This past May, Dr. Rabi Mahapatra, professor of computer science and engineering, took 13 students to India for a two-week study abroad. The program began in Bangalore where the students were able to visit eight IT companies such as Software Technology Park India (STPI), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tech Mahindra and HCL, India’s leading IT and Technology Company. The participants were given the opportunity to deepen their critical and comparative thinking skills on offshore software development and also broaden their global perspective.
“The best outcome of this study abroad experience was that some of the students that participated are now excited about going on to be entrepreneurs themselves after they graduate,” Mahapatra said.
The course taught during the Maymester was Special Topics in Software Development, Globalization and Culture.
This experience was an opportunity for the students to learn about outsourcing in the industry and also current policies and dynamics of offshore centers. They saw thousands of software developers working on those sites. The students even interacted with some of the CEOs and founders during their visit. In addition, the students attended software assurance classes at TCS to understand the advances in robust software development.
“For all the perspective students considering studying abroad in India, it is an incredible opportunity and one of the best decisions I ever made,” said JR Pasch, one of the students who participated in this study abroad experience.
“I am extremely glad to have been on the trip because it has opened my eyes on how business is conducted and especially how companies develop software,” said Jean Plamin, another student from the Maymester. “This trip also gave me the opportunity to be able to build collaboration with those companies in the future if I was to build my own company. I would sincerely suggest to any student that has the chance to go on this trip to do so. It really gives you inside knowledge about companies and business process.”