New courses from IGNOU

Among the new programmes IGNOU plans to launch next year is one on Intellectual Property Rights.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is exploring the educational avenues opening up in the field of intellectual property rights (IPR) and cyber laws.

The university has come up with a two-year Master’s programme in IPR in collaboration with reputed Indian institutes and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. The objective of the course is to develop awareness, knowledge and practical skills in IPR issues.
The programme aims at promoting a new brand of IPR lawyers and supporting professionals in the emerging world order. In addition to legal skills, the acquisition of in-depth knowledge and scholarship are the other features.

The course will provide insights into the national and international scenario in areas of IPR. Laws related to patents, protection of plant varieties, geographical indications, copyright, trademarks and industrial designs will be part of the course.

Dual benefit

The course will commence in January 2009. Students from all over the world are eligible for enrolment. Those who pass the first year of the Master’s programme at IGNOU will be eligible to proceed to QUT to complete the second year of the Master’s programme in IP Law and obtain both IGNOU and QUT degrees.

In cyber laws, the university is offering a Postgraduate Certificate programme based on self-learning instructional material with multimedia and teleconferencing support.

The main objective of the course is to give the learners a critical understanding of cyber laws in the emerging world in the light of social and intellectual property issues. It focuses on how to address the rapid changes in the field of information technology (IT). The course will have immense scope in dealing with consultancy in e-security, digital signatures, cryptography etc. The course has been designed keeping in view the fact that cyber crimes are a new class of crimes in India.

The programme will have four compulsory courses, including cyber technology and social issues, regulation of cyberspace, commerce and cyberspace, and privacy and data protection. Graduates in any discipline can enrol for the course.

The medium of instruction is English. The fee is Rs. 5,000. The first batch of this course began in July.

B.Tech.

IGNOU is also launching a four-year B.Tech course in aeronautical engineering from July 2009. Regular classes will be coupled with an open distance learning (ODL) component. The course aims at creating awareness, knowledge and professional skills in the discipline.

Initially, four centres will be activated in the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western regions of the country. Course material will be developed in collaboration with experts in the aviation sector.

The course objectives include development of technical professionals in the area of aeronautical engineering.

IGNOU has entered into a tie-up with the Aeronautical Engineering Research Organisation (AERO), Pune, to form a joint core group to oversee the planning and development of the programme and also to undertake and execute all such activities required for the fulfilment of the objectives described above.

AERO will set up fully-equipped office infrastructure for the project on the IGNOU campus.

Dental programmes

IGNOU has entered into a collaboration with the Dental Council of India (DCI) to launch two programmes in the open and distance learning mode from July 2008. The programmes are of one year duration (30 credits each).

However, there is the flexibility to complete the programmes within three years. Both the programmes have been accredited by DCI. Since these programmes are through the open and distance learning education mode, one does not have to leave one’s established practices or work places except for the contact programmes. There is no age bar and fresh graduates can also apply.