“Not all education takes place in a classroom. When you visit another country, your experiences have a lasting effect on your worldview,” Krishna told the students at the St Joseph’s College here on Tuesday. He was speaking at a function to mark International Education Week.

The occasion is being observed this year with the theme “International Education: Inspiring Students Locally to Succeed Globally.”

Over the course of the week, officers from the US Consulate Chennai will speak at 20 different institutions across South India.

Krishna, an American citizen, quoted the 19th century US author and humourist, Mark Twain, as saying: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”

“It’s true that global experience has become a central component to success across many professional fields. We are all world citizens and with that comes a responsibility to learn about other cultures not just through reading, but through experience,” Krishna said.
Krishna advised the students to start thinking about ways to travel for school work or leisure as they approach the end of their degree programme. The education one gets from the experiences is invaluable, he added.

17,000 fellowships

India has the largest Fulbright-Nehru Scholar Exchange programme worldwide, with more than 17,000 fellowships and other grants awarded to Indians and Americans since its inception. Other ways of co-operation with the US include higher education fellowships for the most outstanding students, academics and professionals in India and the US to study, research and engage in work experiences of mutual benefit.

The US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) offers students and their parents comprehensive information and counselling services on higher education in the US. It also supports multiple education fairs each year featuring US colleges and universities, Krishna explained.  

More than one lakh Indians currently study in the US and more than half a million travel to the US each year. Likewise, more than eight lakh Americans travel to India every year.