Community Outreach Cell

With unrestricted communication channels and decreasing cost of travel, the rate of internationalisation is increasing. Universities across the globe are forging alliances and partnerships with likeminded institutions to help students and faculty take advantage of the opportunities it brings, to promote intercultural competencies and exceptional learning experience.

SSLA offers a globally valued programme rooted in internationalization with a focus on both mobility and the philosophy of Internationalization at Home (I@H). In the Academic Year 2020-2021, SSLA continued to engage its student body and faculty members across multiple collaborations despite the hardships of the pandemic. 

SSLA with its strong focus on research, approaches internationalization through academic conferences, workshops and seminars along with student exchange programmes. Students have not only had the opportunity to interact with foreign professionals and academics but have moderated and been panellists for webinars; with the opportunity to actively engage with professionals and academics from across the world and present their work.

Collaborative research projects along with student participation and co-taught courses with international partner faculty is unique to SSLA. Faculty from SSLA and partner universities teach courses together to students from both Universities using an online video conferencing platform. This is a wonderful learning experience for students across cultures gaining insights and multiple perspectives on various themes and issues, building a cohesive global perspective and network.

SSLA since its inception has built deep partnerships with institutions, which are reputed within their own areas both geographically and in terms of the programmes that they offer. These include DePaul University, Chicago; Teesside University, United Kingdom; Bournemouth University, United Kingdom; J.F. Oberlin University, Japan; Hildesheim University, Germany besides a host of other partners focusing on student exchanges. SSLA also has membership with organizations such as the Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities and the International Big History Association.

Some of our recent collaborations include:

1. Global Conversations: 2021 and 2022

SSLA partnered with a few other universities led by DePaul University, Chicago, to offer students a unique, unprecedented opportunity to participate in Global Conversations with students from around the world. The 90-minute sessions provided a safe space for students to engage and share relevant topics. Teams of expert faculty from leading international universities facilitated an opportunity for the students to access various disciplinary perspectives.



The first session in September 2020, titled 'In the Times of Corona: Contextualising Preferred Teaching and Learning Strategies', explored what kind of roles educators and students can collaboratively play to balance online. The second session, conducted in April 2021 was titled 'To Serve or Not to Serve: Ethical Choices in the Workplace and Beyond'. In this session the students along with the faculty members discussed what are some ethical criterias we must take into consideration while working in and using products from countries which are ridden with human rights violations.

The third session, titled ‘Do Black, Indigenous, and Dalit Lives Matter?: Re-examining the Intersections of Social Identity and Health During the Coronavirus Pandemic’, was held in October 2021. Students and faculty members discussed how the coronavirus pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable racial, indigenious and caste groups. They also explored a few ways these gaps can be bridged and several other questions related to that.


2. International Gender Conference 2021:

The annual International Gender Conference was initiated in 2018 with our global partners, DePaul University, Chicago, US. Despite the pandemic, SSLA was not deterred and was successful in making the conference a virtual experience.



The theme of the third annual International Gender Conference, conducted in March 2021, was 'Pandemic: A Gendered Experience'. In this conference we had speakers coming from multiple fields and universities, each offering their own experience and expertise on the said theme. Together we aimed to address and have conversations around issues related to the economic, psychological, legal and social implications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

We went in with an understanding that disease outbreaks affect women and men differently and often worsen existing gender inequalities. While certain regions of the world are no strangers to disease and epidemics, the sheer magnitude of the pandemic has had an unforeseen impact on a number of countries with frail social protection and health systems, these situations of vulnerability are exacerbated. Crises like these not only intensify existing gender inequalities they also intersect with the vulnerabilities of groups like ethnic minorities, migrants, older adults, people with functional diversity or reduced mobility, homeless people and sex workers, among others. The pandemic, thus called for a multidisciplinary deliberation that took into account the diversity of its effects. The conference was held over three days with vital input from students and other speakers as a part of the conference.

3. International Big History Association:

What is Big History? It is a branch of history that studies events from the Big Bang to the present day. It uses a multidisciplinary approach based on integrating diverse fields from science and the humanities to look at lengthy time frames and analyze human life in the light of this larger picture. Big History uses the best available empirical data and academic approaches to explain the interwoven history of the Cosmos, Earth, Life, and Humanity. 

