The 10 most promising overseas consultancy in 2020

10

most Promising

Overseas

‘‘

We Are Looking At Expanding On A National Basis And Talks Are On With Partners In Different Cities In India, Especially The Tier Ii Cities

‘‘

THE

Consultancy i n 2 0 2 0

Mrs. Bakhtawar Krishnan Director

Inspirus

Education

VOL - 04 | ISSUE - 01 2020

INDIA

On Every Student’s Wish List - Education in Overseas

Editor Darshan Parmar

N

o matter what we have studied, no matter in which class we were, we have always somehow imagined us flying off to another country. All of this in hopes of studying and getting to know the people there in reality and just to satiate the curiosity we harbored either because we saw it on T.V or read somewhere about it. It is more than we like to admit but the thought of going out of country for studies is really fascinating and for some people it remains just a dream. There are a lot of young learners who wish to go for international studies in other countries, students who wish to explore the world and why not?

The exposure that international educational system provides can prove to be beneficial in terms of better career opportunities and lifestyle for a lot of students. Not to mention the learning experience of different languages and cultural values that one gets to learn and enjoy.

The main reason one should consider for a study abroad program is that you get to experience a brand-new country, a different land with amazing outlooks, customs and activities. The advantages of studying abroad enable opportunity

to explore never seen before terrains, natural wonders, landmarks, and museums of the host country. Also, the chance to experience different styles of education models cannot be overlooked.

After enrolling in a study abroad program, one can have a chance to learn something that is not practiced traditionally in his/her own country and have an immersive learning experience while understanding the people of the host nation along with their tradition and culture. Essentially, when it comes to exploring different culture, it actually refers to the process of getting to know the distinct cultural perspectives that the host nation has.

While studying abroad, students get to experience the host country's incredible new cuisine, customs, traditions, and social atmosphere help witness a new life completely. This definitely provides a healthy and better understanding along with appreciation for the nation’s people and their history. Other than this, studying abroad enables an opportunity to study foreign language(s).

The study program in any country grants an opportunity to have a completely immersive experience in learning new language(s) in addition to getting considerable language practice just in your daily lives. The one who is enrolled in the host university will likely get to study language courses

provided by it along with a formal education.

This will help in going beyond a purely academic experience. We also cannot rule out the factor of making lifelong friends from different backgrounds while studying abroad. It facilitates the chance for students to live with learners from the host country while attending a school or college there.

Creating long lasting friendship and relationships with the fellow international students can help in becoming an important factor for networking later down the road. It will also help in discovering oneself in terms of personal development as studying abroad has a potential to bring out your independent nature. For most students who wish to study overseas, it can be a lifelong and fulfilling experience altogether. There are many overseas education consultants who are tirelessly working towards making the dreams come true for such students.

In this latest edition of The Knowledge Review, through the magazine’s issue ‘The 10 Most Promising Overseas Consultancy in 2020,’ we wish to highlight some of the success stories of these consultants. Inspirus Education has made its way on the cover of this month’s issue. It is striving to enable studying abroad accessible for everyone.

The list of success stories also includes names like Mancomp Overseas Education, which is enabling opportunities for students who are willing to pursue their passion and talent in other countries. Megamind Consultants Private Limited is a company providing effective and

EDITOR’s NOTE efficient services in the study abroad vertical. Alternatively, One Window Overseas Education Pvt. Ltd., is a company on a mission to create a robust outreach for every individual who who wishes to experience the overseas education paradigm.

Apart from the above mentioned, we have two articles featured in our magazine from key personalities such as Safura Begum, the CEO of Inventateq. She has made an effort to educate us on how technology is on its way to enhance workforce of the future and the economic competition inbetween. Also, Massimo Cristofanilli – MD, is a professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Associate Director for translational research at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. He has explained the power of molecular understanding and interpretation in precision oncology in his article.

We also have featured an article by our in-house writer.

So, read away and do enjoy the amazing stories presented to you in this edition of the magazine.

Darshan Parmar

Cover Story 08

INSPIRUS EDUCATION Making Studying Abroad Accessible For All

24 Expert’s Viewpoint THE POWER OF MOLECULAR UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETATION IN PRECISION ONCOLOGY: FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REALITY

Expert Talk

Technology Enhancing Future Workforce & Economic Competitiveness

Article

20

16

Mancomp Overseas Education

Editor’s Desk The Significance of Education Consultant

Creating Opportunities to Pursue Passion and Talent

26 Megamind Consultants Elevating the Paradigm of Overseas Education to the Next Level

CONT ENTS 30

One Window Overseas Education Your Ultimate Solution to Explore Various Study Destinations

32

APRIL, 2020

People behind this issue

Follow us on: www.facebook.com/theknowledgereview/ twitter.com/theknowledgerv

Editor-in-Chief Abhishaj Sajeev Managing Editor Rajkunwar Bhosle

We are also available on:

Publishing Control Team Shruti Jambhale Quality Assurance Team Sneha Sinha, Darshan Parmar Art & Design Head Amol Kamble Associate Designer Poonam Mahajan Art & Picture Editor Sapana Shinde Co-designer Shweta Ambilwade Business Development Manager Ankush Patel

CORPORATE OFFICE The Knowledge Review

Off. No. 22 & 510, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017 Phone - India: +91 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85 Email: info@insightssuccess.in For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.in

Marketing Manager Kajal Pawar Sales Executives Ashwini, Priyanka, Naitiki Technical Specialist Amar, Pratiksha Digital Marketing Manager Prashant Chevale SME-SMO Executive Uma Circulation Manager Tanaji

Copyright Š 2020 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. The Knowledge Review is powered by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.

