Jamia Milia Islamia has launched a six-week international summer school programme to encourage foreign students to study various aspects of contemporary India and learn Hindi.

The international summer school (ISS) programme, under the banner of the Ministry of Tourism's 'Incredible India' campaign, has been launched this year with application forms made available at 'www.issnewdelhi.in' website. The inaugural session for the ISS will take place from June 16 to July 26.http://www.issnewdelhi.in

"The six-week programme aims at promoting international goodwill and cultural understanding among tomorrow's leaders as they learn about India and its role in the 21st century.

"The university looks forward to students from across India and the world attending the ISS as representatives of their respective countries this summer and enriching the programme with their own passions and interests," a statement by the university said.

According to the statement, the syllabus for the programme will be India-centric and comprises several undergraduate-level course modules on Indian politics, economy, sociology and history, besides fieldwork with Ritinjali, an NGO.

The academic syllabus will be supplemented by seminars where students will be able to view documentaries and films and interact with eminent speakers on topics relevant to India. A short course on the Hindi language at a beginner's level is also part of the programme.

Applications for the programme can be submitted online till May 15.