Our work in South Asia

Fast moving and turbulent, this region has rapidly-growing economies and a rising middle class as well as conflict, extremes of poverty, and low literacy rates. There are significant opportunities for the British Council’s work across the region, with a huge appetite for English, a rapid expansion of higher education, major investment in school education, and a growing demand for and interest in the arts and the creative industries. The British Council currently operates in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Our operation in Iran closed in 2009.

Our response to the fast moving world of South Asia is to:

— Make our English programmes and materials readily available to much larger numbers of learners, policy makers and teachers in South Asia

— Increase educational opportunities for young people through access to UK education and qualifications and by strengthening higher education and school systems in South Asia

— Use the arts to build greater understanding and trust between the peoples of the UK and South Asia and to develop closer links between practitioners and policy makers in the arts

— Support the development of the next generation of leaders in South Asia in education, the arts, English language teaching and civil society

— The population of South Asia is 1.6 billion - this accounts for a fifth of the world’s population and makes it the most populous region of the world

— Many of the economies in the region are growing at an annual rate of 6%-9% and huge investment is now going into education. 1500 new universities will be created in India alone over the next 10 years

— The British Council delivers more UK examinations in South Asia than in any other part of the world - over half a million candidates sat UK qualifications in South Asia in 2010-11

— 400 million people are currently learning English across South Asia - the British Council plans to reach at least 100 million of these over the next five years

Did you know that...?

What we do and where we work in South Asia

Did you know...? — India has 650 million people under the

age of 30

— British Council has trained 750,000 English teachers across eight states in India

— UKIERI II is a £25 million private and public partnership linking higher education institutions, schools and researchers in the UK and India

A long and deep relationship between India and the UK was strengthened with the signing of a formal India-UK Cultural Agreement in 2010 in the presence of the British and Indian Prime Ministers. The British Council has been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the cultural aspects of the agreement.

Increased artistic exchange is a key outcome of the Cultural Agreement and last year high-profile events included Anish Kapoor exhibitions in New Delhi and Mumbai. Our forthcoming theatre programmes will include a tour of the celebrated Mind Walking in November 2011, followed in 2012 by the Snow Queen. In Literature, our partnerships with the Jaipur Literature Festival and the Hay Festival Kerala have ensured a high-profile British literary presence. In creative industries, we bring together professionals and practitioners in film, music, design, fashion and publishing.

In India, education is a priority area where the UK has recognised impact. The UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) has created successful partnerships in higher education involving 600 educational institutions. UKIERI-II focuses on leadership, partnerships for innovation, skills development and enhancing student mobility.

The British Council delivers high-quality English language services and we will train 750,000 teachers by 2012. Working through British Council teaching centres, corporate and public sector partnerships, schools and the Indian government we reach out to millions of learners and teachers of English. We also deliver more than 120,000 UK examinations in India every year.

The nature of the cultural relationship between the UK and India is changing rapidly. To understand this change, the British Council is leading a project to map, analyse and review our cultural relationship. Through debate, dialogue and research, Reimagine will guide new insights on UK – India cultural ties in the 21st century.

For more information contact: Charlie Walker, Director Programmes, Charlie.Walker@britishcouncil.org

Celebrated artist Anish Kapoor held his first ever exhibition in India which was inaugurated by Mrs Sonia Gandhi. The exhibition in New Delhi and Mumbai was visited by more than 60,000 people.

India

Did you know…? — Contrary to international perception only 6%

of parents send their children to madrassas in Pakistan

— British Council has trained over 28,000 youth and 600 teachers from 550 Technical and Vocational Education Training colleges across Pakistan on the concept of social entrepreneurship in the last three years

— British Council co-organised the first ever Karachi Literature Festival in Pakistan which now attracts more than 100 national and international authors and directly engages over 10,000 people

We have been in Pakistan since 1948. The UK-Pakistan relationship is based on strong historical, economic and family ties, with an estimated one million Pakistani diaspora in the UK. Despite these links there is a low level of trust between the two countries that needs to be overcome.

Youth accounts for 66 percent of Pakistan’s 180 million citizens. By providing opportunities to them we aim to strengthen the consensus against extremism in all its forms. Our Active Citizens work engages directly with 4,500 young people running social action projects in their communities.

Building on English programmes that have introduced innovative teaching methodologies to over 90,000 teachers and students we are piloting our proprietary English products with public and private sector education institutions across Pakistan. We now aim to achieve a major increase in the support we are able to give learners and teachers of English through provincial government partnerships and our digital products by 2015.