S

tudying overseas is a dream every aspiring student wishes to accomplish. Not only it is a fulfilling experience but it also enables a good career path enhancing personal and educational growth. Studying abroad facilitates good opportunities however it can be challenging in terms of appropriate choice of stream and subject matter to study, along with managing finances and accommodations etc. Hence, there is a need for proper guidance in identifying and recognizing the right opportunities with respect to the individual traits pertaining to every young student who wishes to fly abroad for studies.

A lot of parents/guardians prefer certain planning procedures that they can undertake before investing a huge amount in-order to send their child across the borders to avail quality education. There are several institutions which facilitate services related to overseas education and help solve issues that arise while preparing for the same. One such organization dedicatedly working towards attaining excellence in providing guidance related to overseas education to aspiring students and their respective parents/guardians is Inspirus Education.

Established in 2017, Inspirus was designed to empower youth across India in accessing the best opportunities global universities can offer. It strives to help them harness their collective potential. The institute puts optimum efforts so that students can succeed in their chosen fields and contribute positively towards business and society. The team of Inspirus shares, “We work with students to help them identify their career potential, identify universities that match their goals and prepare them for success.”All of this is targeted towards

the students securing admission and adapting to new learning/teaching environments. Inspirus works with the parents by helping them understand and prepare for the cultural do’s and don'ts, International Emergency Services along with the finance and regulatory norms of various countries.

Inspirus, through its three branches in Mumbai (Andheri, Bandra & Ghatkopar)with multiple direct school programs, has successfully supported more than six thousand students in achieving their academic aspirations. It has enabled them to prepare and succeed in securing admissions into International Universities. The institute is focused on designing tech-enabled modules that are currently being accessed by students remotely. These modules are not just limited to testpreps but also provide students online access to the counselors and teachers of Inspirus, in-order to receive one-onone guidance. “We promise to achieve at least 20 points improvement from the diagnostic score of the students,” states Inspirus’ team. It has helped 30% of deserving students, in receiving scholarship support from their respective chosen universities.

Enabling Opportunities Inspirus’ student-centric approach is

derived in three following steps: 1. Focus on Research-based Counseling - For students on the verge of selecting their higher education specializations, the choice of both University, academic stream and the opportunity it offers is critical.

Inspirus’ counseling modules are backed by extensive research focused on academic avenues, University pedagogy, environment, and ratings. It also helps in developing an understanding of laws while enabling scholarship facilities and processes, regulations and the socio-political environment of host countries.

2. Focus on Skills & Faculties aimed at a Future Ready Workforce - At Inspirus, they ensure that students play to their strengths and consider courses that complement the interests they are having in the area which can be a potential career prospect for them. The pre-test sessions are designed to understand students’ abilities and strengths which helps them in making suitable choices that will lead them towards success. This also assists the students to work on long-term career growth in the years to come.

3. Post-Admit-Monitoring - “Achieving an admission for a student is not the end of our responsibility at Inspirus,” states the team. The program Inspirus facilitates include monitoring of students at the campus through the first semester to ensure that they are able to adapt to the changing environment, both in and out of the classroom.

Higher education decisions include both parents and students along with preparedness in terms of financial planning for the entire duration of the course and psychological readiness to accept, adapt and abide by new cultural and regulatory norms. This comes under the financial-psychological

planning and support that the students and parents need to consider before making an informed decision. The decision-making process is simplified

by Inspirus for the benefit of both the parties involved.

Not only planning, but the team at Inspirus believes consultation is also critical for students pursuing higher education from international universities to help them make a wellinformed career or academic choice. A choice that is based on an understanding of their skills, strengths, and concerns with the evidence of workforce demands pertaining to the future. Consultation plays an integral role in building realistic expectations

from academic pursuits, comprehension of the socio-political environment of the host nations, preparing for newer teaching methodologies, accepting cultural, legal, and environmental norms while adapting to the same. It also enables parents to prepare better financially and emotionally.

An Inspiring Personality Mrs. Bakhtawar Krishnan, Director of Inspirus Education is an accomplished professional in the field of higher education related to overseas study. She brings with her around 30 years of diverse experience pertaining to the national and international levels.

She has been engaged in different roles

struggle as a first-time entrepreneur entering the choppy waters of business at the age of 45. “My immediate competition was with young entrepreneurs in their late 20s and 30s, coming from leading business schools and/or business families,” she adds further. Not only were they more surefooted, but they also had a capital advantage over her.

across industries. From the last 7 years, she has carved a niche for herself and earned a solid reputation in the field of international education. In her wideranging career, Mrs. Krishnan has helped hundreds of students realize their dreams of studying in prestigious international Universities. She has several stories of successful top placements to her credit. At its core lies her deep sense of love and commitment for students along with an unflinching passion for education.

Mrs. Krishnan believes in facilitating personalized student attention and actively engages with students. All of this in order to help them select the most suitable university along with its courses in line with their aspirations.

She has an innate ability to relate with students perfectly and she is supported by an enthusiastic and dedicated team of expert counselors and teachers at Inspirus. To realize their vision of international education, the team of Inspirus enables the highest quality of

educational coaching and counseling to be imparted to students. The team carries out its responsibilities with an unparalleled dedication.

“We work with over 1000 students annually and have reached out to schools in and around Mumbai while offering our services to schools as far as Pune and Kolhapur,” shares Mrs. Krishnan. Under her guidance, Inspirus has achieved the following awards & recognitions: • Indian Education Awards (2019) – Best Education Counselor.

• Knowledge Review – India’s 10 best Overseas Education Institute in 2018.

• CEO Insights (2020) - 10 most Influential Women in Education.

