From Internship to Impact: Redefining Adult Partnerships in Social Work Education

On May 17, 2025, a thought-provoking online dialogue unfolded between Mr. Suneel Vatsyayan—CEO of Vidya Lead Academy and Chairperson of Nada India Foundation—and distinguished faculty members from the School of Behavioural and Social Sciences (SBSS), Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS), Faridabad. The conversation was more than a customary academic-industry engagement—it was a call to reimagine student readiness and institutional partnerships in social work and public policy.

In attendance were:

• Prof. (Dr.) Taranjeet, Dean, SBSS

• Dr. Twinkal Dogra, Assistant Professor, Public Policy and Administration

• Dr. Nikhil Sehra, Assistant Professor, International Relations

• Dr. Vishal Sagar, Assistant Professor, Political Science

• Mr. Upamanyu Basu, Assistant Professor, Political Science

Mr. Vatsyayan opened with a reflective account of his journey as a social strategist and internship program designer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world grappled with uncertainty, Nada India transformed adversity into opportunity by facilitating virtual internships for over 2,000 students. This effort not only sustained the academic engagement of students but enriched them with real-time exposure to community-centered health advocacy, youth participation, and public policy initiatives.

🎯 The Central Message: Readiness and Recognition

Mr. Vatsyayan underscored a vital insight: “Students should be ready to grab the opportunity and develop the confidence to move forward in the social policy space.” But readiness, he emphasized, requires more than syllabus coverage—it demands a collaborative academic ecosystem that recognizes and values the contribution of civil society organizations.

Civil society professionals like him, who have invested decades in community-level programming and policy advocacy, bring a wealth of experiential knowledge. Their role should be seen not just as mentors or field supervisors, but as co-educators and academic collaborators. "Our experience, skillsets, and innovations need to be equally recognized, respected, and compensated," he added, framing the conversation around the notion of "adult partnerships."

🔗 Connecting Practice to Policy, Field to Classroom

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of establishing long-term institutional relationships between academic centers like MRIIRS and field-based organizations like Nada India. This echoes the spirit of the earlier blog published on January 10, 2025: “Strengthening the Bridge: The Crucial Relationship Between Social Work Departments and Fieldwork Agencies.”

In that article, the need for elevating field agencies as academic partners was clearly established. The partnership must move beyond tokenistic internships toward immersive apprenticeships, where students are not passive observers but active contributors. Mr. Vatsyayan reiterated that Nada India functions as a living lab, where public health, community organizing, and policy practice intersect—and students from Manav Rachna and other universities should be encouraged to become part of this vibrant ecosystem.

🌱 A Shared Future: NEP 2020 and Beyond

Highlighting the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s call for experiential learning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and holistic development, Mr. Vatsyayan urged institutions to embrace adult partnerships—an equitable collaboration between academia and civil society. "Universities like Manav Rachna, with their academic rigor, and civil society institutions like Nada India, with their practice depth, must co-create learning spaces that shape socially conscious and policy-ready graduates," he stated.

🌐 Looking Ahead

In a heartfelt note, the SBSS faculty expressed appreciation for Nada India Foundation’s longstanding collaboration and requested expanded internship opportunities for the current cohort of Master’s students in Public Policy and Administration. These real-world engagements, they emphasized, are essential for both academic excellence and employability.

💬 Conclusion: Bridging Two Worlds

The discussion closed with a mutual understanding: the future of social work and policy education depends on valuing the bridge between classroom knowledge and field realities. With initiatives like Vidya Lead Academy and forward-looking institutions like MRIIRS, we are steadily moving toward a learning ecosystem where theory and practice, students and professionals, policy and community meet—not as silos, but as partners.