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SPJIMR’s Abhyudaya hosts Manchester Met students for cross-cultural immersion

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Project Saathi connected UK undergraduates and Mumbai youth through meaningful cultural exchangeParticipants engaged in community immersion, collaborative projects, and peer-led learning experiencesThe initiative highlights the role of global partnerships in advancing societal impact and experiential education

MUMBAI, India, June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), through its community-based education initiative Abhyudaya, recently hosted six undergraduate students from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), UK, for Project Saathi, a week-long cross-cultural immersion programme that brought together two very different worlds in the shared pursuit of learning, empathy, and human connection. It marked the first collaboration of its kind, creating a unique platform for cross-cultural exchange and experiential learning.

Held from May 23–29, 2026 in Mumbai, the programme paired MMU students with Abhyudaya’s ‘Sitaras’ — high-potential young students from underserved communities in Mumbai’s K-West ward (Andheri West). Through one-on-one collaboration, community engagement, cultural exploration, and creative projects, participants gained firsthand exposure to diverse perspectives, lived realities, and shared aspirations.

Cross-cultural understanding and global perspectives

For the Sitaras, the programme provided an opportunity to engage with peers from a different cultural background, build international friendships, and gain exposure to global perspective. For the MMU students, the experience offered valuable insights into lived social and economic realities, aspirations and challenges of communities in urban India, while encouraging deeper reflection on social impact and inclusion.

Arati Nagaraj, Director, Abhyudaya, observed, “Project Saathi demonstrates what education can achieve when it moves beyond the institution and into the world. For our Sitaras, being paired with peers from Manchester Met was a deeply affirming experience. It reinforced that their stories, intelligence, and potential are valued far beyond their immediate communities.”

What the week looked like

The programme opened on Monday, May 25 with an introduction to Abhyudaya led by the Sitaras themselves, followed by icebreaker activities. The objectives for the week were set collaboratively: to explore and document different cultures through creative outputs, to develop a shared artefact showcasing combined talents, and to present the resulting work to an audience at the end of the programme.

Subsequent days were structured around sustained collaborative work sessions interspersed with immersive community experiences. Participants undertook home visits in K-West ward — a defining feature of the programme, designed to move abstract conversations about inequality, aspiration, and access into deeply personal and human encounters. The week concluded with final presentations, where each pair shared the creative work they had built together across the week, followed by a farewell and celebration at the Abhyudaya Centre.

A partnership built on shared purpose

The MMU cohort was led and accompanied by Professor Liz Warren, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University, who visited the Abhyudaya Centre during the week to observe the programme in person.

Reflecting on the experience, Professor Warren described the programme as an example of education at it best. “Seeing our students working alongside the remarkable Sitaras was truly special. The partnership between SPJIMR, the Abhyudaya initiative, and Manchester Met demonstrates the power of education to transform lives, businesses, and communities, and to create positive social impact.”

The partnership between SPJIMR and MMU is grounded in a shared philosophy: that the most enduring learning happens not through instruction alone, but through genuine relationship. Project Saathi operationalises that philosophy at the level of individual human connection.

For SPJIMR, the collaboration with MMU represents a natural extension of Abhyudaya’s broader ambition: to demonstrate that socially engaged management education is not a niche supplement to mainstream business schooling, but one of its most powerful forms.

For more such news and updates, visit our Newsroom.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is ranked by Business Today as one of the country’s top five business schools, and rated by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the top five schools worldwide for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR aims to influence managerial practice and promote the value-based growth of its students, alumni, organisations and its leaders, and society. SPJIMR holds the international ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.

Visit SPJIMR.org for more information.

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Foreign Streamers’ Insight into China: an Egyptian uncovers Tianjin’s “humor gene”

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BEIJING, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news report by China Daily:

Tianjin is an open, inclusive city with a remarkable sense of humor woven into its DNA. Curious about this “city of comedy”, Egyptian international student Wang Shaoxuan sets out to explore Tianjin’s famed xiangsheng (crosstalk) teahouses, lively old streets and alleys, and breakfast stalls filled with the aroma of local delicacies. Amid punchlines and laughter, and through the city’s flavors and vibrant everyday life, he experiences Tianjin through a foreigner’s eyes — measuring its unique character and discovering its open-minded, optimistic, and easygoing spirit.