Her mission has always been to lead an enterprise that is driven by purpose. “I realized at the onset itself that the choice of failure was not the one I could afford to have,” says Mrs. Krishnan. She has faced a lot of

Her growth started from first as a banker moving to a leading consulting firm as the Global Head of Human Resources. She was inspired to help young girls and boys from various social strata to achieve their aspirations of receiving quality higher education and wanted to lay the right foundation for their career path. This meant giving up a thriving career and an assured salary and opting for the challenges of setting up an organization without any prior experience or capital support. “To invest my entire savings at a time when my own son was entering an engineering college and would need constant financial support was a tremendous risk at that point,” she explains. But Mrs. Krishnan managed to get through all of these troubles successfully while contributing towards the tremendous growth of the company. This happened after a two and a half decade long career in the corporate sector.

“We are independent educational consultants,” informs Mrs. Krishnan.

Inspirus’ team consists of well-traveled counselors who have rich and diverse experience in the educational field.

Having counseled around thousands of students, these experts offer unbiased advice considering the students’ needs and knowing what works best for them in the long run. This is what makes Inspirus stand out from the rest of the players in the overseas education services space of the country.

READ IT FIRST SUBSCRIBE TO SUCCESS

www.theknowledgereview.com

Follow Us :

Check should be drawn in favor of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA AND TECH PVT. LTD.

CORPORATE OFFICE The Knowledge Review

Off. No. 22 & 510, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017 Phone - India: +91 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85 Email: info@knowledgereview.com For Subscription: www.theknowledgereview.com

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

EDUCATION CONSULTANT 16

April | 2020

Editor’s Desk

F

inding the right school for children is the topmost priority for every parent. It is essential that their children are assured of a place at the school of their choice to enable the family to accept an international assignment or a domestic relocation.

The number of international schools is increasing at an astonishing rate. Thus whether you are admitting your child to a private or international school or college, it makes sense to bring in an education expert to help you navigate the system and make informed decisions.

It is particularly important where school places are scarce or you are working in a tight time frame. One can April | 2020

17

take the help of an educational consultant who is easily available in most regions. But it is essential for them to know which companies support particular schools and the locations expatriate families prefer to live in, to help them make their choice. The consultant can take into account the education system one’s child is moving from and any particular requirements, by making efficient search for places, and recommend shortlisted schools to visit.

institutions, which may demand huge payment fees. In many countries and regions, particularly where language is not an issue, the local state system may provide education that is equal in quality to that provided by fee-paying schools. However, if the family seeks the advice of the consultant having knowledge of the local state system and the quality of schools in the chosen area, it might be easier for the family to choose the school.

Does One Really Needs a Consultant?

Some consultants deal solely with finding private feepaying schools and would not be familiar with the process of sourcing schools in the state education system. Hence, it is crucial to make sure that one selects a consultant who is familiar with the state education system. If one is not sure whether to opt for state or fee-paying education, a consultant who is familiar with both state and fee-paying schools is ideal. If one fails to obtain a place in the chosen state school, engaging an education consultant to help with an appeal can be worthwhile, as it can be a complicated and stressful process.

Finding a home in the preferred location is vital, but the need to be within comfortable travelling distance of both school and work can be challenging. Therefore, discussing the specific needs of the relocation with an education consultant can really help the parents with property search.

Their knowledge of local property and the best schools may save a lot of time and worry.

In some countries, it is important to have a permanent address in the school’s catchment area before an application for a state school can be considered. If an education consultant is familiar with the relocation process, he will be able to coordinate with relocation or destination services provider (DSP), sourcing suitable accommodation for the family.

Some relocation management companies (RMCs) have their own in-house education consultants, while other firms use the services of particular education consultants.

Usually, an employer plans to move families to coincide with the start of the academic year. But, this would not be always feasible in the fast-paced and competitive global markets. Sometimes companies need to relocate the employees to take up an assignment to meet business needs.

Considering the scenario, an education consultant can be particularly helpful in sourcing schools in a minimal time. A professional consultant may know the market situation and understand the fluctuations in school-place availability. The consultant can therefore help with the timing of the move and the application.

Notably, the advice of an educational consultant is more helpful when a group relocates, whether that is a domestic group move or transfer to another country.

The Mode of Education Not all relocating families admit their child to private

18

Planning School Visits It is always good to visit a school when it is working, and when the children are in the school premises. Due to this, one can gain a better appreciation of the culture of the school and the quality of the education it provides.

Moreover, when one is planning school visits, it is important to check whether the school is in session or not.

Additionally, one should always remember that the state schools, private schools and international schools may have different term dates.

It would not be always possible to visit state schools out of term time or in busy periods near the end or beginning of term. But if an education consultant has a good relationship with local schools, he can possibly arrange a tour when the school is closed.

In the case of private, international or selective state schools, children are many a times required to give exams or tests or undergo an interview. All of this can be arranged by an education consultant, which can be incorporated into the orientation visit.

Finding the Right Education Consultant It is important to know that the consultant understands the need of the child and if any particular education requirements. For instance, if the child has Special Educational Needs (SEN), the consultant should be able to April | 2020

settle the child in appropriate schools, and understand the schooling options and support available.

Regarding fees, it varies considerably from country to country and between local areas. Consultants specializing in obtaining school places in top fee-paying schools may be very expensive. One should be able to obtain an idea of basic fees from the websites of most reputable consultants, or make an initial enquiry.

