A cool breeze drifts across the misty
Nilgiri foothills as Kyna Gulia, an 11th grader at Good Shepherd International
School, Ooty, closes her laptop after a late‐night video call. Just minutes
earlier, she had been in a briefing alongside global experts at the UN Summit—a
stage few teenagers ever reach. Though already one of India’s brightest—having
participated in Model UN and swept several awards in interschool fests—Kyna’s
worldview took a radical turn when IFSPD Europe handpicked her to represent the
nation.
Kyna’s transformation is exactly why IFSPD
Europe, a U.N consulting partner and a European consortium of over 60 nations,
launched its Fellowship program in India. Designed to nurture the top 10% of
students from ten elite schools—including Good Shepherd International
(Ooty), Welham Girls (Dehradun), Lawrence School Lovedale (Ooty), Ashok Hall
Girls (Kolkata), Sarala Birla (Bangalore), CL Gupta World School (Moradabad),
Sherwood Hall (Chennai), Cygnus World School (Baroda) and Sri Sri Academy
(Hyderabad) —this intensive accelerator demands just 2–3 hours monthly but
delivers an education far beyond textbooks.
As a partner of the United Nations and one
of the largest pan-European institutions dedicated to sustainable leadership,
IFSPD Europe brings unmatched global networks and expertise to the brightest
minds in both STEM and the humanities. From multi-stakeholder simulations and
diplomatic enclaves to mentorship by Fortune 500 executives and UN envoys, the
program immerses fellows in real-world scenarios that mirror international
forums and corporate boardrooms alike.
“By blending academic excellence with
hands-on problem solving, we’re preparing students not just to survive, but to
thrive in tomorrow’s world,” says Mr. Jacob Thomas, President of the Good
Shepherd International School, Ooty. “Our partnership as a Champion school of
IFSPD Europe ensures that India’s brightest have both the tools and the
platform to drive meaningful change—locally and globally.”
At the heart of the Fellowship is a series
of higher order, multi-dimensional continuous capacity building exercises
designed to sharpen critical thinking, diplomatic finesse, and innovation.
Fellows convene in Global Sustainability Councils, where they collaborate with
their peers to dissect real-world crises using the IRAC framework—Issue, Rule,
Application, Conclusion—mirroring the analytical rigor of leading academic
institutions including Harvard. In Diplomatic Enclaves, they negotiate and
navigate challenging topics ranging from entrepreneurship to circular
economies, learning to balance competing interests and forge consensus under
pressure.
Beyond simulations, each Fellow gains
direct access to expert masterclasses, where industry titans share first-hand
insights into leadership, global governance, entrepreneurship, and portfolio
building. These interactions offer rare mentorship opportunities, enabling
students to pose questions, challenge assumptions, and refine their own
leadership philosophies.
“Watching our students engage with
global experts and then return to implement pilots in their own schools has
been incredibly rewarding,” reflects Ms. Divjot Kaur, Principal of Ashok
Hall Girls’, Kolkata. “This Fellowship doesn’t just teach leadership—it
activates it, empowering young minds to think critically, innovate responsibly,
and lead sustainably.”
Echoing this sentiment, Ms. Vibha
Kapoor, Principal of Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun, shared: “At the
inaugural session of the IFSPD Europe Fellowship, I witnessed a level of
insight and commitment among students that was truly inspiring. This initiative
is a step towards bridging the gap between classroom learning and global
responsibility—it is exactly the kind of future-facing education our students
need.
Meanwhile, as monsoon clouds gather once
more over the Nilgiris, Good Shepherd International’s first cohort of IFSPD
Europe Fellows is getting to work—transforming insights into action, forging
cross-continental alliances, and charting new courses for a more resilient,
equitable future.
Aspiring schools and student-leaders
can learn more at ifspd.eu/fellowships.