B.S. Abdur Rahman University, Chennai signed general agreement for international collaboration with University of Central Florida, USA, in the presence of Ms. Jennifer McIntyre, American Consul General, Chennai, on 26 December, 2012.
University of Central Florida is the largest US University with over 60,000 students pursuing over 177 bachelors and masters degrees and 30 doctoral programmes.
The international agreement between the two universities has been signed on the basis of mutual appreciation that both the universities are higher education institutions whose mission includes providing quality learning opportunities for their respective students and communities, as well as promoting academic research.
Both the universities consider the promotion and support of teaching, research and community outreach to be of primary importance in the fulfilment of their mission, goals and objectives. Both the universities consider that increasing opportunities for international cooperation and exchange increases cultural understanding and appreciation.
The general agreement promotes mutual cooperation in education, scientific research and outreach between the two universities. The broad areas of cooperation identified for mutual cooperation include exchange of graduate and undergraduate students, exchange of academic personnel, cooperative research and development activities, cooperative design of courses, conferences, symposia or academic programmes, exchange of academic or scientific materials and publications of common interest, and cultural exchange and other programmes of future need.
Ms. McIntyre welcomed the international partnership initiatives taken by both the universities and mentioned that it is a significant step towards building mutual cooperation between both the countries through dynamic university partnerships.
Mr. Pallavoor N. Vaidyanathan, Asst Vice President, Research, UCF, in his address mentioned that UCF has created an exclusive India Centre which encourages scholarship and research, provides fellowships for UCF students, promotes exchanges of scholars and students with institutions in India, seeks to establish partnerships in India, and works with complementary institutions worldwide to broaden awareness and understanding about India. He mentioned that UCF is having many reputed interdisciplinary research centres including the Florida Solar Energy Centre, Institute for Simulation and Training and Institute for Economic Competitiveness and the world’s best laser research laboratory, Centre for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL).
Dr. V. Sankaranarayanan, Vice Chancellor, BSAU highlighted that BSAU is having strong international partnerships with Purdue University, Columbia University, Deakin University, Curtin University of Technology, UiTM among other universities abroad.
Purdue University and BSAU in coordination with Sri Ramachandra Medical university organised a two-day international workshop on Electro Chemo-Therapy for effective Cancer Treatment during July, 2011, with participation of experts from five countries. A 17-member team from Purdue University comprising 14 students and three faculty visited BSAU under study abroad programme during March 2012.
BSAU is having a good number of sponsored research projects and carrying out cutting edge research in many thrust areas in engineering, computing, management, architecture and science. BSAU is having a strong interaction with industry for consultancy and offering industry specific training and tailor made degree programmes.
BSAU focuses on three dimensions of higher education, viz. Teaching, Research, Consultancy and Extension.
BSAU plans to start research collaboration with UCF in the development of high speed wear resistant materials, development of bio-materials for hip-joint implants, polymer nano materials, user friendly farm equipments, robotics and automation, smart grids, network security, cloud computing, VLSI and embedded systems, developing smart solar energy systems and sustainability.
Faculty and student exchange programmes are being planned in parallel to give faculty and students’ international perspective and opportunity to interact and work with UCF counterparts and engage in cutting edge research with global perspective. In addition, joint international conferences and cultural exchange programmes are being worked out.
Mr. Ashraf Buhari, Board of Management member, BSAU, Dr. V.M. Periasamy, Registrar, Mr. V.N. A. Jalal, Director Admissions, Dr. S. Prince Arockia Doss, Director, International Collaboration, Dr. Murugasan, Director, sponsored research and consultancy, and Dr. M. Murugan, HOD, Mechanical Engineering participated in the event.