Autumn School 2017 in Delhi, Indien

From 18 to 29 of September 2017, various Master and PhD students with pedagogical backround participated at the International Autumn School of Delhi University in India. Around 45 students from Julius-Maximilian University of Würzburg, Helmut-Schmidt University Hamburg and University of Dhaka in Bangladesh took part in the programme. The Autumn School included lectures, workshops, group work and field visits with the focus on adult education, extension and marginalized groups in India. The work in comparative groups enabled the students to compare current issues between India, Bangladesh and Germany.

Several field visits provided an insight into the local practical work. The students visited the organization “Gram Niyojam Kendra”, which implements a campaign for a development base on equability and social justice. Further the International Institute of Adult and Lifelong Education organized a two day field visit. On the first Day Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has been visited, a distance university in the south of Delhi , which offers 21 schools of studies. It was very impressive to see how organized this university is and which technical equipment they have and how many different learning media they offer.

On the second day, the students visited the International Institute of Adult and Lifelong Education (IIALE), where different lecturers from IIALE presented their research work at the Institute. In the afternoon, the group drove to the organization Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA). The organization presented two of its latest projects: the campaign for gender justice and the right of participation, which became apparent through presentation about different projects.

At the end of the two weeks all comparative groups presented their results in front of an audience. The Department of Adult, Continuing Education and Extension papered certificates for the successful participation of the students in the programme. During the International Autumn School, the students had the possibility to get to know the Indian university system, the country and its culture. The whole programme was a highly valuable experience.