The days of being confined within the four walls of our school or for that matter, even our country, are dead and gone. Growing wings of globalization have touched our educational field too. Having international outlook and intercultural sensitivity is no longer an added asset for the chosen few, it is a necessity and what better way than having first hand experience of an alien culture. This is in reference to the student exchange programmes. No book, net or film can teach students, what this 7/8 days experience can.

Our school is known for being firmly rooted in Indian cultural ethos but we do believe firmly in ‘ aa no bhadra kratvo yantu vishwatha’ i.e. let noble thoughts come to us from every side. So, National as well as International student programmes was a natural choice. We have had a decade long relationship with The Polesworth School, UK and St. Killian School, Germany . We also have annual exchange with our sister concern, Bhavan’s branch of Kochi. Thousands of students have already benefitted from these programmes. Some of the objectives that such exchange programmes have achieved are;

• They give students a unique opportunity to assess and understand a new culture. It invariably fosters inter-cultural sensitivity and clarifies many stereotypes.
  
  
• It offers a glimpse of student life in an International setting. That sure is a non-traditional form of acquiring maximum knowledge in minimum time. Students get exposure to alternative ways of learning. They are likely to carry back and share this information with their peers.
  
  
• It sure is a gateway to personality development. Being away from the protective gaze of parents, we have seen students bloom into young adults, beaming with self confidence and self esteem.
  
  
• It also fosters staff development. Our staff members have been involved in joint projects and joint studies with our partner school. Some of their joint projects are recognized and published in International journals. One of our staff member was also invited abroad as a resource person on that basis.
  
  
• We have seen students as well as teachers forming lifelong bonds. It is natural as the exchange partners stay with the families. One naturally learns to understand and appreciate a new culture much more easily when we become part of it.
  
  
• In todays fragmented world, efforts to enhance such unity and brotherhood should begin pretty early in life and such programmes at school level do play a significant role.