On Feb. 26, AU Abroad sent an e-mail to students to unveil its two newest programs - both of which are in India. Students now have the opportunity to study at Fergusson College in Pune or at Manipal University in Manipal.
With more than 1,500 different recognized dialects and 24 official languages, India is the most multicultural country in the world - a fact many foreigners may find daunting, according to Ethan Merritt, an AU Abroad adviser.
"I have never been more overwhelmed in travels abroad than when I spent time in Delhi," he said. "Thousands of people are all around you, all speaking different languages and going different places."
But after recently returning from India, Merritt and AU Abroad Director Sara Dumont said they found this high-scale diversity to be the most beautiful part of the country.
"What you get in India is a sense of what diversity really means," Dumont said. "You could travel 50 miles in any direction and be in a totally different culture than where before. That's what makes it so important for Americans to be able to study there."
Pune's Fergusson College is east of Mumbai, according to Merritt. Pune is small city compared to Mumbai, but it is known for its reputation as a young, vibrant cultural hub, housing multiple universities and India's National Film Archives and Institute.
Pune is not considered a tourist destination, according to Merritt. The Alliance for Global Education runs Fergusson's program. The Alliance is trying to limit the amount of students involved to 20, according to Dumont. Abroad students at Fergusson will live in homestays with a family, and have the option to be as involved with the family as they would like.
The second abroad program in India is held at Manipal University - one of the country's top five universities, Dumont said.
The world-renowned university is very international, and boasts degree-seeking students from more than 50 different countries. While Manipal is known for its medical and engineering curriculums, the university's Cultural Studies, Communications and International Politics departments run the study abroad program - a perfect fit for AU students, Merritt said. Manipal has a tropical climate, and is miles away from the beach. Its campus has a thriving community feel where all students and most faculty live on campus.
The two new India programs fill a void in AU Abroad, Dumont said.
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