The Indian Association for Big History (IABH) emerged out of the interaction of a group of scholars who worked together to produce the landmark collection, ‘From the Big Bang to Galactic Civilizations: A Big History Anthology (2015–2017)’. During the process of editing the three volumes, it was proposed to form an Indian Association for Big History. Anita Patanka, director of the Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (SSLA) in Pune, Maharashtra offered it a home at her institution in 2016. IABH works cooperatively with the International Big History Association and the Asian Big History Association.

In November 2020, SSLA cosponsored the International Webinar on The Asian Big History along with the International Big History Association on the theme ‘Soil, Roots and Civilisation: Malaysia’s Big History and our Global Future’. Professor Dr.



Shamshuddin bin Jusop and Professor Dato’ Dr. Mokhtar Saidin discussed the Malay Archipelago along with ideas about human history, survival, ecology, and the future. They also explored how Southeast Asia experience compares with other parts of the world and how we can better work together to survive and flourish as a global community.

In August 2021 SSLA in collaboration with the International Big History Association hosted a four day 24/7 virtual Global Big History Conference. The theme was ‘Changing the World: Community, Science and Engagement with Big History.’ The speakers for the event came from multiple fields all over the world and engaged with each other to consider how our world is changing and how we can adapt. They explored how we are the agents of change, what future we want to create, and what future we can make possible.


4. The Freudian Slip:


The Freudian Slip was a cross-cultural virtual dialogue between students of SSLA, DePaul University (USA) and Bournemouth University (UK). The theme of the dialogue "The New Future of Psychology”, was delved into by the participants, over a Zoom session. The discussion focused on the critical analysis of the questions revolving around:

1. Influence of the pandemic and its unexpected impact on human interaction 
2. Challenges to existing ideas of psychology 
3. Adapting to new norms with research and practice of psychology 
4. Positive effects of the pandemic, and 
5. How the exposure to psychology has influenced students' ability to respond to the pandemic 

Student participants from across the three colleges had insightful inputs that combined the view of psychology with a cultural lens that truly diversified the dialogue. Ranging from discussions on the negative connotation of the word 'social distancing', to the pandemic causing a global shift to a more collectivist approach being adopted by


5. UKIERI Online Exchange Programme:

The Departments of Psychology (SciTech), Midwifery and Health Sciences (HSS) from Bournemouth University and SSLA part of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) were successful in getting the United Kingdom India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI) funding to support 10 UK Psychology Students and Staff to visit India. This initiative received further support from the Global Engagement Hub, Bournemouth University.

The Study in India Programme had been designed in collaboration with BU’s project partner university Symbiosis International in India, in order to offer a program of interactive lectures, workshops, research methods seminars, clinical experience observations, and relevant field visits. The virtual contact between SSLA and Bournemouth commenced by the 17th of September, 2020 and lasted until the 23rd of February, 2021 while facilitating interaction, familiarity and a hostilistic cultural exchange. 

To aid, interact with and accompany the students during their exchange trip to India, the SPA called upon 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students who have Psychology as a major or minor to apply to be a part of the exchange in the role of a "buddy". The main objective of the buddy system was to allow the students of both universities to make friends, share knowledge and learn about each other's cultures while expanding their knowledge base.

SSLA, through its Global Immersion Programme (GIP) facilitates student exchange programmes, both incoming and outgoing, in the form of semester exchange programmes as well as summer or winter school programmes. SSLA’s top international institutional partners for student mobility are Leiden University, Lingnan University, University of Hildesheim, Leibniz University, DHBW Heidenheim, Bournemouth University, and DePaul University. SSLA, through its student mobility programmes, not only provides students with cultural and academic immersion experiences but it also helps develop SSLA’s academic programme in terms of global competency and academic rigour.

