After two exciting weeks, the TERI summer school 2016 has come to an end. We received this feedback by one of the participants:

I simply do not have words to express the gratitude for everything, from making us familiar with a new city to showing us the giant steps that Germany has taken in so many areas. We have so much to learn from your country and as Dr Miranda Schreurs rightly pointed out so much to rediscover from our own country and to showcase it to the world. It really was an eyeopener, the way Germany has rebuilt itself and the way it has accepted its past and is honest and open about the way it has integrated East Germany and is providing home to millions of migrants. The story of Germany actually appears to be a science fiction story with an earlier Department of Nuclear Energy transformed to Department of Education, a former military outpost converted to a Bio energy village. It is amazing the way water is cleaned without any chemicals and the waste treated and recycled - no wonder the water of the river and lakes are sparkling and the skyline so blue. The passion and enthusiasm of all the speakers about their area of work and the synergy between the Government and the Academia is something that should find its way in our country too,

I was expecting a cold, aloof, professional and highly mechanical setup and instead I really am floored with all that I received - the warm welcome, the amazing food, the efforts involved in making the program a success. The museums are one of the best in the world especially the Technical Museum, the Botanical museum and the Neues Museum and to explore only the city will require many more visits.

There are a lot of takeaways from the program and it will be some time before we will be able to assimilate all the information but one line spoken by Dr Frank Petrikowski that Germany copes with all its problems by constantly staying two steps ahead   has left quite an impression. The fact pointed out by him and by other speakers also that human beings are the biggest resource and the need of the hour is to invest in them is true for our country too. The way everyone cycles has been another motivating factor for all of us. On behalf of the entire group I thank all of you and extend an invitation to all of you and to all the speakers to visit Delhi. We will definitely keep in touch as there is so much that we can do together.