We have created 600 school partnerships, five vocational college UK-Pakistan links and more than 120 higher education partnerships, thus reaching over half of all Pakistan’s universities. 80% of Vice-Chancellors have had our leadership training. We pursue and manage a number of contracts including an EU contract as part of the leading education reform programme in Sindh and a health research and advocacy programme for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

In arts we back the pioneering Karachi Literature Festival, which has thrived despite a challenging security situation. Our partners in this are Oxford University Press. We are now moving to wider engagement in the arts through a Pakistan-UK Connections through Culture programme.

For more information contact: Martin Fryer, Director Programmes Martin.Fryer@britishcouncil.org

Pakistan English language and accountancy examinations run by us in Pakistan enable over 200,000 candidates annually to gain UK qualifications. A further 10,000 students are currently studying in the UK.

Did you know…? — A rise in the sea level in coastal Bangladesh

could create up to 20 million climate change migrants

— The British Council’s Climate4Schools project intends to reach every secondary school in the country with our campaign materials in Bangla

— We have engaged with more that one million young people in inclusive physical education as part of International Inspirations, a legacy for London 2012

British Council Bangladesh opened its doors in 1953 and today we are more relevant than ever with a vibrant range of products and services that give young people the skills they need for the 21st Century.

English language represents the core of our offer and we conduct 130,000 UK examinations each year. Working closely with the Government of Bangladesh, we will share English learning resources with 35 million young people a year through a new network of 4,500 information centres. We are also opening new Teaching Centres in the Dhaka suburbs and are preparing to open new premises in Chittagong and Sylhet.

We are active in 500 schools and 24 universities; supporting professional development for educators and facilitating new opportunities for students.

This year we marked the 150th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore’s birth with a contemporary interpretation of his dance-drama Tasher Desh and a TV talent contest that drew on his songs to share the value he placed on education, pluralism and being a citizen of the world. Expanding on our cultural work, we will inaugurate Dhaka’s first Hay literature festival in November and unveil an exhibition of contemporary UK fashion headlined by Vivienne Westwood in December.

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change and we have pioneered a website in Bangla that explains climate science to young people through activities and films. We are working to strengthen civil society through the mobilisation of young people to play an active role in their communities and through the establishment of a Youth Parliament.

For more information contact: Matthew Knowles, Head of Programmes Matthew.Knowles@britishcouncil.org

Bangladesh Rediscovering Tagore Festival 2011: performance in Dhaka of Tasher Desh one of Rabindranath Tagore’s most famous dance dramas.

Did you know…? — Ten years ago no girls were at school in

Afghanistan. Now there are three million girl students

— Two years ago no pilot of the Afghan airforce could fly without a translator in the cockpit. Following British Council English classes, 40% of pilots now fly unaccompanied

— Every weekend, for the past 6 months, 50 young Afghan filmmakers met on our British Council compound for training and mutual support

The British Council in Kabul was first established in Afghanistan in 1964. It left in 1979 and returned in 2002. Our key strength is the Afghan people’s recognition that the British Council will be in Afghanistan in the long-term. This trust through proactive cultural relations, particularly for a country re-establishing its independent nationhood requires long-term vision, friendship and carefully nurtured relationships.

Under the programme Next Generation Afghan Leadership we pursue several ambitions which include:

— Professional and vocational opportunities for the next generation of leaders liberated from ethnic bias, nepotism and traditional authoritarianism

— Direct English learning and teaching contributing to Afghan stabilisation and economic development

— Cultural engagement and exchange providing development and opportunity for Afghan creative talent, enabling Afghan voices to be heard internationally and broadening the UK view of an Afghanistan whose image is overwhelmed by militarism

— Long term commitment in a field crowded with other agencies, communicating the impact of our robust cultural relations offer

Our primary audience are future leaders with a focus on political and public servants, teachers, school and university leaders, potential entrepreneurs in business and civil society, community influencers and creative talent keen to contribute to the success of the new nation.

For more information contact: Paul Smith, Country Director Paul.Smith@britishcouncil.org

Afghanistan Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) opened in 2010 is the first post-Taliban music school in Afghanistan, a country where music was forbidden. The British Council is supporting ANIM in its curriculum and staff development. Photo by US Embassy, Kabul. Flickr, Creative Commons.

International Inspiration is the international legacy programme of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, of which British Council is one of the key delivery partners. In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh we have reached over 7 million young people through the programme.

Did you know...? — Sri Lanka has one of the fastest growing

economies in Asia with 8% growth

— 15 million viewers are expected to tune in to watch The British Council’s IDEATORS, a reality TV show that promotes the importance of graduate entrepreneurship in the UK and Sri Lanka

— Sri Lanka has the largest British Council Library membership in our global network with 24,000 members

The British Council has been delivering arts, English and education programmes for over 60 years in Sri Lanka. Each year 12,000 students learn English at one of our Teaching Centres and 34,000 examination candidates acquire a UK qualification. We train more than 2,000 English teachers annually and 1,100 public servants in conflict-affected North and East Sri Lanka.

