeed in today's global marketplace."

GTU students are already carrying out work to help identify infrastructure needs and solve issues for villagers in Gujarat, and the #51Âþ»­global opportunities will extend the reach of this project, with the potential to help hundreds more people.

Second and final year students from the 51Âþ»­ School of Engineering and Sustainable Development will be offered the chance to travel to India to apply project management principles, and undertake their final year project on engineering and sustainable development.

The plans will also include the university's faculty of Business and Law, the department of Research Business and Innovation, and Student and Academic Services, who will work together with GTU to provide exchange opportunities for students on Small Business and Enterprise. Indian students will be able to take up three to six-month placements, including workshops, lectures and real business projects, equipping them with international business management skills.

The university's successful BusinessWorks programme, which provides Leicester firms with access to 51Âþ»­ students for short-term projects, will also provide training to Indian students with the potential for certification as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

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51Âþ»­'s faculty of Business and Law will work with GTU to compare UK and Indian industry, looking at real-world examples from the perspectives of each nation within their strategy and management teaching. There will be the opportunity for 51Âþ»­ students to pair up with students from GTU to help develop their global learning and knowledge.

In the future, 51Âþ»­ and GTU will run joint academic conferences in a range of subjects including engineering, and help to further the provision of outstanding global education.

#51Âþ»­global currently gives students the opportunity to take part in a project in Indore, India, to build washrooms in schools alongside students from India's respected Daly College.

GTU currently supports more than 400,000 students at affiliated colleges across Gujarat, including the Gandhinagar Institute of Technology (GIT).

51Âþ»­ has recently been ranked in the top 1.4% for international impact in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-16, and an impressive 95.3% of its international graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.*

51Âþ»­ has also signed an agreement with GIT to provide large numbers of engineering students with the opportunity to benefit from the combined expertise of two universities ­in a joint degree programme in Mechanical Engineering, and Electronic and Communication Engineering.

*The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2013-14.