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SOURCE China Daily

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Broker Mitrade Brought World Cup Story Closer to MENA, Renews AFA Partnership Into 2027

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DUBAI, UAE, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CFD trading platform Mitrade has renewed its partnership with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), home to the three-time FIFA World Cup 26™ champions. As the 2026 tournament captured attention across the Middle East, the renewal reflects Mitrade’s connection with its user community.

The tournament has driven demand for home entertainment as fans follow the matches, according to Economy Middle East. The region is one of the world’s youngest and most digitally connected, making it a natural market for Mitrade.

The Middle East’s growing enthusiasm for football is unfolding alongside rising participation in financial markets. In June, the combined market capitalisation of companies listed on the Dubai Financial Market surpassed Dh1 trillion for the first time, while its benchmark index climbed above 6,000 points, according to Gulf News. Average daily turnover also rose 56% year on year earlier this year, highlighting stronger trader activity. Against this backdrop, Mitrade’s renewed partnership underscores its focus on staying connected with the communities it serves.

“We build Mitrade around the people who use it, so we stay close to what matters to them,” said Kevin Lai, VP, Mitrade Group. “Renewing our partnership with the AFA reflects our commitment to engaging with the communities we serve while strengthening our long-term presence in the Middle East.”

Football demands preparation, discipline, risk management and knowing when to act. Trading calls for the same qualities, making the AFA partnership a reflection of Mitrade’s long-term commitment to the Middle East.

About Mitrade Group

Mitrade is a globally recognised, award-winning CFD trading platform licensed under UAE’s CMA (20200000397), South Africa’s FSCA (FSP 54842), Cayman Islands’ CIMA (SIB1612446), Mauritius’s FSC (GB20025791), Australia’s ASIC (AFSL398528), and Cyprus’s CySEC (CIF438/23).

Connecting 7M+ traders to 1,000+ OTC derivatives, including indices, forex, commodities, ETFs, and shares, Mitrade’s platform is designed to provide fast trade execution, competitive spreads, and a user-friendly interface accessible across multiple devices.

OTC derivatives are a leveraged product and can result in the loss of your entire capital. Trading OTC derivatives may not be suitable for everyone. Please consider the product sheet, risk disclosure statement and client agreement before using the services and ensure that you understand the risks involved.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or a solicitation.

Visit https://www.mitrade.com/ for more information.

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Demand for EVs continues its growth across Europe with Chinese brands increasing market share, new OLX data shows

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AMSTERDAM, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Every electric vehicle market tracked by OLX Group (“OLX”) is still growing at double or triple-digit rates, and Chinese automotive brands are capturing a growing share of that demand, according to new data published today.

OLX, a global online classifieds leader with nearly 60 million daily listings across seven markets, has today published The Great Acceleration: East Meets Electric, which examines consumer demand for electric vehicles across five OLX automotive marketplaces: La Centrale (France), Autovit (Romania), Standvirtual (Portugal), Otomoto (Poland), and AutoTrader (South Africa).

The data shows EV adoption maturing into a structural trend rather than a short-term reaction: every market measured has now sustained double or triple-digit year-on-year EV lead growth, even as these growth rates ease from previously seen highs. Chinese automotive brands remain central to that story, with MG and BYD now among the leading Chinese brands in four of the five markets, as manufacturers continue to expand the availability of EVs at accessible price points.

Key findings

Every tracked market posted double- or triple-digit year-on-year EV lead growth in June 2026: France up 206%, South Africa up 154.6%, Romania up 66.0%, Portugal up 60.0%, and Poland up 34.3%.Portugal remains Europe’s most EV-mature market, with EVs accounting for 14.9% of leads, almost double the next closest market.France remains the fastest-growing EV market in the group and the one where EV prices are still climbing (+25% year-on-year).MG and BYD are now the most consistently dominant Chinese brands across the group, appearing among the leading brands in France, Romania, Portugal and Poland.

