Study Abroad Programs

Our team of researchers, instructors, and planners provides a unique study abroad offering. We plan logistics, work on course curriculum, and interact with local partners to create and deliver content in the form of activities, workshops, and learning modules. We have worked with the Acara program at University of Minnesota for several years. Students have told us that their Acara experience in Bangalore was the best thing they have done at University of Minnesota, inside or outside the classroom.

Last year, we started working with University of Washington; we are pleased that the first offering – a UW study abroad program during January – March 2018 – received similarly high praise from students.

We are well-connected with academics and practitioners both in India and globally, in order to develop specific learning sectoral learning paths in areas such as water, renewable energy, livelihoods, public health, waste management, and urban development.

Research Projects

We have conducted quantitative and qualitative research in areas of environmental health, air pollution, social innovation and higher learning, and entrepreneurship development, among others. We have extensive experience with working on research projects, right from the investigative stage, through the lifecycle of such projects. We also serve as a “cultural context docking station” for researchers looking to work in India and other countries in the Global South, and seeking partners well-versed with both local and global contexts.

Internships & Fellowships

We work with students and professionals on fellowship and research opportunities relevant to their coursework, curriculum and interests. In addition, we also scope out opportunities for student internships, based upon project need, organization and student profile(s), and mutually beneficial associations. We are expanding the scope of this engagement to include professional learning opportunities, including twinning programs between mid and top-management professionals and students working on organizational projects, to foster rich mentoring and mutual-learning relationships.

Experiential Travel

Are you looking for help to plan your travel in India? Are you someone conscious of treading the planet carefully without leaving big foot prints on its resources but are curious and energetic for new responsible experiences? Are you someone who can connect with the place and its people, make memorable travel adventures?

If you are, then we at ILK offer services that are tailor made plans for your travel needs. We can connect you to places and people, chart out a plan with a few places we are familiar with for some great experiences that will help you learn about the region, its history, taste the local food, understand and appreciate the local livelihoods, arts and crafts, perhaps even learn something new and feel rejuvented.

Our Approach

Experiential Learning

We believe learning has to be experiential. It has a value far beyond building social and professional skills. It helps deeper understanding and sharpens critical thinking nurturing the ability to engage in lifelong learning. It can be life transforming as well. Our educational programs go beyond the classroom seeing and experiencing things first hand and interacting with people, hearing their stories helps connect with theory.

Design Thinking

As educators, researchers and entrepreneurs, we believe in a creative process that helps students and partners design meaningful solutions in the classroom and outside for the communities we collectively work. We handhold students with Design thinking toolkits that help students explore and excel in solving a myriad of challenges they encounter. the design solutions that start from the classroom move to prototyping and many a time are even ready for a city wide scale up.

Innovation

We believe Innovation is the key to address the complex challenges in the world today. We nurture Innovation with the help of existing local traditional knowledge, appreciating local cultures, helping networking and leveraging on local resources. We train and mentor participants in skills that help them find and create employment.