The Tata Group has started the 5th edition of the Tata International Social Entrepreneurship Scheme (ISES). Started in 2008, Tata ISES is hosting a contingent of 18 international students this year.
There will be six from the University of California, Berkley, USA; eight from the London School of Economics & Political Science, UK; and four from the University of Cambridge, UK.
A distinctive corporate sustainability internship programme, Tata ISES offers an experiential internship to foreign students in the ongoing corporate sustainability projects of Tata companies in India.
Internships are offered across Tata Chemicals, Tata Motors, Tata Teleservices, Tata Steel, Tata Coffee, Titan, Tata Capital, Indian Hotels, Tata Power, Tata Medical Center and Tata Quality Management Services.
With a promise of holistic experience in the area of community development and social entrepreneurship in India, the 18 students, representing the three campuses, will be working hands on for the community initiatives of the group companies and entities, for two months.
The projects range from impact assessment of ongoing initiatives to affirmative action analysis, water management, health education, livelihoods and evaluation of climate change programme.
The visiting interns are standout scholars and come from diverse academic backgrounds such as psychology, history, engineering, public administration and economics.
According to Ms Puneeta Kala, Programme Director, Centre for South Asia Studies, University of California, Berkley, "The hands-on experience that our students are gaining will be invaluable when one day they will have the opportunity to drive both innovation as well as social change."
Added Professor Stuart Corbridge, Programme Director for Research and External Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, "LSE is renowned for putting the finest academic social science expertise at the service of wider society and has a well-established connection with the Tata Group''. This highly valuable initiative will promote social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility in India, he added.