 "Indian universities open doors to students' foreign dreams")
Around the same time, 18 students enrolled for undergraduate programmes at Sonipat-based Ashoka University will go for six-week courses at University of California at Berkley, King’s College, London, and Yale University, among others.
These are only two of the many examples of how Indian universities’ collaboration with their foreign counterparts is shaping up. While some promise exposure to foreign universities at very little extra cost, some others offer students the option of being taught by well-known academicians from top-notch institutions right here.
“For a two-week course at the Imperial College Business School, students will have to pay for their travel and stay. That is all. We have taken care of everything else. Imagine the kind of benefits these students will derive by interacting with the best in the business,” says Akshay Munjal, president of BML Munjal University.
Other than student exchange programmes, there is a steady flow of faculty from abroad taking up short-term assignment at new private universities. “Every year, we invite 10-15 faculty members of repute from top class foreign universities to teach our students. Some come for just a few weeks and some come here to take classes for the entire semester,” says Vineet Gupta, one of the founders and pro-vice chancellor of Ashoka University.
One of the visiting faculty members at Ashoka is Neil Lutsky, professor of psychology at Carleton College, a partner institutions. The reason he comes here to teach, he says, is the quality of students. “Ashoka is attracting academically talented, creative and ambitious, community minded and enthusiastic and caring individuals,” the professor justifies in an emailed response.
While he is impressed with the quality of students, the professor has a suggestion for Indian universities. “From what I’ve heard, I think Indian universities need to do a better job engaging the intellectual passions of undergraduates, in particular, to create educational communities where students value what they are learning, share their excitement while developing expertise with each other and do not approach their studies primarily as hurdles to be mastered for the sake of future employment,” he says.
According to reliable estimates, nearly 30,000 Indian students go abroad every year to pursue undergraduate courses. The US continues to be a preferred option, followed by the UK, Australia and Canada. And, many more Indian students go abroad to pursue specialised courses and higher studies. The newlylaunched private universities promoted by successful entrepreneurs like Ashoka, BML Munjal, Shiv Nadar (all located around Delhi) and Bengaluru-based Azim Premji want to tap into this market.
They are relying on collaboration with foreign universities to attract students to their fold. Ashoka University boasts of tie-ups with the University of California at Berkeley, Carleton College, University of Michigan and King’s College, London. BML Munjal University’s business programmes are being mentored by the Imperial College. Shiv Nadar University has tied up with, among others, Duke University and Babson College. Similarly, the Azim Premji University has collaborated with the Michigan State University on faculty visits, course development and joint workshops.
Other than promoting students exchange programmes for short-duration courses and inviting faculty members to deliver few lectures, these universities are giving students an “easy access” to pursue higher studies in partner institutions. “25 of our students pursuing B.Tech courses here will have an opportunity after completion of their course to enrol themselves for one-year master programme in management at the Imperial College if they fulfil certain conditions,” points out Akshay Munjal.
However, G Anand Anandalingam, the dean of Imperial College Business School, clarifies that while students from BML Munjal University will not get any relaxation in admission process they are likely to get some relaxation on tuition fees for which details are being worked out.
Incidentally, as the mentor institution, the Imperial College Business School has helped BML Munjal in recruitment of faculty members and selection of students for its business programmes. And the London-based business school has played a role in curriculum design as well “You can say that we have influenced the process of curriculum development,” observes Anandalingam. The Imperial College will hold research workshop in September this to train faculty members of the BML Munjal University.
Other than collaboration with foreign universities, new private universities are forging partnership with companies for specific courses. BML Munjal University, for instance, has tied-up with IBM, Siemens and KPMG for specific courses. While IBM has set up a business analytics lab, Siemens has set up a workshop named centre for excellence. The consultancy firm KPMG has been roped in to offer a BBA course.
“Through these associations we intend to bring industry closer to academia. IBM is a leader in business analytics. If our students learn business analytics from IBM, you can imagine their level of proficiency. Similarly, if BBA students are being taught by experts from KPMG, they are bound to get a lot of benefit out of such experience. Our engineering students will get exposed to latest technologies at Siemens’ centre for excellence,” Munjal told this reporter, while having lunch at his staff canteen. Incidentally, two canteens at the campus are being managed by Sodexo, which has on its menu dishes from states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Munjal adds that many more such associations with leading companies are set to be announced soon.
MENTORING VIA OVERSEAS TIE-UPS
- Ashoka University boasts of tie-ups with the University of California at Berkeley, Carleton College, University of Michigan and King’s College, London
- BML Munjal University’s business programmes are being mentored by the Imperial College
- Shiv Nadar University has tied up with, among others, Duke University and Babson College
- Azim Premji University has collaborated with the Michigan State University on faculty visits, course development and joint workshops