April | 2020

Getting the Best from your Education Consultant When appointing an education consultant, one should check their knowledge of school systems, curricula, and state, private and international schools, to make choices accordingly. Most importantly establishing a rapport with the consultant, and discussing about the child’s particular requirements would surely help. Preparedness towards negotiating with the consultant and exploring new options are the better ways to get ones child admitted to the best institution thereby getting best from the consultant. T R

19

Mancomp Overseas Education Creating Opportunities to Pursue Passion and Talent

S

electing a desired school or college is the most crucial decision a student has to take.

With the plethora of colleges and courses now present in the world, making an informed decision might be difficult not only for the parents but also for the students. This is where educational consultants show their presence felt. Experienced in educational consulting and having extensive resources and knowledge regarding educational and therapeutic program options, such educational consultants help both the students and the parents make the right choice.

Recognizing the same thought, we had the opportunity to talk with Mr. P. Sreedharan, the Managing Director of Mancomp Overseas Education. The below conversation centers around why consulting an experienced education consultant is important and how his team and consultancy is helping students achieve their dreams.

Kindly provide us the detailed information about your firm.

Mr. Sreedharan : Incorporated in the year 1988, Mancomp Overseas Education (previously known as Mancomp Professional Services Pvt. Ltd.) is a 32-year-old organization promoting overseas Education in India.

A pioneer in the field of Education Consultancy in India, Mancomp represents many leading universities across the globe. We started long before any multi-national company opened offices in India. Mancomp was the first educational consultancy to

20

operate in India, under a corporate banner. We have experienced counsellors who have completed relevant counselling, training for Australia, UK and Singapore. We provide personalized attention and care to all our students. We look back over the thirty two years we have left behind, with a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. We have lived up to the rigorous standards we have set for ourselves. Whenever we receive a former student at our office or talk to their parents or read a mail from them, we know we have taken the right decision by starting Mancomp. The happiness and confidence on their faces gives us the strength to better ourselves in future.

What efforts do you take to consult about the best institutes and schools or courses for the students to pursue?

Mr. Sreedharan: First and foremost, we look at the history of the university in terms of age and recognition. We also look at the ranking of the university in various courses they offer, how the university ranks among world’s most international universities, where do they stand among Asia’s most innovative university, QS world university rankings, Times Higher Education World University rankings and many other significant rankings.

We also see what life changing research; the university has contributed in making a positive impact in local communities around the world. We also look at how welcoming and friendly they are toward international students. We also look at the tuition fee structure, scholarships offered and the

liveability and friendliness of the city the university is present in.

In what way do you provide overseas boarding, financial assistance and insurance assistance to the students?

Mr. Sreedharan : We keep our students well informed about the oncampus accommodation facilities offered by universities and even help them with the application process. We are also tied up with international student accommodation provider “Urban Nest” who offer accommodation at competitive rates at their properties in Australia. We also help students to network with existing students who we have sent in finding accommodation before travelling.

We also help in arranging educational loans for our students by tying up with banks like Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank whose loan processing is faster and more convenient to the students and parents.

We recommend good overseas health covers to the students and help in the application of the same. We recommend insurances that provide a good cover at a competitive price without keeping any commissions in mind. We put the student and parents first always.

What support do you provide in acquiring visa services in minimum time or other immigration services, and aid in further settlements?

Mr. Sreedhara: Visa and immigration rules cannot be influenced in any April | 2020

manner from an organisational aspect.

We aid in preparation of the necessary documentation for the visa submission and submit to the concerned embassy on behalf of the student and engage in constant follow-up. If legitimate documents are presented and the student meets the visa requirements, the student shall receive the visa in reasonable mentioned time. Mancomp has a very high visa success rate with all embassies considering the meticulous and genuine submissions made by the organisation.

How according to you is consultation important before admitting into an overseas school or institute?

Mr. Sreedharan: Consultation is important to determine the class and type of visa that the student is applying for. One can also determine the duration of the visa and the fee to be paid. The student also gets to know the living expenses the student should have in his or her account in India to aid in visa approval. Consultation enables us to educate the student about the country they are moving to from an all-round aspect without leaving out any details so that the transition becomes easier for the student as they are temporarily stepping out of their comfort zone. We highly appreciate the students for taking this decision and want to make things from our side as comfortable as possible.

State about the awards and accreditations your firm has achieved?

Mr. Sreedharan: We have not received any awards as such. The best award and reward to us is when we hear from a student or their parent the news about the successful completion of the course. We are happy that we were able to aid the student in their journey and we at Mancomp always wish them best April | 2020

ENABLERS OF THE DREAM PATHWAY Mr. P Sreedharan (Managing Director)

Graduate in Business and Law from Bangalore University, Mr. P. Sreedharan started his career as Manager in 1973 with a wellknown public limited company in Chennai. In 1988, he floated Mancomp, a company to promote Overseas Education among Indian students. Mr. Sreedharan successfully completed the Professional Development Program in promoting UK Education and the training course conducted by The British Council. A very widely read person, Mr. Sreedharan has a good collection of books under him which he proudly speaks about. He is also a Rotarian, holding membership at the Rotary Club of Meenambakkam and has also been the president of his club for the year 1994-1995. He has been a mentor to the very many students who have come to Mancomp seeking advice.

Mrs. Shoba Gopalakrishnan (Senior Student Counsellor)

Graduate in Literature from University of Madras, Shoba has been working with Mancomp since 2000. She has successfully completed EATC (Education Agent Training Course), is now a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (QEAC). She has also completed the Professional Development Program in Promoting UK Education and Training course conducted by British Council. Shoba has been a pillar of support for Mancomp these last 20 years by counselling an overwhelming number of students and guiding them in the right direction and helping them with their college application and visa process. Shoba sees to that she stays in touch with our past and present students as she believes the relationship Mancomp builds with a student doesn’t end once the student leaves for the destination country.

