New Course launched by IIM C in Delhi

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April 30, 2009

The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) on Monday announced a year-long executive course in international business in Delhi. The course is specifically designed to help students acquire knowledge and skill to work in international companies. 'The executive programme in international business is a course which helps keep pace with today's requirement where globalisation, Internet and hyper competition has dramatically re-shaped the markets and has changed the way business is being done. Today, one has to keep pace with the customers requirement and has to bring in services and products as per global standards,' said an IIM-C official.

Unlike the grilling tests which one has to go through to get admission into an IIM, the eligibility criterion for this programme is 50 % marks in graduation and three-years work experience. The programme will see maximum use of technology. It will consist of a judicious blend of lectures by two senior faculty members of IIM-C, Anjan Raichaudhary and Prafulla Agnihotri, real life access to case studies, live corporate examples, general discussions and assignments. 'There will also be regular evaluation processes and at the end of the 12-month course, the students will get a certificate from IIM-C,' added the official. The last date for application to this course is May 15 and the course fee is INR 206,000.

Sam Egwu: ICT to play crucial role in education sector

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April 30, 2009

The Minister of Education, Sam Egwu, has said that Information and Communication Technology would play a critical role in the repositioning the nation's education sector. Egwu stated this on Thursday at the unveiling of eight and 10-inch Smartbook computers for schools by Omatek Ventures Limited. The minister said a new education roadmap was inaugurated in the country recently to ensure that new thinking and ideas were brought to bear on the management of the education sector and to improve the quality of education in the country. He said, 'Undoubtedly, ICT will play critical roles towards the realisation of these noble objectives. Our current roadmap took consideration of the advantages ICT will bring in the academia and we are making efforts towards engaging with stakeholders to ensure these opportunities do not elude us for too long.'

The minister added, 'We are determined that graduates of our institutions, in the not too distant future, are indeed equipped with the capability to practice their trade in any society in the world without a feeling of disadvantage.' Egwu said the unveiling of the new range of computers for schools by Omatek was a testimony to the role the private sector can continue to play in actualising the hope of the country for a brighter future for education in the country. The Chairman of Omatek, Tim Farinre, told that the company' s e-learning initiative 'is one-stop shop which provides a platform to ensure that ICT tools are deployed to schools and classrooms under a carefully structured environment.'

Next Academic session to see 15 new Central Universities

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April 30, 2009

At least 15 more central universities, in addition to the existing 20, will be set up and start functioning from next year, the government said on Thursday. The decision was taken at a two-day conference here during which vice-chancellors of the 15 new central universities presented their plans before the University Grants Commission (UGC) – the regulator of these institutions. The conference ended on Thursday. The government appointed the vice-chancellors in February. The VCs met here for the first time to prepare a roadmap for making the 15 new central universities functional from the 2010-11 session.

Of the 15 institutions, 12 are new central universities in as many states, while three state universities have been upgraded. The new universities are in Jharkhand, Karnataka, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The new VCs have assured UGC that they would be able to start courses in their institutions. 'Most of them have been given land. They are expected to start certain courses from the coming session,' said a UGC official. The universities would offer under-graduate, post-graduate, M.Phil and Ph.D programmes, besides courses on regional issues, said the UGC official. The UGC has already sanctioned nearly INR 2 crore to each of these universities to meet their operational expenditure. Most of the universities are expected to start with a temporary campus. Some already have temporary campuses, said the UGC official.

India

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April 30, 2009

In a bid to undertake online virtual programmes in Chinese language, the Indira Gandhi National Open University's (IGNOU's) School of Foreign Langauge (SOFL) has recently inked a pact with two educational institutes viz, Chinese Institute of Chennai, Chennai and Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya Education Foundation, Gujarat.

“This is for the first time in India that an online virtual classroom programme to learn Chinese language is offered by IGNOU. One of the main features of this programme is to reach learners to any part of India through its mode. The e-Gyankosh of IGNOU will be the conduit to offer this virtual classroom programme which is different from the online programmes of IGNOU. Through this mode, learners and teachers will be able to talk to each other and learn virtually as is done within the four walls of traditional teaching/ learning method,” said Prof. G. Chaudhuri, programme coordinator and Director of SOFL, IGNOU.

According to the pact, both the institutes have agreed to work with IGNOU in offering six and twelve month certificate and diploma respectively in Online Chinese language and culture. These programmes will be launched through online virtual class method and also face to face at both of these institutes under the supervision of SOFL, IGNOU.

One of the main objectives of this programme is to reach learners all over India through internet. Through this method, a virtual classroom will be created by which learners can interact with teachers and vice-versa.

Central Government favours more attempts for SC/STs at IIT-JEE

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April 30, 2009

Favouring Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) the Central Government has asked all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to provide them more than two attempts to appear for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). Presently all students are allowed only two attempts to appear for JEE. 'We have received a letter regarding this from Central Government. The Joint Admission Board (JAB) will take a look at the letter and examine what a provision like this will translate into. Even if we decide to implement the request, it will only be done for 2010,' said Gautam Barua, director of IIT-Guwahati. A few times back IIT-JEE was a two-tier test. Lakhs of students sat for the preliminary Test, following by the Mains. Aspirants could then attempt the exam any number of times.

The IIT-JEE came into its new avatar in 2006 after a review by C N R Rao, chairman of the Prime Minister's Scientific Advisory Committee. Rao found that most of students spend several years in coaching classes trying to crack the exam, without even realizing that they can do something better. 'Government is trying to mount pressure to allow SC/ST students to take the JEE more number of times,' said an IIT official. 'We have already 15% seats for SCs and 7.5% slots for STs in each stream of engineering. All these students are given relaxation in admission,' said an IIT director. The JAB will soon take a call on the government's note. But several old-time professors off-the-record conversations have regretted the political interference.

