Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) is all set to roll out courses in liberal arts, petroleum law and intellectual property rights (IPR). The university has announced its plans to set up a School of Liberal Arts, School of Petroleum Law, besides a school each for IPR related activities and nuclear energy.
The announcment came on the sidelines of the university's first convocation, which conferred the Petroleum Management Degree (MBA) to 119 students. FB Virani, director general, PDPU and former MD, Gujarat Gas, said, "We are planning to set up new schools including school for nuclear technology and solar energy, which will together build Energy University very shortly. Besides, there will be other centres and schools offering courses in petroleum law, liberal arts and IPR related activities, The university has spent about Rs 65 crores on lab development and infrastructure till date and has also created a scholarship fund of Rs 10 crore.
Besides setting aside Rs 30 crore for academic development, we plan to spend more than Rs 100 crore this year. The infrastructure initially established over 2 acres of land has now spread to 22.5 acres land with the management and technology programmes on offing as a fully residential programme having excellent in-campus hostel facility put up for UG, PG and executive programme students. The university expects to grow its infrastructure at a much faster rate with support of Gujarat Government which has approved additional 75 acre land for the PDPU."
Former president of India, APJ. Abdul Kalam, was the chief guest and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was the guest of honour at the convocation. "The world is facing two kinds of crisis—financial and energy. In order to tackle the energy crisis, we need to take a holistic approach," Modi said.
PDPU started its first batch of 60 students in School of Petroleum Management in the year 2006 has more than 650 students pursuing various undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The university expects this number to go upto 950 students in the next academic year. Similarly the faculty strength is also expected to go from 34 to 60 in the next academic year.
In addition to the regular educational programmes, the university has also undertake initiatives for establishing a centre for good governance and policy and centre for energy and fuel studies. PDPU was established by the Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI), a registered society and trust, with the objective to realize the dream of 'Gujarat as the Petro Capital of India' by developing globally skilled human resource for the hydrocarbon sector.