21

Ms. Sujitha Sudhakaran (Student Counsellor)

Graduate in Economics from University of Madras, Sujitha has been working with Mancomp since 2007. She has successfully completed the Professional Development Program in Promoting UK Education and Training course conducted by British Council. Apart from counselling students, she also handles the company’s Accounts and statutory compliance. Sujitha is also a person who keeps in constant touch with the students she has counselled.

Mr. Rohith Satheesh (Director- Marketing)

Rohith is an MBA graduate from Edith Cowan University, Perth and is Director- Marketing at Mancomp. He has 4 years of experience working as a Business Development Manager and Administrative Officer both in India and Australia. His passion is marketing and business development and is currently on the run to make the organisation’s presence known across India. Rohith is also a student who went through Mancomp in the year 2018 and now has joined this organisation so that he can also talk with students looking to study in Australia from having experienced ground zero reality.

Mr. Dhandapani (Office Assistant) Dhandapani is the office assistant at Mancomp and is the oldest employee of the organisation. He has been with Mr. Sreedharan right since day one of the incorporation and is a truly dedicated person and a hard worker when it comes to doing his job. He is highly dependable and honest is what Mr. Sreedharan says. Every person who has walked in and out of Mancomp from students to university staff from abroad are well acquainted with his friendly face.

22

of luck. We also are awarded with a greater number of students coming to us from the referrals of our earlier students and their parents. We are extremely grateful to them for this.

Accreditations: Member since the inception of AAERI (Association of Australian Educational Representatives in India) Member of the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce Certificate of appreciation and support from QUT International (Queensland University of Technology) from then Vice-Chancellor RD Gibson in the year 1993.

What is the outreach of the firm globally in terms educational consultancy?

Mr. Sreedharan : We have reached all over India. We have sent students hailing from different students across India despite not having a physical office elsewhere. Being a 32-year-old organisation, Mancomp is well known amongst most reputed universities in countries like Australia, Singapore, UK and Ireland. This is because we were here before anyone else and have represented and been associated with them for long.

What are the future prospects of your firm in terms of expansion?

Mr. Sreedharan : Over these 32 years we have helped in transforming the lives of over 5000 students and we wish to continue with our service and help many more students in the years to come. We plan on expanding and reaching out to more students by opening satellite offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Cochin in the coming years. T R

April | 2020

Massimo Cristofanilli MD

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, is a professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and associate director for translational research at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

THE POWER OF MOLECULAR UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETATION IN PRECISION ONCOLOGY: FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REALITY

P

recision medicine may represent the most significant revolution in medicine in the last decade. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, there has been a proliferation of studies aimed at the discovery of direct links between specific alterations in the individual DNA, also known as germline DNA, and diseases. The first goal is to identify potential therapeutic interventions aimed at replacing the defective gene or correcting the underlying defect causing the disease. The second, probably with much more downstream impact, is to identify individuals at risk and make them aware of the potential risk for future generations and, in some cases, correct the defect before it is transmitted.

24

An expert in translational research and treatment of patients with inßammatory breast cancer, Dr. Cristofanilli has led the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic markers in primary and metastatic breast cancer. His research is focused on advancing a patient-centered, biology-driven model of cancer care, combining sophisticated tissue and bloodbased molecular diagnostic technologies and innovative treatments.

Dr. Cristofanilli is also Director of Lurie Cancer Center OncoSET. Through an innovative three-step process – Sequence, Evaluate, Treat -- the precision medicine program combines oncology with genomic sequencing to provide cuttingedge cancer care personalized for each patient. Another area of emphasis is educating physicians about emerging technologies and strategies for translating advances in precision medicine to their clinical practice.

April | 2020

Expert’s Viewpoint

The creation of the “perfectly healthy” individual without any genetic condition is coming closer to reality. In the meantime, the development of revolutionary interventions to treat progressive blindness due to a mutated gene (RPE65) and hemophilia represent some examples of such novel and impactful opportunities. At a more practical level, today pharmacogenomic testing is increasingly offered to patients to predict the efficacy and toxicity profile of commonly used drugs, allowing physicians to practice a safer and more precise therapeutic intervention.

Perhaps the area with the greatest potential impact for precision medicine is oncology, by definition a genetic disease. Many alterations in gene-controlling essential functions in cancer cells have already been discovered, but genetically-directed therapeutic interventions have been successful in only a minority of cases. Generally, these interventions are beneficial when the genetic change in the cancer cells is predominantly in one gene location in all the cells.

The most successful example of gene-directed therapy is represented by imatinib (Gleevec), FDA-approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The clinical use of this agent also provided the opportunity to learn about resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies and the importance of monitoring the complex biology of cancer cells. Thus, we need to use multigene testing to be able to assess a more complex pathway analysis and to use the same testing in a longitudinal fashion.

The availability of sophisticated genomic analysis allowing investigators to evaluate large panels of cancer genes (somatic DNA alterations), sometimes associated with mRNA expression profiling using a small amount of tissue, is becoming an affordable reality for every tumor and available to every patient. Most of these tests perform parallel testing of germline (individual patient) DNA, giving a more complete understanding of the cancerassociated risk and potential therapies. Moreover, the use of blood-based genomic testing or liquid biopsy allows for a continuous monitoring of somatic (tumor) alterations over time, with the assumption that we can potentially predict benefit or response and use imaging studies more judiciously. The availability of these novel tests created a paradoxical situation in clinical practice. Many times oncologists are not prepared to deal with the complexity of the information provided, or do not have access to the April | 2020

identified therapeutic interventions. There is a new and pressing need to provide every physician with the tools and capability to rapidly access this expanded knowledge and translate it into more effective and individualized therapeutic options.

