Karnataka launches 4 new skilling programmes

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday has launched four new skilling programmes together with the British Council.

British Council, the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange, had signed an MoU with Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) to this effect on February 26.

The four programmes include ‘Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent’ (SCOUT) programme, ‘English Skills for Youth’, an initiative by British Council and Microsoft India to empower students in government engineering colleges in Karnataka, ‘Capacity Building Training for International Officers,’ and a ‘Freemium Digital Library Wall’ at Bengaluru University.

Speaking at the event organised at KSHEC, the state Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar said: “Our collaboration with UK institutions fosters innovation, mobility, and future success. The launch of the Freemium Digital Library Wall at Bengaluru City University further enhances access to learning, offering valuable resources for students and faculty. We look forward to expanding these partnerships for Karnataka’s talent development.”

Alison Barrett, Director-India, British Council, said such programmes will promote mutual understanding and create a platform for knowledge-sharing across borders.

“We are dedicated to enhancing language skills, improving employability, and facilitating students’ transition into the workforce. It stands as a testament to our mutual commitment to broadening educational opportunities and driving meaningful, positive change through our collective efforts,” she added.

Under the SCOUT programme, KSHEC will select 30 students, which include five students and one faculty member each from Bangalore University, Bengaluru City University, Gulbarga University Kalaburgi, Raichur University, Tumkur University and Rani Channamma University, as well as two KSHEC officials to participate in a two-week immersive learning experience at the University of East London from November 9-22.

English Skills for Youth will be implemented across 16 government engineering colleges under the KSHEC, benefiting 5,795 students in semesters II and III. Students will complete 40 hours of self-paced coursework via the Microsoft Learning Management System (LMS), supplemented by 30 hours of in-person or blended English Practice Club sessions.

Under Capacity Building for International Officers programme, the KSHEC has shortlisted 28 universities and over 56 participants for a workshop designed to bolster the internationalisation efforts of Indian universities.

Also present during the launch event were Srikar Mysore Sridhar, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Government of Karnataka, KSHEC officials, Chandru Iyer, Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka and Kerala and Janaka Pushpanathan, Director-South India, British Council.