HILLs Fellowship
Himalayan Institute of Live Learnings, Ladakh
About HILLs
The HILLs (Himalayan Institute of Live Learnings) Fellowship is
an 11-month program that aims to empower the youth from
mountain communities, particularly from the Hindu Kush-
Himalayas (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma,
Bangladesh & China) with environmentally sustainable solutions
relevant specifically to those living in mountainous regions. This is
a residential course.
About HIAL
HIAL’s story started when His Holiness
Drinkung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpochey, one
of the top leaders in Tibetan Buddhism and
UN ambassador for mountain partnership, met
with Sonam Wangchuk, the founder of the
SECMOL alternative school. Sonam
requested His Holiness to help the Himalayan
region in establishing an alternative university
that would engage mountain youth in studies
related to their own unique environment and
needs. His Holiness gave his blessings.
People in Ladakh and other mountain regions
are not only an ethnic and linguistic minority
but also one that faces challenges on account
of climate change and technological
advancement. Therefore, solutions to our
peculiar problems cannot come from New
Delhi or New York. To create the problem
solvers and innovators of tomorrow, HIAL is
building a higher education system where
young people can study and find indigenous
solutions to the problems of their own
environments. It is to address these issues
that Himalayan Institute of Alternatives,
Ladakh (HIAL) is being set-up in Phyang.
The educational discipline at this institute will be based on the model of learning-by-doing and
finding real-time solutions to real-life problems. We are excited about this project and look forward
to joining hands with you to create the world’s first doer’s institute.
Why this
course ?
Multi and Trans-
Disciplinary Course
In addition to bringing together
people from different fields and
backgrounds, this curriculum will
Entrepreneurship provide you with the tools to
identify problems unique to the
and Leadership mountain communities and find
solutions to these issues. You will
The course aims to train future also live in harmony with nature
entrepreneurs and leaders who by working on live projects like
will take up social initiatives and water management and valley
find innovative solutions for the restoration.
betterment of the community.
Faculty and Guest
Applied Life Skills
Lectures
In addition to academics, life skills
Local and international facilitators such as gardening, cooking,
with excellent teaching and driving, self-awareness,
research credentials will teach the interpersonal skills, etc. will also
learners at the University. be developed.
Additionally, they will also be
exposed to distinguished and
inspirational guest lecturers.
Managing & Handling
Real Life Projects
Exchange Program HILLs will focus on experiential
learning and finding real time
Selected learners will be sent to solutions to real life problems.
lead and assist with projects both
nationally and internationally.
Curriculum (Tentative)
Pre-course: Supplementary
To ensure that the pre-requisite skills acquired by each learner/candidate are at par with their
peers. (To be typically administered in a month.)
April 2019 – May 2019 (6 weeks):
1) Core
This module is to develop agency in the learners with:
• One life skill • One technical skill • Inner development • Social development
2) Plenary Course in Mountain Ecology & Entrepreneurship
The course in Ecology would give an even foundation to all learners on practical mountain
ecology: the threats and opportunities, value of the ecosystem for us, for nature and the
economy.
This course in Entrepreneurship is intended to prepare the learners to start-up or manage
enterprises (i.e., sustainable tourism or habitat enterprises)
Candidates need to declare their elective in the application form. We have 15 seats each
for Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Habitats.
June 2019 - Nov 2019 (24 weeks): Responsible Tourism/ Sustainable Habitats (Electives)
This is the main elective. The sustainable tourism alumni should be able to start-up and run
travel companies and manage small hotels and home stays; while the sustainable habitat
alumni should be able to design and supervise the construction of a simple building that is
suited to the location and climate.
Dec 2019 - Feb 2020: Project/ Thesis/ Dissertation/ Work experience
This project work is included to test and refine the skills of the learners and to challenge them
to apply their learnings to the real world; this work can be undertaken any time within 5 years
of completing the previous course modules.
March 2020: Assessment and Graduation
Come join the next
learning revolution
Eligibility
The HILLs Fellowship is open to graduates of all ages and all streams.
(10th Mathematics required, 12th Mathematics preferred)
Selection criteria and process
Stage 1: Screening of application form for eligibility
Stage 2: Screening of Statement of Purpose and Big Idea
(submitted in application form*) Stage 3: Skype interview
Stage 4: 6 day camp in Leh
The HILLs Fellowship applicants are evaluated on a combination of curiosity, passion, grit and
the need to explore beyond the prescribed curriculum.
In Stage 1, the applicants will be evaluated on the application form for eligibility.
Application form will be revisited to evaluate the submitted Statement of Purpose
and the Big Idea.
In Stage 4, the short-listed applicants will be called for a 6 day camp to Leh where they will
participate in several group and individual activities. Through this camp the applicant and the
organisation will select each other.
Fee structure and scholarship:
For the students from the mountainous regions (Jammu & Kashmir, Himanchal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Sikkim, all Northeastern states, and even the adjoining regions of Nepal and Bhutan),
we are providing a full tuition fee waiver and even a full boarding/lodging scholarship.
Students only need to pay a refundable security deposit of INR 25,000, which will be returned at the
end of the fellowship.
Thus, the total amount to be paid is INR 25,000 (refundable).
For students from other regions, the fee is INR 2,50,000. Further details available on the HIAL
website.
Timeline for Class of 2019
Program begins (Spring Term): 22nd April 2019, (Autumn Term): 12th August, 2019
For further queries
Visit: HIAL, c/o SECMOL , Housing Colony, Leh - 194101
Write to us at study@hial.edu.in or visit hial.edu.in to learn more about the program.
Note from Founders
HIAL is an alternative institute for mountain development. It uses the pedagogy of experiential
education, thereby becoming a true doer’s university. To achieve this, there will be open spaces
and classrooms to facilitate knowledge sharing. Additionally, the institute will have Live-Labs,
companies and establishments that will be attached to every school, allowing students to work and
learn. Fellows will be able to pay their HILLs fellowship tuition with their internship stipend. In this
way, equality of opportunity will be achieved as all students may not be able to pay with money but
they can certainly pay through their sweat, creativity and imagination.
Everything around us has changed drastically in the last 150
years: from riding on horse-backs to flying by aeroplanes,
from using pigeons for mail to emails and smart-phones; but
in our schools, colleges and classrooms almost nothing has
changed. Chalk, talk and paper knowledge, paper degrees,
and paper examinations- all too papery, outdated and
theoretical and very little that prepares us for the real life in
the real world.
No wonder, graduates coming out of most of our colleges and
universities finish a ritual and get their degrees but are highly
unemployable, according to various studies. Very often
employers end up reeducating the fresh recruits at their own
SONAM WANGCHUK expense.
Founding Member, HIAL
HIAL is a university based on the principles that more than
paper knowledge and degrees, it is the creative ability of the
learner to solve society’s problems, which is more important.
And instead of merely focusing on the three R’s: Reading,
wRiting, and aRithmetic, it might be better to inculcate the 3
H’s: a bright Head, skilled Hands, and a kind Heart.
HILLs shall take in students who are interested in identifying
innovative solutions to the contextual problems of mountain
people all over the world and actually making these solutions
work. For instance, students in the school of building shall
build their own passive solar university campus, students in the
school of business shall run enterprises, while students in the
school of hospitality shall run simple home-stays and eco-
friendly hotels, and so on.
GITANJALI J B
Founding Member, HIAL
