NOVEL NEXT Chapter 646: Foreign Students
18th October 1659
Akhand Bharatiya Empire, Imperial capital, Simhasana Bhavana
The craze of Bahubali has spread throughout the empire, but the matters of the empire have to go on.
Vijay was making the final corrections to the operation model of the Mangaluru Stock Exchange before it could open in a few weeks to the public.
"Knock, knock."
Just then he heard a knock at the door.
Vijay asked the person to enter.
Ganesh, who got the permission, quickly entered the office room, respectfully greeted Vijay, and informed, "Your Majesty, I just received the message from several European diplomats. They have just informed me that the students selected for foreign exchange have already set off from Europe and they should be on their way to the empire."
Vijay immediately stopped looking at the document in his hand, and he raised his head, a little surprised.
"Well, this came out of nowhere," he said, leaning back.
In fact, the Ministry of Education has both received requests from European countries to send students for studies in Bharat, as well as the Ministry of Education personally invited some countries to send their students. But although mutual understanding was reached, it was not put into action.
The Bharatiya Empire, due to his existence, has already become the innovation capital of the world, but maybe due to it being far away from the European continent, no giant figures in science were attracted.
Vijay always had previously speculated that the Europeans were dragging their feet due to the wars the Bharatiya Empire was involved in, and even recently due to the Indian Ocean Unification War, which might have made them wary. But he couldn't verify his speculation in the end; however, the news he received today might have proved him right.
Vijay stroked his chin, falling into deep thought. "Now with hindsight, when I look at it, the speculation could have been the most accurate reason. They might have been wary of the stability of the Bharatiya Empire since from the beginning of the empire it has always been embroiled in war and conflict. Only the last few months have been peaceful without any wars."
He snapped his fingers, realizing something.
"I see, now that the strength of the Bharatiya Empire is proven, and its stability to resist any risk was made clear. These Europeans are willing to deepen the diplomatic relations, And are relieved in the safety of the students".
In fact, Vijay couldn't really blame or be displeased with the Europeans for being too opportunistic because, according to the requirements of the Ministry of Education, the foreign students will not spend a few years in the Bharatiya Empire but may spend their whole teenage life here. If they start their education in the Bharatiya Empire at school, they will only be able to go back to their countries after they have graduated from the university.
This was mainly because, in this era where transportation was not too developed, constant travel between continents was like playing a game with death. The probability of death in each voyage was rare, but once a certain person took constant trips, the rare probability minimized to an absolute. If a person traveled a certain amount of times within a short span of time, the probability of death could even reach numbers above 50%. So the Bharatiya Empire did not want to see these students traveling too often. What's more, the reason for only accepting them at a young age was so that they would not be too influenced by their homeland's cultural norms, allowing them to be built from the ground up according to the philosophy of the Bharatiya Empire.
Knowing the requirements put forward by the Ministry of Education of the Bharatiya Empire, the leaders of different European countries, even those in diplomatic relations and alliances with the Bharatiya Empire, hesitated.
Such a commitment wasn't easy for any country, but looking at the scientific advancements coming out of the Bharatiya Empire, they had no choice but to select a few bright minds who came from branches of noble families and send them to the Bharatiya Empire, hoping their best that these kids wouldn't be brainwashed into puppets of the Bharatiya Empire.
"Better late than never, I guess," Vijay muttered as he looked at Ganesh. "It should take these little guys at least until December to get here. In the meantime, send messages to our Neighboring countries and countries in Southeast Asia, invite them to send children on the foreign study program."
"Let's combine all the foreign students together and make a special school program, especially for them."
"The foreign students will be taught a few months of Bharati language; after that, they will join educational courses along with native students."
"Divide the class into 50% Bharatiya students and 50% foreign exchange students."
"As for the syllabus, keep it as is; there is no need to change it."
