You can read the entire T5E Vacation Guide 2014-15 here.
By Varun Gangal and Chinmay Naugaria
Are you looking to learn something new during the summer? Do you want to travel and explore while also gaining new skills? Then you’ll find this list useful. We have compiled a bunch of good summer schools and learning camps for you to participate in. Keep in mind that application procedures can be quite long, so make sure you start looking now.
1. National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (NIUS) camps:
An initiative by HBCSE-TIFR (Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), the NIUS student camps on the basic sciences (Physics,Chemistry and Biology) are held every year in summer for first year B.Tech./B.S. students. Experts lecture on topics of front-line research. Selected students from the camp continue project work with their allotted mentors.
2. Undergraduate School on Computer Science, IISc Bangalore:
A five-and-a-half day summer programme is organised by this university’s Department of Computer Science and Automation (CSA) in June every year. The school aims to introduce undergraduate students to cutting-edge research in computer science. It is open to undergraduate students completing their third year B.E./B.Tech in Computer Science.
3. Little LHASA programme:
The Little LHASA program has been happening for the last three years in McLeoD Ganj (Dharmsala), better known as the heart of the Tibetan exile community in India. Participants take part in one-week intensive study of the Tibetan community in exile, where they get to learn about organizations within the Tibetan Movement, visit Buddhist monasteries, enjoy Tibetan cuisine, etc. You can see the details of the program that was held this year over here.
4. King’s College London’s Summer School in India:
One of the most reputed universities in the world, it offers a summer program in Delhi around June. The subjects are wide-ranging in scope, including courses on International Relations and Leadership.
5. Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities (MCPH):
The MCPH organizes various conferences, summer schools and other events over both summer and winter. A great opportunity for those interested in these fields.
6. IMSC Summer Student Program:
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai, offers this program for students interested in pursuing theoretical work in computer science. This program is held for 6-8 weeks during summer. Students in the final or pre-final years of their B.Tech./B.Sc. degree or the first year of their M.Tech. degree are encouraged to apply. It is a highly selective program and only up to five students are finally selected. Round-trip train fares and accommodation are provided.
Similar programs are offered by the same institute for mathematics and physics. This year, the summer school on theoretical physics covered content on quantum mechanics.
When it’s time to scout for summer opportunities in advance, two golden words need to be kept in mind: smail archives. ‘OIR website’ also applies. Recurring summer schools that the Office of International Relations (OIR) intimates students about include those at University of Exeter, TUM (Technical University of Munich), HKUST (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Hof University, NTU (Nanyang Technological University), Sciences PO (Paris Institute of Political Studies) and KNU (Kyungpook National University). In addition, you can find universities that have an MoU with IITM here and search for their summer schools.