Large organizations have created infrastructures such as molecular tumor boards (MTBs) and have expanded their portfolio of clinical trials to include more targeted agents.

Even in such a scenario, if we were to rapidly escalate the use of molecular diagnostics in every patient with advanced cancer and incorporate the use of liquid biopsy into everyday practice, the time and resources needed to analyze individual data over time would be overwhelming. This challenging and complex task requires the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in the practice of oncology allowing rapid bioinformatics analysis of complex genetic codes and provides the list of cancer-related genomic abnormalities likely to drive individual tumors.

The use of AI can drastically reduce the time to analyze the “current” scientific and clinical evidence available in the literature (sometimes thousands of manuscripts) to predict the pathway- or gene-direct agent likely to produce the best therapeutic benefit. In the near future, it will also incorporate structured clinical data from thousands of real cases, improving the predictive value of the structured reports.

The evaluation and treatment of a cancer patient is moving closer to the reality seen in science-fiction literature and movies. For every medical consultation, a treatment and prediction of benefit can only be accurately prepared after analysis of both tissue and blood samples for somatic and germline mutations. The simplified report of this complex analysis is performed with the support of both sophisticated laboratories supported by AI in a short time, and repeated over time in the blood to monitor response to treatment and potentially change it. Imaging studies will become less useful and the overwhelming data will furnish evidence for new models to develop drugs, ultimately reducing cost. T R

25

Megamind Consultants Elevating the Paradigm of Overseas Education to the Next Level

Mr. Ganesh Kejriwal Founder

O

verseas Education nowadays, has become a trend amongst young learners who are looking to take their career up a notch.

Studying abroad is opening up avenues that are not just ensuring personal growth for an individual but also enhancing the professional arena in a very astute manner. Therefore, to satiate the market demand of compatible and convenient overseas education opportunities, there are few agencies that are driving a holistic

26

approach for aspirants who are looking to study abroad by enabling proper guidance for the same. One such organization which provides effective and efficient services in the study abroad domain is Megamind Consultants Private Limited.

Mr. Ganesh Kejriwal, Founder of Megamind, established the company in 2003. The firm provides services such as Career Counseling, Application Guidelines, University Selection Process, LOR/SOP, and IELTS test preparation to students who are planning their higher studies abroad.

The organization has its branches spread in Delhi and Chandigarh, with its Head Office located in Delhi.

aspects of study abroad admissions, may it be University profiling, shortlisting, application and VISA services. A 95% VISA success rate, strong alumni network and prompt placement of the company shows its expertise in the study abroad domain.

Distinguished Offerings Megamind's branches have experienced specialists for each country as a study destination, IELTS preparation, and application process.

The firm has end to end services for study abroad aspirants.It has placed more than 10,000 students globally, serving more than 200 Universities. It also has a Visa success rate of 95%.

The company believes in delivering complete satisfaction to its students through its alumni network, a strong VISA process, and its excellent success rate of placing the students abroad.

All these services are of paramount importance to overseas education aspirants, as they have very limited information on all these aspects. For any student to go abroad and study, it

Megamind has expertise in all the April | 2020

“We believe in delivering complete satisfaction to students through a very strong alumni network, a strong VISA process, and excellent success rate of placing the students abroad” students who were provided the services, the range of Universities in its network and its success rate in placing the students abroad.

is imperative to have all the necessary information beforehand.

The firm has Boarding Associates, Insurance Partners and tie ups with Financial Institutions, in order to help the students and meet their needs which can be fulfilled at the earliest.

This makes things much easier for students as they get to avail all these services under one roof enabled by Megamind. Assisting on financial requirements and Insurance needs is as important as the test score.Megamind makes sure that a student gets all services as per the requirement with the least amount of efforts made by the aspirants.

Dynamics of Megamind Megamind is a success story of a strong, self-motivated team, which strives for student satisfaction in their Study Abroad journey. Most of its students are procured through referrals via past students and parents. This shows that the growth of the company has been majorly achieved due to the kind of trust that people have displayed in the firm. The trust is based on the Alumni network, and decent amount of Scholarships, that the company has been facilitating and maintaining.

Megamind has witnessed growth not only in its size and geographical presence, but also in the number of

April | 2020

Megamind stays in constant touch with Universities and colleges abroad for updates on their latest programs, fee structure, and requirements. It has networked with over 200 Universities abroad and provides apt information students on their study abroad queries.

The firm participates in regular meets/seminars, and admission fairs organized by these Universities and colleges to stay updated with all the information which can be later passed down to the aspirants.

There is a point system on which the students need to have minimum points for securing a seat in his/her desired College/University. The teams at Megamind, in this case, guide the candidate as per the profile keeping all the factors in mind, right from IELTS score to Undergrad/Grad score. “Our PR experts take care of the PR services, and citizenship requirements of the candidates. All these factors contribute to a 95% VISA success rate,” shares Mr. Ganesh.

Over the Time…

Megamind has tie ups with more than 200 Universities abroad, making these accessible for students in accordance to their individual profile and candidature. The company makes sure that the student gets the University/College, he/she deserves.

“Where students and their parents find it hard to even know the

University /Colleges suited for their profile, we not only provide them with University/College options but also give them insights into the cultural aspects and environment of different countries,” states Mr. Ganesh.

The spectrum of overseas education today, is not limited to only 4-5 countries. It is expanding now to countries like Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, NewZealand, Australia, Ireland, and Germany etc.The requirement of overseas education consulting has now started to take place in tier 2 and tier 3 cities as well. Megamind has plans to expand in other cities of the country.

