The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advocates for the internationalisation of Indian institutions of higher education. This vision entails increased collaboration between Indian institutions and international universities or organisations, fostering joint academic and research endeavours. Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is actively advancing in this direction, driven by new and innovative initiatives.

The university has introduced a new initiative known as the Global Experience Faculty Program (GEFP). This programme aims to offer faculty members an opportunity to spend up to a year in the top 500 global institutions (as per Times Higher Education (THE) or Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings) targeting teachers who have limited international exposure in their academic careers. Launched under the Institution of Eminence (IoE) at BHU, the programme includes a consolidated fellowship of USD 3000/- per month and travel expenses.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Sudhir Kumar Jain said the scheme is a testament to BHU’s commitment to creating new opportunities for growth and excellence for its members. “We aim to ensure the growth and development of our faculty members and cultivate collaborations with top-tier international institutions and have a bigger global outreach and presence of BHU,” said Prof Jain.

BHU’s IoE Coordinator, Prof Sanjay Kumar emphasised that the Global Experience Faculty Program provides invaluable exposure to international academic practices, elevating the teaching and research prowess of BHU’s educators.