Liberal Arts Universities attracting school students with summer school courses

Private universities are now introducing liberal arts education into the mainstream through summer school programs, aiming to raise awareness among school children and their parents about their institutions.

Several universities such as Ashoka University, Alliance University, Shiv Nadar University, Krea University, and Anant National University have been offering summer schools for school students for a few years as part of their outreach efforts.

These programs, lasting between a week and 10 days during school holidays, typically revolve around a specific theme such as artificial intelligence or design. They engage high school students in various learning activities, field immersions, lab work, and more.

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Beyond providing an opportunity for students to experience campus life and liberal arts education, these summer schools also serve as a channel for admissions. Notably, 5% to 30% of undergraduate batches are recruited through the summer school route each year.

For instance, Anant National University's Anant Summer Iscool 2024 received an overwhelming response within three days of opening applications. Similarly, Alliance University had to conduct two rounds of the Young Leaders Alliance Summer School due to the high number of applications, now in its third year.

Liberal arts institutions offer diverse programs and allow flexibility for students to choose from a range of courses and disciplines, enabling unusual combinations of minor and major degrees. This unique system in domestic higher education is accessible through the summer school programs.

Chakraborty emphasized the spirit of liberal arts that provides the freedom to choose and combine courses with majors and minors, countering peer pressure and societal norms faced by students in making subject choices.

Anant National University, known for its focus on design and climate, not only introduced a summer school program for students but also for educators. According to Anunaya Chaubey, provost of the university, this initiative was largely in response to the recommendation of the National Education Policy to introduce design thinking at school. The overwhelming response validated their decision, emphasizing the success of the pilot program.

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Anant National University has established a Centre for Design Education for Schools, focusing on nurturing creative and critical thinking within the education system. The initiative aims to engage students in summer, monsoon, and winter schools, with a specific emphasis on integrating design thinking curriculum into various schools. According to Chaubey, the goal is to promote inclusivity by reaching out to a wider range of students, including those from Navodya Vidyalaya and communities often overlooked in the educational landscape.

In light of the trend of students choosing foreign universities over domestic private liberal arts colleges, Divya Malhotra, the programme head at Alliance School of Liberal Arts, emphasized the importance of spreading awareness about Indian private universities' liberal arts programs. The summer camps are seen as a means to enhance the visibility and appeal of these programs.

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