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| Welcome to the International Office |
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The Symbiosis International Cultural Centre (SICC) was the first body to be established under Symbiosis, in the year 1971. This main aim of this body was to assist international students with the difficulties that they faced, be it accommodations, language, legal formalities, cultural difference or any other similar problem. An important aspect of this body was its organization of many cultural and sports events for the international students’ community in order to give them a chance to commune together and learn from each cultures.
With the subsequent establishment of academic institutes under Symbiosis, the SICC continued its activities by involving not just the international students of Symbiosis, but also those studying in different institutes in Pune city.
Following the conferment of a ‘Deemed University’ status on Symbiosis in 2002, the need was felt to set up an International Students’ Cell, a small body that would be responsible for counseling international students and carrying out the mission of the SICC on a day to day basis.
In August 2004, the International Students’ Cell was set up for this very purpose. At the time, the Cell consisted of a Counselor and 2 co-ordinators. Apart from organizing cultural and sports events for the international students’ community, the Cell would check the eligibility of international students wishing to apply to institutes under the Deemed University.
Once the student joined the institute of his choice, the Cell was responsible for staying updated on the welfare of the students. This aim was achieved through co-ordination with International Students’ Co-ordinators at each of the Symbiosis institutes (these were persons already working in teaching / administrative capacities in the institutes, but willing to take on the additional workload of an International Students’ Co-ordinator).
Over time, the Cell also began to look into other matters related to internationalization of the University (for example, co-ordination of visits of foreign delegates, co-ordinating all collaborative efforts of Symbiosis with universities abroad, identification of Academic Advisors for Symbiosis abroad etc). In other words, the Cell moved from being a mere student related body to a department responsible for co-ordination of all Symbiosis activities abroad. This resulted in the transformation of the International Students’ Cell into the International Office of Symbiosis. |
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