Over 70 UK universities visited Sri Lanka last year for our annual education fair and school visits. 25 universities now offer franchised degree programmes through local partnerships and many are considering campus development in Sri Lanka.

We recently partnered with telecommunications companies Etisalat and Z-Messenger to deliver LearnEnglish material digitally through mobile phone platforms. We introduced QR codes for the first time offering digital access to a unique British Library touring exhibition, A Return to Sri Lanka.

Our work in the arts and creative industries includes connecting leading UK and Sri Lankan designers and promoting creative entrepreneurship. We also work with ex-LTTE combatants and villagers from North East Sri Lanka using Forum Theatre as a tool to build social cohesion in post-conflict regions.

A major investment to upgrade our services and facilities in Colombo will begin in early 2012. We are also actively exploring options to open a branch in Jaffna.

For more information contact: Ranmali Mirchandani, Manager Programme Delivery Ranmali.Mirchandani@britishcouncil.org

Sri Lanka The largest human mosaic in the world - Our Global Changemakers recently put Sri Lanka on the world map by setting a new Guinness World Record on International Youth Day. Photo by Lakshman Nadaraja.

Did you know...? — More than 20% of Nepal’s GDP comes from

remittances sent home by Nepalis working in other countries

— A pop concert to raise awareness of climate change, given by one of the British Council’s International Climate Champions in 2010, attracted an audience of 30,000

— Due to the demand for English medium education and internationally recognised qualifications, we are expecting the number of UK A- Levels taken in Nepal to triple by 2015

The British Council has been operating in Nepal since 1959, when Nepal was a relatively stable but under-developed country ruled by a monarchy. Since then there have been huge social and political changes, including the murder of most of the royal family, a 10 year Maoist insurgency, and the establishment of democratic government in 2008.

Under the British Council’s 2015 Strategy we have targeted our resources on the areas where we can have most impact. These include enhancing the teaching and learning of English and offering UK examinations, the most popular of which are IELTS and International GCSEs.

We are working closely with the Ministry of Education and the Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association on aspects of language policy and teacher training, providing individual support through our Learning Centre and offering learning opportunities to the wider population through digital delivery. This is planned to include English via television, radio, the internet and mobile phones.

For more information contact: Robert Monro, Country Director Robert.Monro@britishcouncil.org

Nepal A sign language drama performed by 18 deaf participants, nine from the UK and nine from Nepal. Through our Global Xchange programme they lived together for three months in the UK and three months in Nepal.

Contact Us

South Asia Region

Stephan Roman, Regional Director South Asia Stephan.Roman@britishcouncil.org

Jacqui Bassett, Director Programmes & Partnerships South Asia Jacqui.Bassett@britishcouncil.org India

We are located in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. In a further 5 cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Pune, we operate cultural centres in partnership with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Rob Lynes, Country Director Rob.Lynes@britishcouncil,org Pakistan

We are located in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Faisalabad.

David Martin, Country Director David.Martin@britishcouncil.org Bangladesh

We are located in Dhaka and Chittagong.

Rosemary Arnott, Country Director Rosemary.Arnott@britishcouncil.org

Afghanistan

We are located in Kabul.

Paul Smith, Country Director Paul.Smith@britishcouncil.org Sri Lanka

We are located in Colombo and Kandy.

Tony Reilly, Country Director Tony.Reilly@britishcouncil.org Nepal

We are located in Kathmandu.

Robert Monro, Country Director Robert.Monro@britishcouncil.org Iran

We do not have a presence in Iran.

Anne Wiseman, Director Iran Projects Anne.Wiseman@britishcouncil.org

Did you know...? — Women make up more than 60% of the

university student population in Iran

— Over the last 10 years Iranian films have won more than 300 international awards

— Around 27,000 IELTS tests are taken every year in Iran

The British Council has a long history of cultural relations with Iran. Although the British Council office in Iran is temporarily closed we are interested in continuing to develop a range of activities which may help to foster the cultural relations agenda between the UK and Iran.

We have been active in supporting the development of English Language Teaching in Iran, via a large scale project (ETTE - English for Teachers of English) and numerous conferences and seminars on English Language Teaching. In the Arts field we supported a very successful production of ‘A Winter’s Tale’ at the International Fajr Theatre Festival, and an exhibition of 20th century UK sculpture at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts.

For more information contact: Anne Wiseman, Director Iran Projects Anne.Wiseman@britishcouncil.org

Iran

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