Study in India

India has a unique ecology and its inhabitants share an intricate relationship with nature that has spanned centuries. The Study in India programme at ATREE offers international students opportunities to conduct research. The Academy has a strong presence in the field through its five Community-based Conservation Centres  (CCCs). These Centres, located across the country, champion community interactions that advance reciprocal learning and environmental governance in the local landscapes. The programme allows students to engage with these communities. The programme also facilitates access to our project sites spread across different  landscapes and biodiversity hotspots in India.

Key Takeaways

Provides diverse skills for science communication, dissemination and outreach. Creates interdisciplinary academics. Educates and mentors interdisciplinary leaders in conservation, sustainability and human well-being.

Why ATREE?

Community-based Conservation

We produce research pertinent to and usable by local communities across India from western ghats to eastern himalayas to the grasslands of western India.

Mentor Support

Interns will be mentored by ATREE Faculty from diverse disciplines with decades of experience in addressing complex conservation and sustainability issues across landscapes.

Interdisciplinary Research

Our researchers work across the social and natural sciences to generate socially relevant, interdisciplinary knowledge in conservation science and sustainability studies.

ATREE collaborating with University College London (UCL) and University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) for joint teaching on conservation themes. The activity is intended to enrich learning at each institution to complement the formal curriculum Academy signed an MoU with South Asia Center at the University of Pennsylvania for an internship exchange program. ATREE will host students from Penn University as part of their summer internship program- 2023. University of Stirling and ATREE to sign an agreement on a collaborative/ joint program with the exchange of PhD candidates and/or in co-supervision agreements/ or collaborative teaching for MSc courses. ATREE is collaborating with Birmingham University for  Collaborative Research and Education programs. Exploring the possible collaboration interms of joint teaching, students exchange program and research. EchoNetwork: The academy hosted the SAGE (Sustainability Ambassadors Global Exchange) Program by Echo Network. This is a short-term exchange program (STEP) for Indian and Nordic Masters or Ph.D. students from social, natural, physical, and engineering sciences, including an immersive and interactive program to understand cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary research surrounding current on-ground issues facing India.

Are you passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability? Do you want to make a global impact using diverse conservation models? This is your chance to gain hands-on experience while immersing yourself in India’s vibrant culture and tackling its unique environmental challenges.

As a globally recognised non-profit organisation, ATREE is committed to interdisciplinary knowledge and action-oriented research through its Community Conservation Centres (CCCs) located in India’s biodiversity hotspots. We invite university faculty and students worldwide to participate in our Study-In-India programme.

The programme will  allow you to collaborate with local and indigenous communities, contribute to innovative conservation initiatives and expand your understanding of site-specific efforts focused on conservation.

What you’ll experience

  • Opportunity to visit biodiversity hotspots.
  • Learning to manage and conserve natural resources using interdisciplinary approaches.
  • Cultural immersion through local community engagement.
  • Mentorship from Global South experts in conservation and ecology. 

Irrespective of your specialisation, ATREE’s Study India programme has something for you! It offers an opportunity to experience diverse landscapes and its people in India and to know first-hand how nature and ecology interact, thus making it a unique blend of academic learning, fieldwork and cultural exchange. 

Reach out to join hands in building meaningful cross-cultural exchanges and gain exposure to global environmental concerns and conservation efforts. Contact us at atree.academy@atree.org 

Key Highlights

SAGE 2024 - 25

Sustainability Ambassadors @ BRT

A group of twenty-five Indian and Nordic students visited the Community Conservation Centre (CCC) at the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRT) in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka, to learn about the ATREE model of bioresource conservation. The CCC, with Echo Network, hosted the twenty-five SAGE (Sustainability Ambassadors Global Exchange) programme fellows. 

The customised programme allowed the students to interact with the indigenous Soliga community, follow the latest progress in community forest rights and learn more about the efforts towards sustainable livelihoods, like lantana craft, beekeeping and other Non-Timber Forest Produce products.

University of Illinois Students Visit Vembanad

Students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US, visited the Vembanad Community Environmental Resource Centre (CERC) and gained field experience in wetland conservation, sustainable livelihood and climate action in the Western Ghats. The field sites included Vembanad Lake, Munnar Hills and Periyar Tiger Reserve.

The students interacted with various stakeholders, such as researchers, instructors, village leaders, fisherfolk, farmers, clam processing workers, forest watchers and indigenous communities. The visit allowed them to integrate different interests, knowledge and perspectives on issues such as wetland and forest conservation and human-wildlife conflict.

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Agasthyamalai Centre Hosts University of Michigan Students & Faculty

A group of twelve students and faculty members from Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, witnessed the ongoing restoration efforts in temple gardens and educational initiatives along the seashore and sand dunes of Tamil Nadu. They explored the cultural, natural and historical significance of Thiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district and the architectural layout of its surrounding village.

The educational materials developed by the participating students through their field experience will serve as resources for Agasthyamalai Centre’s ongoing education and outreach programmes.

Western Michigan University Students & Faculty

A group of thirty students and faculty members from the MBA and Social Science departments at the Western Michigan University visited the Darjeeling Centre to learn about local conservation activities and the activities implemented by ATREE. They interacted with rural high school students, observed the efforts of the Darjeeling Zoo in conserving and breeding Endangered Himalayan species, like the Red Panda and the Snow leopard, and explored the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary. 

The students gained insights into the environmental pressures along the Teesta River from various infrastructure development projects and the challenges to conservation work.

GLOF Day 6

Key highlights from 2023

Darjeeling – Western Michigan University

A group of 30 students and faculty from Western Michigan University- WMU (MBA and Social science) visited Darjeeling from 10th – 1 6th Dec 2023. ATREE- Darjeeling coordinated this visit with aim for Experiential Learning Opportunities to these students. The visit involved interacting with rural high school students, visiting the Darjeeling Zoo to learn of its efforts in conserving and breeding the  endangered Himalayan species like Red Panda and the Snow leopard ; and the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary, Rampuria Forest. Students were hosted by the ATREE Darjeeling centre and were given a tour of the Rampuria forest village to learn about local conservation, the people, culture, food and livelihoods and activities implemented by ATREE. 

The visit ended with a drive along the River Teesta to experience the environmental pressures via the various infrastructure development projects providing students with the  ground reality of the  current pressures on conservation work.