• Exchanges in 2020-21:

For the academic year 2020-2021, members of SSLA's student body participated in multiple exchange programmes. 5 students of the Batch of 2022 were enrolled in an exchange programme at Leibniz University, Germany. 1 student from Batch 2022 was enrolled in a Summer Exchange programme at the University of Hildesheim, Germany. Additionally, 2 students participated in a virtual exchange opportunity offered by Kansai-Gaidai University, Japan. Apart from exchange programmes, students had the opportunity to enrol in various courses offered by our partner universities. Lingnan University, Hong Kong, organised a course on 'Chinese as a Second Language' which was taken up by four students at SSLA. Moreover, Lingnan University also provided the student body with a virtual Summer School opportunity which was taken by 2 of SSLA's students. Additionally, DHBW Heidenheim conducted an online course on 'Applied International Marketing' which was attended by 6 students from SSLA.

• Student Testimonials:
• Mayumi Nongrum (Leibniz University, Germany)


My semester exchange at Leibniz university has been amazing, to say the least. Studying and living in Germany has opened my eyes to a more open environment where growth and freedom to express yourself are not restricted or compressed. Not only is Leibniz a great university to study in but the city of Hannover has a charm of its own and the friends I’ve made here are just as great and fun!

• Harini Rao (Applied International Marketing Course, DHBW Heidenheim )

This course was an Applied Marketing Course, which was project-based and credit-bearing, provided to the students of SSLA, by DHBW, Heidenheim. It was a competition-based course, the focus of which was The Ujasiriamali SME Awards of Tanzania. Local governments, stakeholders, NGO’S and Small and medium enterprises, challenged members to come up with a working prototype or concept for the award. There were several readings to be done, preceding the course, which was very theoretical in nature, in order to be well-prepped before the course began. I had a really good experience with my team, we were a group of 5 people. Manuela, Tarek, Angela, who were from Germany, Netsanet, from Tanzania, and I. Throughout the course, Angela, and Manuela always lent a helping hand and never alienated me. I felt really comfortable and confident because of them. 

• Eva Tanya Banerjee (University of Hildesheim, Germany)


In the summer semester of 2021, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany as a part of the ERASMUS exchange experience offered by the University of Hildesheim. Despite the semester being online and coursework conducted virtually, the experience so far has been nothing short of an academic opportunity of a lifetime. The wide range of courses offered by the university, along with student life, community living, and the emphasis on learning and improvement in discourse has been some of the few reasons that student life in Hildesheim is one that consists of an array of opportunities. It is through these interactions with students from different countries and conversations ranging from work and weather to larger questions of pedagogical interest and differences that this exchange opportunity has helped test all that I had learned at SSLA. While the initial period such as moving far away from home coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic had caused great anxiety, the ability to be a part of these discussions and not only participate but appreciate the art of observation has been something I will cherish tremendously as a part of my journey as a student.

• Muskan Aggarwal

In the summer semester of 2021, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany as a part of the ERASMUS exchange experience offered by the University of Hildesheim. Despite the semester being online and coursework conducted virtually, the experience so far has been nothing short of an academic opportunity of a lifetime. The wide range of courses offered by the university, along with student life, community living, and the emphasis on learning and improvement in discourse has been some of the few reasons that student life in Hildesheim is one that consists of an array of opportunities. It is through these interactions with students from different countries and conversations ranging from work and weather to larger questions of pedagogical interest and differences that this exchange opportunity has helped test all that I had learned at SSLA. While the initial period such as moving far away from home coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic had caused great anxiety, the ability to be a part of these discussions and not only participate but appreciate the art of observation has been something I will cherish tremendously as a part of my journey as a student.


• Dhanyaasri Madanlal (incoming student)


My experience here at SSLA has been nothing but wonderful. From the beginning, I felt welcome; the staff and the international cell ensured I had a smooth transition. I was able to enroll in classes I wanted and settle into this new environment without any issues. I was provided with a top-notch education and a friendly environment. Although I did face struggles adjusting to the new teaching styles, my professors were more than willing to lend a helping hand throughout my time here. I was also easily able to make friends from the very first day, thanks to their approachability and thoughtfulness. They helped me through difficult social scenarios as I often found myself struggling when navigating this new culture. I truly believe the bonds I’ve formed during my time at SSLA will surely last a lifetime. I have never been more than an hour away from my family, however, SSLA undoubtedly became my home away from home. I couldn’t be more grateful for such a memorable study abroad experience!