Supporting
Education in USA
I Students in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha can access accurate, comprehensive and current information about opportunities to study at U.S. universities through the newest EducationUSA center in India, at the Y-Axis Foundation.
24 JULY/AUGUST 2021
By NATASA MILAS
n March 2021, the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad inaugurated the newest EducationUSA center in India, at the Y-Axis Foundation. This is the eighth EducationUSA center in the country, and serves the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network which promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States. “This is a unique and innovative collaboration in that EducationUSA has established ties with a private educational consulting foundation to expand its services. It is a testament to the Y-Axis Foundation’s high-quality advising standards and ability to reach a large number of young women and men interested in studying in the United States,” says Salil Kader, cultural affairs advisor at the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad. Indeed, the availability of such assistance is invaluable for students interested in studying abroad. Such a relationship between India and the United States has long been fostered, as the number of those seeking educational opportunities in America continues to grow. Almost 200,000 Indians studied in the United States last year, and many of them are from the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. One in four Telugu families has a U.S. connection, mostly through higher education in the United States. “The strong ties between this region of India and the United States have created an increased demand for education advising from students in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha,” Kader explains. “As a result, the U.S. Department of State sought out a partner who shared the U.S. Government’s high standards for ethics and quality.” To take up this role, the Y-Axis Foundation underwent a certification process, working with the Consulate, U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the State Department’s Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs. This process aimed to ensure that the center met quality standards and expectations of services to be provided as part of the EducationUSA network. After this assessment and training process was completed, Y-Axis Foundation was officially certified as an EducationUSA advising center. “We are proud of our partnership with EducationUSA especially because I am a great believer in the U.S. education system as I am a product of it myself,” says Xavier Augustin, chief executive officer of Y-Axis Foundation. “I experienced firsthand what a wonderful foundation it can lay, add that international recognition and respect to one’s profile while opening several doors of opportunity to choose from.” Studying in America, after all, isn’t simply a matter of switching geographical locations, Augustin points out. “Being in an American classroom and being on campus is a huge opportunity for Indian students to transform and be oriented to be part of the global talent pool,” he says. One of the great advantages of what EducationUSA offers is that the entire process of considering study abroad can be one of reflection for the prospective student. “The EducationUSA methodology shows how the application process itself can be a process of self-discovery, a lifechanging experience that encourages the student to become the driver of the process and take charge of one’s own destiny,” says Augustin. In India, the EducationUSA program has historically been administered through seven centers at three host institutions, explains Bhavvna Jolly, senior program officer, EducationUSA. “The largest among these is the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), a bi-national organization that administers the prestigious Fulbright Program and hosts five EducationUSA centers in the cities of
