More than 50,000 secondary school students in Andhra Pradesh have successfully completed the University of Melbourne’s Schools Engagement Program, designed to guide underrepresented students in India towards better career prospects and social mobility.
Launched initially in seven schools in Pune and Madurai, the program expanded to over 100 government schools across five districts in Andhra Pradesh in 2023. The initiative supports students with career guidance, labour market insights, and future planning, empowering them to thrive academically and in life.
Prof. Michael Wesley, University of Melbourne’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement), emphasised the program’s importance in bolstering India’s educational ambitions.
“India is home to the largest tertiary population in the world. Empowering the tens of thousands of young students through this program is just one of the ways we endeavour to enrich academic capabilities in India, and we would like to reach as many students as possible.”
Dinesh Kumar, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate of Alluri Sitharama Raju District, highlighted the program’s role in leveraging India’s demographic dividend.
“Timely intervention is crucial; if we don’t act now and expand our efforts, we risk losing a demographic dividend essential for a future-ready world. Missing this opportunity could have significant global repercussions.”
The program’s expansion was supported by the Andhra Pradesh Government’s Department of School Education, Rotary International Districts in Zone 7, Rotary India Literacy Mission, and Samagra Shiksha, Andhra Pradesh.
Beyond students, the program has reached over 1,700 teachers and more than 100,000 parents, carers, and guardians through capacity-building activities. Teachers have reported significant improvements in student responsibility and self-reliance, while students have expressed newfound clarity about their career aspirations.
“This program has enabled our children to select their career choices independently,” said one teacher.
“I had no clear vision of my future or career, but this program helped me discover my passions and how to build a career around them,” shared a participating student.
The University of Melbourne aims to further expand the initiative within Andhra Pradesh and across India to empower even more young learners with essential career guidance and life skills.
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