Students from Japan get a virtual taste of IIT Madras – Times of India

CHENNAI: Ten students from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, had a virtual study tour of IIT Madras between September 6 and 17, during which they learned engineering English and yoga.
Under the study tour programme, Japanese students would come to IIT Madras twice a year. The programmed allowed these students some exposure about research work at IIT-M while also giving them a chance to get a feel of Chennai and visit nearby towns. However, the programme was not organised last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When the students come here physically, they are very excited because it is new culture and they visit Japanese companies and Mamallapuram and Puducherry. It is a fun experience. To replicate that is quite hard. So, we added a few programmes like yoga along with English learning,” said Raghunathan Rengaswamy, dean (global engagement), IIT Madras.
Due to the virtual mode, the tour was restricted to just 10 days. However, the institute kept it interesting even teaching the students salutations in Tamil and explaining the traditional and cultural ties between Japan and India.
“We had to incorporate virtual reality aspects so they can be taken on the virtual tour inside the campus, research labs and places like Mamallapuram. We will work to make the experience a lot more richer,” he added.
The institute will also virtually host students from Singapore, UK and Canada. “We will also plan for a batch of students from multiple countries,” Raghunathan said.