By Sachin Murdeshwar
Mumbai: Monash University, Australia’s largest university, launched their Global Immersion Guarantee (GIG) program in Mumbai on November 19th, as it welcomed the inaugural cohort of GIG students to India.The launch was hosted by Dean of Arts, Professor Sharon Pickering and featured guest speakers Mr. Tony Huber, Australian Consul General in Mumbai, Professor Murali Sastry, CEO IITB – Monash Research Academy and Professor Susan 
Elliott AM, Monash Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education). Entertainment
for the evening was provided by Monash Alumnus Raghav Sachar, a Bollywood sensation with the unique ability to play 36 different musical instruments who specifically crafted an exclusive act titled ‘21 instruments in 9 minutes’.
The ground-breaking Monash Global Immersion Guarantee (GIG) program is a Monash University, Faculty of Arts initiative that offers a guaranteed, funded overseas placement for every
student of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Global Studies stream . The value of the GIG program has been recognised by the Australian Government with a major funding injection through the New Colombo Plan (NCP).
Under NCP, over $2.2 million has been allocated to enable the program to expand its reach, including 610 new places for students to travel to India in the first year of their studies.
The GIG program will play a valuable role within Monash University’s broader engagement in India and the South-East Asia region. The initiative reaffirms Monash University’s commitment to ensuring that students graduate with a deep appreciation for India, its culture, dynamic business and innovation sector.
Monash University along with its Indian partners and with the support of the Australian Government’s NCP, aspires to mobilise a generation that is globally-focused, culturally conscious, creative, bold, and has the ability to work collaboratively for the advancement of India and Australia.
As part of the GIG program, between November and February every year, students travel to one of four countries, including India, Indonesia, Italy, and Malaysia, for a two-week experience. When in Mumbai, students will engage with local leaders, businesses, NGOs, community and youth groups about innovative and sustainable solutions to address human impact on the environment. Specifically, students will visit local non-government agencies focused on community health in informal settlements, waste management, and climate change.
Monash students will also directly work with local graduate students from the TATA Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and youngsters from Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) to gain insight into both the opportunities and complexities associated with responding to some of the world’s biggest challenges at the local level.
