Where global innovation meets young thinkers

From decoding global pandemics to cracking real MIT-style coding challenges, Apeejay’s IB School, Apeejay School International, Panchsheel Park, transformed into a hub of world-class innovation as MIT experts brought cutting-edge learning to campus. The school successfully hosted an enriching academic collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), marking a significant milestone in global education and interdisciplinary learning. The initiative reflected the school’s commitment to providing world-class academic exposure and fostering a culture of inquiry, innovation, and higher-order thinking among students.     

The interactive learning sessions were led by MIT Professor Sinha, and visiting MIT students, who brought global perspectives, advanced academic insights, and experiential learning methodologies directly to campus. Students from MYP-5 to DP-2 actively participated in the programme, engaging with complex concepts across multiple disciplines through hands-on and discussion-based learning. 

Student Coordinator Rivan Berlia, from MYP 5, played a pivotal role in the successful collaboration with the MIT members. From initiating the connection to meticulous planning, execution, scheduling, and final coordination, he managed every stage from scratch, making the entire engagement seamless and highly fruitful for all involved. The collaboration featured five thoughtfully designed sessions, each focusing on real-world applications of academic concepts. 

The Mathematics session, titled Introduction to Game Theory, enabled students to explore strategic decision-making using marbles, chessboards, and dominoes, encouraging logical reasoning and analytical thinking.

In Biology, the session on Epidemiology introduced students to the science of disease spread and prevention, using glow-in-the-dark paints, UV blacklights, and safety equipment to demonstrate concepts through simulation-based learning.

The Bioengineering session focused on CRISPR-Cas9, where students constructed paper models to understand the fundamentals of gene editing, gaining insight into one of the most transformative innovations in modern science.

The Neuroscience session on the Vision Pathway provided a conceptual understanding of how visual information is processed by the brain, emphasising structure-function relationships without the need for physical materials.

In Computer Science, students participated in a Coding on LeetCode session, working on laptops to strengthen problem-solving skills, algorithmic thinking, and computational logic. 

Speaking about the session, Rivan said, “I learnt about the faculty’s visit to the city through a mutual contact and immediately saw it as an opportunity worth exploring for our students. I reached out to the professor and Ms Megha Hegde, who was coordinating the MIT Global Classrooms initiative, to propose the idea of conducting an academic session at our school. The intent was to create a meaningful exchange that would benefit both ends, giving students early exposure to global teaching methodologies while allowing the visiting faculty to engage with inquisitive young learners in a school environment.”

To convey this vision effectively, he worked extensively on drafting a compelling and detailed email that clearly outlined the purpose, impact, and mutual value of the session. While there were challenges, particularly in aligning schedules due to the faculty’s demanding commitments, we were eventually able to identify a brief yet feasible time window,” he said.

Despite the tight timeline, the sessions proved to be deeply enriching. “My favourites were game theory and neuroscience, which were introduced through applied and experiential learning methods, enabling students to move beyond rote memorisation and actively engage with concepts through real-life scenarios, problem-solving exercises, and interactive activities. This approach not only made learning enjoyable but also encouraged critical thinking and practical application of knowledge,” he shared.

The experience reinforced an important lesson: Opportunities may be rare and time-bound, but with initiative and persistence, they can be transformed into meaningful learning moments. “I am sincerely grateful to Ms Neha Sharma, Vice-principal of the school, Professor Sinha, and Ms Megha Hegde for taking time out of their busy schedules to make this interaction possible. Their willingness to engage with students left a lasting impact and set a strong example of collaborative and future-focused education.

“The experience was truly enriching in terms of exposure. I thoroughly enjoyed the well-planned activities, which encouraged me to explore newer academic interests. I have always been inclined towards mathematics and technology, but witnessing their intersection with biology and neuroscience was particularly inspiring. It has motivated me to pursue future studies in a similar interdisciplinary direction,” Ria Chadha, student of DP-2, shared.

“The visit by MIT students was an enriching experience that offered meaningful insight into the integration of neuroscience, bioengineering, mathematics and computer science. Learning about Project Prakash, which supports the visually impaired through data-driven research, was especially inspiring and sparked my curiosity. Although I study Business Management, I have always been keen to understand how the human body works. The epidemiology session, with its interactive case study and hands-on activity, stood out. Connecting real-life data with scientific concepts helped me see how innovative, impactful ideas can emerge even at the school level, while also highlighting real challenges within our country,” said Tani Bansal, DP-2. 

“The session with the MIT students and Dr Sinha was truly inspiring. It helped me understand how STEM subjects can be meaningfully integrated with social services. Dr Sinha’s life journey, shared with a touch of humour, made the session even more engaging. My favourite part was interacting with the MIT students on topics like game theory and combinatorics. Overall, it was a highly enriching experience,” Vivaan Khanna, student of MYP-5, stated.

“The programme with MIT students and Professor Sinha was highly enriching. It began with the information about his journey and introducing his project that supports the treatment and education of visually impaired students globally. This was followed by interactive sessions in mathematics, biology, and computer science. I attended the Math and Computer Science sessions, where activities and games made learning engaging. The discussion on neural networks and artificial intelligence was particularly inspiring and encouraged me to explore this field as a possible career path,” Ariham Jain, student of MYP-5, said. 

The sessions offered students invaluable opportunities for hands-on learning, interdisciplinary exposure, and direct interaction with advanced academic concepts, bridging theory with practical application. The collaboration not only enhanced subject knowledge but also inspired curiosity, global awareness, and academic confidence.   

This landmark initiative truly embodied the spirit of Global Minds. One Campus. By bringing MIT’s academic excellence to its classrooms, the school reaffirmed its vision of learning beyond borders, empowering students to engage with global education standards and future-ready skills