Christian Gisy, CEO of OLX, said: “The story our data tells is straightforward: where EV adoption is accelerating, demand for Chinese automotive brands is accelerating with it. That is no coincidence – Chinese manufacturers are actively expanding the market, bringing electric vehicles to consumers at lower price points than ever before. This means EVs are now more accessible for more people. The transition to electric mobility is happening faster, and more broadly, because Chinese manufacturers are in it.”

EV demand remains strong

Consumer interest in EVs remains high across all five markets, with every market recording double or triple-digit year-on-year growth in EV leads. France leads at 206%, followed by South Africa at 154.6%, Romania at 66%, Portugal at 60%, and Poland at 34.3%.

Portugal remains the most mature EV market, with electric vehicles accounting for close to one in seven leads on the platform (14.9%).

The report finds that demand, which surged in the months following the outbreak of the conflict in Iran in February 2026 as fuel costs and energy security became more prominent considerations for consumers, has since settled into a steadier, sustained pattern consistent with structural adoption rather than a short-term reaction.

Chinese automotive brands are helping unlock EV growth

As EV demand matures, Chinese automotive brands are moving from early experimentation to a phase where a smaller number of manufacturers are converting early interest into durable market share. MG and BYD now feature among the leading Chinese brands in four of the five markets tracked.

France recorded the strongest increase in consumer demand for Chinese automotive brands, rising 276% year-on-year – more than double the next-fastest market, Romania (119%). Portugal (74%) and Poland (95%) also recorded strong increases as Chinese manufacturers continued to expand their presence.

Chinese manufacturers continue to adapt to local market conditions. In Romania, where EV prices declined nearly 8% year-on-year, the increased availability of Chinese-made vehicles continues to expand access to more affordable electric vehicles. This differs from France, where consumer interest in Chinese automotive brands keeps growing despite a 25% increase in EV prices, reflecting sustained demand in a supply-constrained market.

Chinese manufacturers adapt to local market dynamics 

While EV demand is strong across all five OLX markets, the report shows Chinese manufacturers continuing to adapt their vehicle offering, pricing and market positioning to reflect each market’s stage of EV adoption.

Portugal, Europe’s most mature EV market, continues to show Chinese brands competing on technology and model choice as much as price, with Xpeng now among the leading brands alongside MG and BYD. Poland remains the group’s most diversified Chinese brand market by brand count, with MG, BYD and Omoda leading. 

South Africa represents a different stage of market development. Chinese brands account for the highest share of demand in the group (7.31%), led by Haval, but that demand is concentrated on petrol and hybrid SUVs rather than EVs – just 0.3% of Chinese brand demand there is electric. This reflects the influence of local infrastructure, driving conditions and consumer preferences, with Chinese manufacturers adapting their approach to each market rather than pursuing a single strategy across all five. 

Methodology

All figures are drawn from leads-based consumer activity across OLX Group’s five automotive marketplace platforms. La Centrale (France), Autovit (Romania), Standvirtual (Portugal), Otomoto (Poland) and AutoTrader (South Africa). “Leads” refers to meaningful user engagement: views, enquiries, and contact events. Data is as at 30 June 2026. Full methodology is available in the report.

About OLX Group

OLX is a global digital marketplace leader that builds AI-native marketplaces people trust, serving millions of people, professionals and businesses across Europe and South Africa every month. Leveraging scale and powerful AI innovation across its trusted brands, OLX helps people sell and buy cars, find housing, get jobs, buy and sell household goods, and much more. OLX Group is the classifieds business of Prosus, a global technology company and the power behind the leading lifestyle ecommerce brands in Latin America, Europe and India. For more information on OLX, visit www.olxgroup.com

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