Its Admissions, VISA, and Application teams are now expanding, and services have become deliverable online now.

Some of the notable awards and accolades achieved by Megamind are as follows: • Megamind is an IELTS registration centre for the British Council and a member of British Council IELTS Partnership Programme.

• Megamind has received a certificate from Business World for Excellence in Higher Education Counselling.

• Megamind has received a Certificate of excellence from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Top Ranked KPU agent.

• Megamind has received a Certificate of appreciation from Centennial College of Arts & Technology as No. 8 performer for 2016.

• Megamind has received a Certificate of appreciation from Algonquin College. T R

27

One Window Overseas Education Your Ultimate Solution to Explore Various Study Destinations

T

hose days are over when most of the Indian students opted for either engineering or medical courses after high school. Today’s generation is not shying away from taking a path less travelled. Unlike before, they now have a pool of options to choose from their interests and skillsets. This trend has also caught on with individuals studying overseas.

It is delighting to see so many young people from across the world choosing foreign educational institutes to pursue their higher education. In doing so, they’re becoming part of a global community that has produced some of the world’s most exciting and innovative companies. With worldleading universities, thriving business ecosystems and unrivalled cultural landscapes, studying in foreign educational institutes offer the

“

ONE WINDOW ENVISIONS TO BE A PIONEER IN THE EDUCATION INDUSTRY

BY CONSISTENTLY DELIVERING QUALITY SERVICE 30

opportunity to be at the forefront of creativity and innovation.

Overseas education is continuously growing in demand for students aspiring for a quality education which at certain times the universities in their country can’t offer. In light of this, an overseas education consultancy is the solution for the students who aspire to attain higher education, prepare, and carefully plan the steps.

One Window Overseas Education Pvt. Ltd is on a mission is to bring overseas education within reach of every individual. It is committed to provide superior services of international standards comprehensively with an emphasis on quality, service excellence, empathy, and respect.

One Window, incepted in the year 2009, provides easy reach to quality education options around the world for deserving students without any hassle.

To date, One Window has successfully placed 6500+ students in universities across the world.

In an interview with Insights Success, the team of One Window shares insightful perspectives and opinions about the organization, its vision and mission, its key aspects, and how it strives towards a better tomorrow.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

What efforts do you take to consult about the best institutes and schools or courses for the students to pursue?

Understanding the students’ requirements and matching them with the right institution. With the use of data analytics to analyse previous acceptance rates and current requirements of the university we deliver the best results for the success of the student.

In what way do you provide overseas boarding, financial assistance and insurance assistance to the students?

We have partnered with the best organisations of the world to provide these kinds of benefits along with our forte of career counselling and admission processing. We check the track record of the companies before associating with them to match them with our level of customer satisfaction.

What support do you provide in acquiring visa services in minimum time or other immigration services, and aid in further settlements?

With constant training and continuous delivery of the error-free service, our team has gained expertise in making the visa successful rate stand on the highest numbers possible. Our visa success rate has always been more than 98%. Our service not just ends at visa acceptance but we also cater to students and parents in getting the best

April | 2020

fares for travel tickets, best exchange rates for foreign currency and accommodation in the destination country.

How according to you is consultation important before admitting into an overseas school or institute?

Taking counselling from an expert advisor helps gain clarity over the needs and wants to the student. Getting into the right college is the most crucial decision a student has to ever make. A wrong move may lead to compromising on a bright and successful career. Counsellors are the experts who have complete knowledge about suitable careers. They possess the skills to guide a student on the right path of education. Counsellors at One Window are highly experienced and skilled to guide students for any level of education all around the world. They have been trained and assessed by reputed organisations from different parts of the world.

State about the awards and accreditations?

One Window is an officially accredited agency by ICEF. We’ve been awarded Highly Responsive Business by Sulekha.com in 2018 (one of the leading local business search engines).

We’ve also been recognized by the Higher Education Review Magazine as the Best Consultancy of the Year 2017 with a cover story on One Window Overseas Education. In the year 2013 and 2015 IDP recognized us as the Best Business Partner.

What is the outreach of the firm globally in terms of educational consultancy?

Students guided by One Window are studying at multiple destinations across the world. Its clients are also from different countries like Sri Lanka, Philippines, USA, Dubai, Qatar, Nepal,

April | 2020

Ankit Jain

Business Development Specialist Thailand, etc. Our USP is to provide services that can be delivered virtually through different modes i.e. Email, Phone Calls, Skype, etc.

What are the future prospects of your firm in terms of expansion?

With the growing digitisation in the world, One Window plans to become one of the leading companies to be present in every corner of the world.

New tools will make the students get counselled in a way no one was counselled before. With the use of technology, it is going to be a whole new experience for the students. One Window’s New Office is going to set new standards in the whole overseas education consulting industry. It is going to be an amazing experience altogether.

About the Leaders This entrepreneurial venture was founded by Anurag Jain, the Director and the visionary behind the success of One Window. He has driven the company with complete dedication and has ensured that each student gets into

Anurag Jain Director

his/her dream institution for higher education.

He speaks to every student before their application process starts at One Window and also after it gets completed. As of today, One Window’s admission success rate is more than 95% because of the methods Anurag has developed which are used by each counsellor at One Window. His motivation towards work gets everyone in the office charged up and moving towards the mission of the company.

Ankit Jain, the Business Development Specialist, has taken up the reigns to make One Window rise with international standards and ethical code of conduct from among the other companies in the industry. He is responsible for getting numerous associations and tie-ups from international institutions. One Window, since its inception, has always been known for their ethical ways of running the business.

31

Technology Enhancing Future Workforce & Economic Competitiveness

M

ost technologies can be shaped to have more benefits than negatives. The highest beneficiary of technology is the education system today.

