Page 68 - EducationWorld January 2023

People

ber (2022). Moreover for the AFS Network Meet-
History. Badgel, who also has ing in October we have invited the
a degree in design from Pearl director of AFS International USA
Academy, started her career in and partner directors from around
1999 as a teacher at the National the world plus other eminent educa-
Institute of Fashion Design tors,” says Badgel.
(NIFD), Lucknow and quickly A welcome peace and understand-
rose to the position of head of ing initiative in an increasingly frac-
department. In 2001, she moved tious and divided world.
to the UK and served as an Autar Nehru (Delhi)
administrator in the Metropoli-
tan Borough Council. Two years USC-AVSE Dean
later, she relocated to India and
started teaching at Sweet Blos-
soms, Lucknow, a pre-primary ith American disenchant-
started by her family. This was ment with communist
followed by stints as principal WChina growing by the day,
of City International School, Badgel: peace & harmony networks America’s top-ranked universities
founder-principal of MySchool are increasingly looking towards
and Birla Open Minds International the period of their stay. In India, AFS India — which currently hosts the
School — all in Lucknow. Over the has 150 member schools. Though es- world’s largest child and youth popu-
past two decades, prior to her ap- sentially an inter-country exchange lation — for students and academic
pointment at AFS India, Badgel also programme, post-pandemic, AFS is collaboration partnerships. Suddenly
served as director of the Seth Anan- focusing on promoting intra-country American academics have discovered
dram Jaipuria School, Alambagh, (domestic) student habitat exchange. that the English language skills of In-
Lucknow. Recently a ‘stay and study’ inter- dian students and relative autonomy
AFS Intercultural Programs. AFS school exchange programme was of India’s higher education institu-
was started in 1915 by Prof. A. Piatt organised between Lawrence School, tions offer a far better opportunity
Andrew, a professor of economics at Ooty and Scindia School, Gwalior. for student recruitment and research
Harvard University and erstwhile as- Direct talk. “Our exchange pro- collaboration than China.
sistant secretary at the US treasury. grammes are aligned with our prime This new American discovery of
Since then over the past century, mission to promote global peace and India has been experienced by DR.
AFS has established AFS Intercul- harmony by building friendship net- YANNIS YORTSOS, Dean of the An-
tural Programs, an international works through intercultural learning drew Viterbi School of Engineering
youth exchange initiative to promote and bonding. Intercultural exchange (AVSE), the engineering school of
intercultural intelligence and toler- programmes between schools and
ance. In 2022, 5,678 high school students is a beautiful way to bring Yortos: engagement offer
students, young adults and teachers them closer. India is a vast country
in 55 countries exchanged habitats with amazing cultural diversity.
under AFS programmes. Therefore we have also introduced
The organisational model is ‘stay exchanges between school teachers
and study’, under which groups of and students of different states of the
students and teachers ‘exchange’ Indian Union. Now that the world
countries to live in the homes of AFS is gradually opening up after two
selected host families and/or host pandemic years, I am also expect-
education institutions. The duration ing AFS’ inter-country exchanges to
of exchange programmes range from gather momentum,” says Badgel.
one week to a year. During their stay Future plans. AFS India has drawn
with host families/schools, students up a master plan to actively work
are ‘guided’ by AFS volunteers to ex- with schools in India to prepare for
perience host cultures and lifestyle. its first ever Annual AFS Network
AFS programmes are unique inas- Meeting in New Delhi later this year.
much as exchange students actually “We plan to promote student and
acquaint themselves with local cur- teacher exchanges between India’s
riculums in the host school during 28 states and eight Union territories.

68 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2023