Vellore Institute of Technology overtakes most IITs in research

Vellore: The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is way ahead of most premier higher education institutions in India in the publication of research papers, a vital factor taken into account the world over for grading a university.

“We have overtaken all the IITs except IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kharagpur. Very soon, VIT will be at the very top. We are aiming to grow as big as the MIT (top-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology)”, said VIT Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan.

Acknowledging the warm felicitations on his 75th birthday at the VIT on Sunday, where his biographies in English and Tamil were released, GV (as he is fondly known) recounted the tough times in building up VIT as the ‘second chapter’ in his life after retiring from politics.

He said along with VIT that was now globally recognised and had about 25,000 students from 50 countries, including China, and almost all the states in India, he had endeavoured to improve the academic opportunities for the underprivileged in the state through scholarships and even free education at the VIT.

Lamenting that India’s GER (gross enrolment ratio), an indicator of students enrolling for higher education, was a mere 19 per cent as compared with USA (89%), Russia (76%) and Korea (over 90%), GV said VIT had started ‘Universal Higher Educ­ation Trust’ to help all the students passing out of plus-two to go for higher education. “I hope this project will create positive ripples in other parts of India as well”.

GV said India had great opportunities of emerging as a major producer in core areas, such as agriculture, technology and education. “And in India, Tamil Nadu has huge potential. We must work hard to get there”.

Former MP Era Sezhiyan, Congress MP M Krishnas­wamy, Satyab­hama Univ­ersity Chan­cellor Jeppiaar, CPI state secretary D Pan­dian and Rafeeq Ahmed, president, Federation of Indian Export Organis­ations (FIEO), were among those present on the occasion to felicitate GV on his illustrious public life.

(Source : DC)

Ireland scholarships

University College Dublin (UCD) has announced scholarships for students from India, reports Aaditi Isaac

To assist more students from India to study in Ireland, University College Dublin (UCD) has announced scholarships at the undergraduate and Masters-level.

“We are looking to reach out to top students in India. Expanding our scholarship base is the best way to emphasise our commitment to these students- by reducing obstacles for them when they look to Ireland and UCD as study destinations. UCD has 260 Indian students as part of its 26,000-strong student body (of which 5,500 are international students – earning UCD the title of ‘Ireland’s Global University’). We would love to see these numbers double across all programmes – particularly those programmes where Indian students don’t typically flock to in great numbers. We have great offerings in languages, politics and international relations, IP & IT Law along with maintaining a strong contact with popular programmes such as mechanical engineering, computer science, biotechnology and public health,” says Jeremy Simpson, associate dean, international studies, University College Dublin.

The scholarship fund will be in excess of 300,000 euro and about 100 scholarships would be available to Indian students. A range of scholarships will be available for students --- full tuition fee scholarship to 50% and 25% scholarships to bursaries of 2,000 euro.

 “The major scholarships, including the four full-tuition VV Giri scholarships are merit-based. The VV Giri scholarship will be launched to celebrate 100 years of VV Giri, the fourth President of India, choosing UCD for law. He studied law in UCD between 1913 to 1916. Many subject areas in UCD enjoy strong profile and the VV Giri association with law is one. Today 10 of the 11 current Supreme Court justices are UCD alumni as well as the university has the largest number of Chief Justices and Attorney Generals in Ireland,” he adds. 

The university is looking to build a robust presence in India and such a move will facilitate that process. The University College Dublin is launching an office in Delhi next year.
(Source : educationtimes)

UK Calling

Tom Rhodes, head, international relations, University of Sheffield (UK), on how universities in the UK are taking an interest in making a long-term commitment to their graduates

As head of international relations, I am aware that many of those who make the journey between India and the UK are students – talented young people who often experience life in another country for the first time.
Today, approximately 30,000 Indian students come to England to study each year – the second most popular destination after the United States. But what kind of welcome will they find in Britain today? 

A few weeks ago, I joined my university’s ‘meet and greet’ delegation as they awaited international students arriving at a local airport. We were not alone. All around us were ‘student ambassadors’ holding up welcome signs and recording arrivals on clip boards before escorting tired but excited new students to awaiting buses and a new chapter of their lives. 

This is a common sight at international airports across the country. Universities realise that the decision to study in another country is a momentous one, and over the years have developed high levels of care and support for those who may be leaving their homeland for the first time to study overseas. Many universities conduct orientation progammes and social events for international students to help them learn not only about their new educational environment, but also the culture of the country while putting them at ease. 

International student support services also include mentoring, personal tutors, financial advice and support, health services, careers guidance and, together with our student unions, a range of social and sporting activities. Additionally, universities are taking a keen interest in making a long-term commitment to their graduates and the communities they come from via alumni associations and through initiatives such as the ‘Tier I Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme’. This scheme allows graduates the opportunity to stay back in the UK for up to two years to set up in business. There is also the recently introduced ‘Doctoral Extension Scheme’ which gives PhD graduates the chance to work in the country for a year after graduation. The desire to welcome talented Indian students is also seen in the range of scholarship opportunities, including those co-funded by universities and the British Council, offered under the GREAT campaign. 

Our communities are international and determined to address global challenges. In 2012, over 5,00,000 international students from 200 countries studied in the country. Indian students who come to a university in the UK meet not only English students, but make friendships with peers from across the world – an experience which will also prepare them to engage confidently in their future careers with people of many different nations. 

An Indian student who arrives at a UK airport has the potential to be part of a story of personal achievement within a higher education system. It is the duty and pleasure of universities to respond to that trust with an experience of student life which will unlock their potential for the benefit of both the UK and India.

(Source : Educationtimes)

India plans IT institute at university in Cairo, Salman Khurshid says

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday discussed the situation in Syria and West Asia with Egypt's foreign minister Nabil Fahmy who has chosen India as the destination of his first visit to Asia. The government said that he had broad ranging discussions with his counterpart Salman Khurshid. 

The focus of the two-hour-long deliberations was to sustain the momentum in India-Egypt bilateral relations and to expand the interactions to wider areas of regional and international issues of interest, said government officials. 

Khurshid informed his Egyptian counterpart of India's approval to establishing a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology at the Al Azhar University in Cairo. The Centre which will be set up as project under the India-Africa Forum Summit is planned for completion in a year after the confirmation of infrastructure by the host institution. Once completed, it will train 500 students annually. 

The Egyptian foreign minister also outlined the developments in Egypt and the roadmap ahead. 

The two ministers also discussed various specific issues related to enhancing economic cooperation including the need to ease work permit regulations for professionals. Currently, bilateral trade between India and Egypt stands at $5.4 billion. India is the third largest destination of Egyptian exports ($2.6 billion) and Egypt is the 11th largest destination of Indian exports ($2.9 billion). 

The Egyptian foreign minister also called on the Vice-President Hamid Ansari and met the national security adviser (NSA) Shivshankar Menon. 

(Source : Times of India)