It is advancing learning and improving performance by creating and using appropriate technological processes and resources.

The Role of Social Media in Learning Social media has gained credibility as a source of information and a platform for organizations to communicate with audiences. Educational systems are rapidly adopting it as a communication tool where students can interact with their peers and faculty members. Embracing social media in education is making students access useful materials to connect learning groups and other educational systems making learning convenient.

Social media giants like Google, Facebook, Youtube have enabled educational institutions to communicate campus news, announcements, useful information. Hashtags on social media and engaging students in online discussions is also the latest trend.

The Power of Visuals Visuals are helping learners grasp the concepts efficiently by stimulating imagination and affecting their cognitive capabilities. Besides, the visual language also has the potential to stretch ‘human bandwidth’. The learning analytics created by digital learning content has been most exciting and potentially impactful so far.

Students and teachers have unanimously agreed upon the positive impact on the quality education delivered and the benefits of introducing e-books in education.

E-books have enabled students to easily highlight, annotate and share their notes with friends, tutors or study groups.

E-books are streamlining and enhancing the overall learning insights making the learning process more interactive and engaging.

32

E-books are proving to be an educational reform helping students to imbibe and recall the information better and faster.

Also, SmartBoard technology which displays the content in the form of animations, videos and previews are making the learning experience fun among students.

Transforming Classrooms AR integrates digital information that makes us feel like a real-world environment which increase the participation, immersion, and interaction with the topics whereas VR creates an artificial environment. AR is making deep inroads in education making studies more interesting and contextual.

Media and Digital Literacy The development of mobile apps for education unlocked a new way of need-based learning.

Students are collaborating on group projects using technology-based tools such as google docs and Trello.

To name a few apps that are helping out the learners are Hologo, Netflix, edX, Coursera, Brilliant and Youtube are the best platforms for formal and informal learning.

Beyond The Walls of School Through technology, educators now are no longer constricted to collaborate with students in schools, instead they can connect with other educators and experts across their communities or around the world.

They can now connect with real-world concerns and design learning experiences that can allow students to explore local needs and priorities. This makes classroom learning more authentic and relevant.

Additionally by using tools like video conferencing, online chatting, social media sites, people from urban and rural April | 2020

Expert Talk

Safura Begum CEO Inventateq

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Safura Begum the CEO of Inventateq, has extensive experience in the ďŹ eld of computer and analytics and has been leading the training institute successfully for many years. She has worked across multiple industry verticals and possesses a deep analysis in the technology sector made.

April | 2020

33

areas to rural can connect and collaborate with peers and experts around the world to form professional learning communities.

Aiding the Specially-abled Technology is been pivotal in the life of specially-abled people by working around their disabilities and providing them a suitable learning environment. Technology does not necessarily require a large amount of funding but a great talent to invent it.

Adaptive computing is overcoming challenging tasks. A remarkable example has shown how technology can become the game-changer of the specially-abled by making use of telepresence robots; at a school in Copenhagen, Denmark which is a k-12 school for the specially-abled.

It has made the students virtually attend the classes. The telepresence robot is a FaceTime connection on two wheels that is WiFi-enabled iPad or tablet and controlled by a controller or smartphone.

Moreover, screen reader applications like JAWS with specially designed Braille keyboards are enabling visually challenged students to use computers.

Augmentative communication that uses pictures, charts, books, and specialized computers provide functions for word-prediction with more effective communication helping the students to tackle the communication barrier.

Tech Grooming Seniors With advancing technology, those are the senior citizens that stay behind in house and far away from their brood.

They fear something might go wrong if touched an iPad or a laptop and remain reluctant to modern advances. But now a growing number of ageing older are embracing digital and trying to learn new things.

Many times there are debates on how technology is spoiling relationships but it has undoubtedly helped in sustaining relationships for the older who are far away from their loved ones.

Studies have found that today baby boomers and senior citizens form an important percentile in smartphone ownership using it for medication alerts, fall detection alerts, ordering books, and leisure.

Need for a Guide

34

Regardless of the advancements in technology, the presence of a teacher will not be hampered. The biggest factor in the achievement of a student is the teacher-student relationship.

You can have a personalized device approach, continuous internet connection and avail the latest software but the fact will prevail. Unless a teacher is on hand to engage the students and enquire them, learning is limited.

The Foreseeable Generation Providing higher connectivity to mobile phones, tablets, and e-readers can be a solution in the global effort to give high-quality, multifaceted education for the people everywhere, especially for the people living in the most isolated and poorest countries.

In the years to come, digital literacy will be deemed more important than academic literacy. The education cost offered now will see a decline and numerous options will be available on the internet.

Upgraded tools will emerge for measuring the text complexity. Diverse learning forms will begin to supplement the schools including business learning, invisible learning, and open-source learning.

Jobs and Career at Inventateq Inventateq is an Software Training provider with over 100+ courses and Millions of students.

Want to thrive in the IT industry for the next decade? You need to become proficient in the Technical skills of tomorrow.

Here’s a future-ready list of Technical skills that you can start learning today!

Learn programming, Digital Marketing Training (https://www.inventateq.com/), data science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning Course (https://www.inventateq.com/machine-learningcertification-training-courses.php), Cloud Computing, Devops Training in Bangalore (https://www.inventateq.com/devops-training-institutes-inbangalore.php), AWS Training in Bangalore (https://www.inventateq.com/amazon-web-services-awstraining-institutes-bangalore.php), Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Python training in Bangalore (https://www.inventateq.com/python-training-coursebangalore.php), AutoCad, Catia and Many more IT Courses. T R

April | 2020