IT enabled Environment initiative launched by DELL and TERI

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April 30, 2009

Dell in partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) today announced the launch of 'The Climate EduXchange Initiative,' an IT-enabled Climate initiative to improve environment education in schools across India. The primary objective of this partnership is to create a motivated force of students, who through technological advancements are aware of and concerned about the environment and its associated problems. The campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding about climate change issues amongst students and teachers of all disciplines. It will focus on findings of IPCC to disseminate knowledge to students and teachers and promote engagement on these issues with students in other parts of the country. It also aspires to familiarise all to the importance of the internet and the computer as powerful tools for knowledge and motivate them to take action and bring about desired change in the environment. Talking about the youth's role, RK Pachauri, Director-General TERI, said, 'Youth of today carry out extensive search for knowledge through the internet. The spread of Information Technology in India has dramatically altered the scenario for education on a vast range of subjects. Given the importance of climate change for the entire human race and the stake that citizens of the 21st century have in dealing with this major challenge, TERI and Dell have jointly launched The Climate EduXchange Initiative. This would be a unique programme for creating awareness and understanding on climate change by which schoolchildren and students can take the future into their own hands and find solutions to the rapidly increasing threat of climate instability.'

Elaborating on DELL's vision, Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, VP and MD Dell International Services, said, 'Considering the large youth population in India, it is imperative to educate them about issues that govern the future of this planet. This initiative is aimed at empowering the youth with tools and platforms for knowledge sharing that will help them build a better future. The power of youth is certain to bring about a change

Indian President to inaugurate JSS Free School Girls hostel near Mysore

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April 28, 2009

The President of India, Pratibha Patil, will inaugurate the JSS Free School Girls' Hostel building in Suttur near Mysore on May 9. Constructed at a cost of INR 8 crores, the hostel would be able to accommodate 2,000 students. 'The Medical College Silver Jubilee seminar will also be inaugurated by President Patil,' said B.N. Betkerur, Executive Secretary of JSS Mahavidyapeetha. The free school was established in 2001, and 4,000 students from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharasthra and north-eastern States are studying here.

'We will organize a seminar on Development of sustainable rural health to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of the JSS Medical College,' added Betkerur.

Jabs bought by special school teachers

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April 28, 2009

Teachers in special schools complain of being bitten and punched. Teachers working in special schools are so worried about being bitten by students with special needs that they are buying their own tetanus and hepatitis jabs. The Nasuwt teachers' union conference heard calls for protection against pupil violence in schools for children with special educational needs. Suzanne Nantcurvis told delegates that some teachers were paying UK

ICT society launched in Sierra Leone

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April 28, 2009

Sierra Leone Information Technology Society (SLITS) was launched by the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Lansana Nyalley in Sierra Leone as part of an initiative to introduce Information and Communication Technology(ICT) in the country. stakeholders such as Members of Parliament (MPs), members of the diplomatic corps, journalists, business community and other dignitaries attended the event.

Information technology is the government's agenda for change in Sierra Leone. The government is presently putting modalities in place for the proper establishment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). According to Dr. Nyalley, many avenues have been created in the business community, academia and other important areas, in order to popularize the ICT facilities. He maintained that government is ready to support SLITS and other ICT Societies to achieve the opportunities that ICT offers.

According to the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Ibrahim Sorie, it was a big opportunity for Sierra Leone to have an ICT Society that includes lecturers, students and members from all walks of life. SLITS is aimed at bringing all stakeholders together in order to gain a wealth of knowledge from ICT and utilize it for the purpose of development. He appealed to all stakeholders, including government, to put hands on deck and support SLITS.

The National President of SLITS, Mr. Alfred Hindolo Fomolu, spoke on the shortage of ICT instruments in tertiary institutions. Sierra Leone ranked 170th out of 178 countries in the world of ICT. ICT plays a very vital role, and thus SLITS was formed mainly to strengthen and develop ICT in the country. But there was a need for the government, the business communities, the parliamentarians and other stakeholders to put policies in place that will enhance ICT in Sierra Leone.

New Zealand: Interntaional education agents target

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April 28, 2009

New Zealand's lucrative international education sector is set for a boost as over 230 of the world's leading education agents from 49 countries fly in to meet with representatives from 192 local and Australian institutions at the Australia New Zealand Agent (ANZA) Workshop to be held at SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland on April 22-24, 2009. The favourable exchange rate is just one factor attracting international education agents to New Zealand for this sell-out event. Rob McKay, Chairman of English New Zealand, says agents are likely to be highly motivated to form new partnerships with NZ institutions. He said, 'At this time of financial turbulence it is great to see the commitment to New Zealand of the registered agents. This is a great chance to meet with key supporters of our sector.' However, while almost half the agents attending the ANZA Workshop 09 represent Asian countries, Middle Eastern countries are demonstrating a strong interest in New Zealand as a safe, tolerant and socially acceptable study destination for their students.

A number of Saudi agents are coming to the ANZA Workshop following the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's accreditation of a range of programs delivered by local universities, polytechnic and technology institutions. Closer to home, an increase in Vietnamese students interested in New Zealand as a study destination is prompting Vietnamese broadcaster, VCTV1, to film the ANZA Workshop for an upcoming episode of their national 'Study Overseas' programme. New Zealand's international education sector employs over 32,000 people and accounts for more than NZ$2.3 billion dollars per year in export earnings, making it a rising star in these days of economic gloom. However, Education New Zealand CEO Robert Stevens says the industry's value goes well beyond its export earnings. The ANZA Workshop is organized by ICEF and EdMedia, and alternates each year between New Zealand and Australia.

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