Ganesh nodded and wrote down the orders one by one. "Your Majesty, should an ideological course be added so that these kids will have a good impression of the Bharatiya Empire when they go back?" he asked with a glint in his eyes.
Vijay looked at Ganesh with a meaningful expression, but he finally shook his head. "There is no need for that. I am sure that these kids are all descendants of nobility."
"Even though they're not the direct lineage, there are at least a branch lineage. With their education and noble birth, it is very hard to shake their loyalty to their family or the crown they are loyal to."
"So if we play tricks now, instead of having a good impression of the Bharatiya Empire, they may even develop repulsion towards it."
"All these kids they are sending should be smart after all. The chances of them discovering the intent of the ideology class are high."
"Instead, let us treat these foreign students as our own. Teach the same syllabus and the same things, no different."
Ganesh nodded. "But Your Majesty, will this create a good impression of the Bharatiya Empire in their minds?" he asked, confused.
"Hehe," Vijay chuckled. "Ganesh, you failed to take one thing into consideration."
Ganesh became curious.
"It's the quality of life and education we have in the Bharatiya Empire. It's many times greater than what normal schools in Europe have."
"Although schools in Europe might have more luxurious classrooms and more distinguished teachers, their entire education is focused on training talents for the church or to work under the nobility. It's very restrictive and claustrophobic."
"However, our education is solely focused on training practical talents for this society. It gives the students the freedom to do what they want."
"What's more, the supporting industries we have for education—it's not something the Europeans can provide."
"So, at the end of the day, even if we do not use any means to change or brainwash these foreign students, the treatment, quality of life, and quality of education alone will leave a very good impression in their minds."
"Our education will set the benchmark too high for them. When they go back, they will definitely start to compare their country's education with our own, and living and studying with our Bharatiya kids for so long should have also eliminated their discriminatory tendencies and developed some of our own."
"This should be incompatible with Western society."
"From here onwards, I can see only a few directions they can take."
"Either they try to change their own society according to what their ideal society is, which will be naturally benchmarked from our own Bharatiya society."
"Or they see the impossibility of change in their own society and come back to the Bharatiya Empire, the place where they have spent the longest time."
Vijay explained with a smile. In fact, this way of education was something most Western countries did in his previous life. When a foreign student, let's say from China or India, goes to a Western university to study, although they will not be bombarded by propaganda praising the nation, the quality of education and intellectual infrastructure in the nation alone makes it very hard for any foreign student to let go.
What's more, for any foreign student who is studying abroad on a scholarship based on merit, the scholarship only covers the education, and their living expenses are not covered. So naturally, the foreign student learns to do part-time jobs and unconsciously gets integrated into Western society.
Once an education is completed, they are faced with a question: whether to go back to the place of their birth, which brought them great burden and sadness, or stay in their place of education, where they have the capabilities of making a higher standard of living in a place of freedom without restrictive social norms.
Vijay remembers, during his college time in his last life, nearly half of his friends whom he had graduated with had gone to American universities for higher studies. Out of that half, barely 50% returned, while the other 50% stayed back in America, getting their green cards and permanently settling there.
He knew something similar happened to the Qing Dynasty of China, where they sent students to study abroad at public expense, but the students who finished their studies wouldn't come back to the country due to the sheer difference in living conditions they witnessed between the Qing Dynasty and America.
Vijay's current aim is the same. He doesn't want to brainwash anyone; he just wants to increase the quality of education, life, and intellectual infrastructure to such a level that no country in the world should be able to compete with it.
Ganesh, who realized the intention of His Majesty, widened his eyes with surprise. 'As expected of His Majesty, he has such novel and ingenious ideas.'
Experience more on empire
He quickly did a small bow with a namaskaram and left the office room, thinking even more highly about the ingenuity of His Majesty than before.
P.S. Forgive it's a little ruff today
P.S. Thankyou Siddhesh_Sawant_2828, for the IceCola
P.S. Thankyou Lucifer_6671, for the Inspiration capsule