Education

Travelling while learning makes sense

She was quite taken by India on her very first visit in 1985. So for Malin Hokeberg, the country manager of Education First Educational Tours, this second visit was something she had been looking forward to. By Monalisa Sen

Education First, founded in Malmo, Sweden in 1965, is one of the largest private educational companies in the world, having more than 40 years of experience. With 200 offices in 50 countries across the world, and headquarters in Lucerne and Boston, it has helped over 15 million students learn languages and has taken them on tours around the world.

In the last 40 years, Education First has been leading young people abroad to encounter different cultures and languages first-hand. The company's aim is to break down the barriers of language, culture and geography through education and travel. The three main strands of Education First are International Curriculum-based Educational Tours (ET), Language Training at its International Language Schools (ILS), and academic degree programmes at their International Business Schools).

Education First organises international curriculum-based educational tours for teachers and their students from the US, Canada, UK and India. The International Language Schools offer English language tuition from its 11 North American and six UK schools. They also offer language training in Rome, Florence, Madrid, Barcelona, Quito, Nice, Paris, St Petersburg and Beijing.

Speaking about why Education First chose to set up shop here in India, Hokeberg says, "India lays a lot of emphasis on education. The country has a booming economy and most of the people we interact with speak English. These are some of the major reasons why we thought we should have a base here. Indians, I feel, are very curious and eager to learn new things. They are interested in art, culture, history and so on."

So far, Hokeberg says, she has got a positive response from most schools in Delhi. "With India poised to take centre stage in the global marketplace, it is essential for students to gain global experiences that maximise their potential. Education First focuses on the needs of schools and students, which is why our tours include services, features and options that other travel companies do not. We offer the best teacher-to-student ratio in all of India. For every six students who travel on our tour, you receive a free place so that another staff member can travel. This gives an excellent opportunity for teachers to grow and develop, along with their students," she says emphatically.

At the moment, finding a foothold in India is Hokeberg's prime concern. Speaking about Education First's long-term plans in the country, she says, "Over a period of time, we plan to cover the other three metros also. I feel travelling while learning is a better way and children remember things better this way." An avid traveller herself, she loves to learn new things and says it is a great experience for her to see different cultures and understand people from other parts of the globe. While she is in India, at some point, she says, "I plan to go to the Himalayas."

Before coming to India, Hokeberg was based in Switzerland. Contrasting the two countries, she says, "Indians are very friendly and warm-hearted people. In Switzerland you won't find that. The Swiss are very reserved and life over there is monotonous. But in India I feel that every day is a new day and different from the previous one. There is so much to discover here. It's a country with such a rich history."