Pune's MIT Group sets up design university at Ujjain

To invest Rs 100 crore over the next three years

Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune has set up a design university campus at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, in the name of Avantika University. MIT claims that it is the first of its kind university in India which offers bachelors and masters in design in the domains of system, industrial and communication design.

For this, MIT is investing over Rs 100 crore over the next three years, out of which Rs 40 crore have already been spent on infrastructure. The academic year of Avantika University will begin in 2017.

"Avantika University has shared its academic model and its pedagogy with world's leading design institutes and organisations and they have appreciated the rigour, intent and deliverables of the model. We endeavour to collaborate with some of these institutes and organisations to develop global connect and raise the bar of integrated design education in India. We envisage to partner with some of them for academics, faculty development and student development," said Mangesh Karad, secretary trustee, MIT Pune.

MIT Group is also heading towards becoming a private university. Its art, design and technology campus at Loni Kalbjor has already received private university status and now it is known as MIT Art, Design and Technology University. The Kothrud campus, which is its flagship campus, has got all the necessary state government approvals and will receive the formal status next year. MIT is also planning to set up another private university in Andhra Pradesh in partnership with local institutes.

Explaining the idea of being a private university, Karad added, "In the technology era, it becomes necessary to have a private university. State universities have their own limitations, especially in the process of decision making. If you have to grow with time, private university status is must."

In June 2013, MIT had submitted the proposals to the higher and technical education department to set up private university. MIT had proposed to conduct courses in nano sciences, life sciences and nanotechnology. Currently, six private universities have been set up in Maharashtra.

The model guidelines for opening of private universities were notified by the state government on May 29, 2013. The guidelines were approved by the state Cabinet in April, after a Private Universities Bill had to be scrapped following controversy over caste reservations. The new guidelines stipulate 50 per cent reservations for backward classes. The guidelines provide for a private organisation to set up a university on a no-profit, no-loss basis, along with a trust or society.

Established in 1983 by educationist Vishwanath Karad, Maharashtra Academy of Engineering Education and Research's group of institutions has 63 institutes and over 50,000 students are currently studying at various MIT campuses in and around Pune. Mainly, it has engineering and technology, medicine and pharmacy, management, teachers training, junior college and schools along with media, performing arts institutes.