A World of Good

Bridges can be crossed in two directions. When AUP students head out into the world, they benefit from a mutual exchange of knowledge and skills. Study trips to international destinations provide students with transformative experiences, opening them up to new perspectives and diverse communities and cultures. But they also offer opportunities for students to see academic ideas in action – and to have a positive impact on the world around them. 

The Sustainable Development Practicum to Auroville, India, is a prime example of this two-way interaction. It is open to both graduate and undergraduate students studying either global communications or international management. The practicum takes students on a month-long stay in an experimental township known for its high concentration of NGOs and its emphasis on sustainable living. Students work closely with local organizations to fill the gaps in the organizations’ marketing and communications needs – while honing their professional skills out in the field.

Professor Charles Talcott of AUP’s Department of Global Communications was closely involved in establishing the practicum. “We were thinking about students and their ongoing growth as thinkers, scholars and globally conscious citizens,” he explains. The practicum embeds students at the heart of a vibrant community and exposes them to a working environment with which many will be unfamiliar. It encourages students to appreciate that they are part of a wider world – while also showing them the value of helping their immediate communities. 

“The practicum was one of the key courses that sparked my interest in attending AUP,” says Faith Toran G’18. While in India, Faith volunteered with a local waste management NGO, Wasteless; her on-the-ground experience helped her to put into practice the theory she’d learned in class. “It provided me with the opportunity to expand my knowledge and commitment to sustainable development,” she explains. Faith is not alone in feeling this way – countless AUP alumni refer back to the practicum as the moment they decided on their future career.

In-depth, international experiences such as these provide a link with the world that helps motivated students achieve their full potential. Following the practicum, Faith returned to Auroville to work with Wasteless for a further six months as she conducted research for her graduate thesis. “I have since been inspired and will soon move to Conakry, Guinea, to work on waste management there,” she explains. 

The Sustainable Development Practicum, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, is part of AUP’s wider Cultural Program, which organizes an average of 45 study trips per year. In the last ten years, students have visited 136 cities in 45 countries across 5 continents.  

If that resonates with you, subscribe to updates below.