KOCHI:
More than 175 women with educational background in STEM (science technology, engineering or mathematics) interacted today with female entrepreneurs and academics from leading technical universities, as Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) hosted day-long sessions at its Integrated Startup Complex on the outskirts of the city.
Organised by the British High Commission in India, in collaboration with Chevening Alumni from University of Oxford, the sessions climate change, artificial Intelligence, green energy, incubation and startups, inclusive finance, waste management and water, starting scale and tech businesses, healthcare and manufacturing. The interactions were led by 25 Chevening alumni, generating interest among the attendees, who described the speakers’ leadership journey as “inspiring”.
Chandru Iyer, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kerala and Karnataka, said the UK and India have been working together to help women “realise their full potential” to become global leaders and deliver impactful work. “The Chevening programme is one such example of this thriving living bridge between our countries,” he noted.
Chevening is the UK Government’s flagship global award scheme, offering fully-funded scholarships for a master’s in any British university. While the awards are offered in 160 countries, India for the last decade has delivered the largest programme by sending students to some of the world’s best universities in Britain. For four decades from 1983, the scheme has benefited more than 3,700 scholars and fellows. They include Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel and Tata Steel Global CEO T.V. Narendran.
KSUM, which was established in 2006 under the Kerala government, works for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.
