Students from Wales visited an engineering college in India to take part in an exchange programme.
Two staff members from NPTC Group of Colleges, which offers courses across eight colleges including Neath, Port Talbot, Swansea, and Maesteg, along with seven of its engineering students travelled to Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering (YCCE) in Nagpur, India, in October.
The aim of the visit was to enhance hands-on knowledge for students and collaborate with a college internationally, supported by the Taith programme. Taith is an international exchange programme that creates opportunities to learn, study and volunteer all over the world.
NPTC Group of Colleges visited YCCE in 2022 and decided to return after being impressed by the value gained by their engineering students. The YCCE faculty’s objectives perfectly aligned with NPTC when it comes to international relations and upskilling their students.
The initiative focused on combining innovative ideas and technical expertise to solve real-world engineering challenges, simultaneously promoting cross-cultural communication and global exposure for the students.
Gagan Aggarwal, India Associate for NPTC Group of Colleges, said:
“The outcomes from the trip have been encouraging, with students and faculty members reporting a development in their technical skills.”
James Llewellyn, Assistant Principal at NPTC Group of Colleges said:
“This partnership between NPTC Group of Colleges and YCCE has been extraordinarily successful, with support from the Welsh Government and its wonderful Taith program, whose generous funding has been instrumental in supporting this great initiative.
They have provided our faculty and students not only with invaluable hands-on experience in tackling real-world engineering problems but also with a platform for rich cultural exchange and mutual learning that spans our nations.
Witnessing the evolution of this collaboration has been a profound privilege, highlighting the remarkable potential of international cooperation to support students and educators with a global outlook.
My colleagues and I eagerly anticipate further deepening our ties with the YCCE community, exploring new avenues for collaboration in 2025 and beyond.”
