This one is really, really, big:
The nation’s premier research institution, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), will open a new campus – its first outside Bangalore – in Mysore. [...]
With this, University of Mysore will become the first in the entire country to house an IISc campus. This will not only give a boost to the University’s image but help it in teaching and research activities.
As per the draft agreement, IISc and the University are planning to have a wide-range of co-operation in the field of teaching and research programmes, with a special thrust to chemical biology.
The programmes envisaged include short-term teaching programmes, setting up of joint infrastructure (depending on the common interest), joint degree and research programmes, exchange of students and others, Prof Prasad disclosed. [...]
This is certainly, ... um, ... interesting. It's not clear how much of the new arrangement is already agreed upon, and how much of it is still up for grabs. Right now, it's only the Deccan Herald that has this story, so we will wait for more details to emerge.
Oh, by the way, Prof. J. Shashidar Prasad, Vice Chancellor of Mysore University, is credited with this quote (a little later in the report):
We have qualified English faculty. IISc would like to have University English lecturers to teach the language to experts in IISc, Bangalore.
Ouch! I say "Bring'em on!"
4 Comments:
But why Mysore? Why not somewhere up north? Isn't Mysore already next door to Bengaluru?
Abi, I read this news and thought you might have touched upon it. I avoided reading yours before writing mine :)
Here is my reaction; http://domesticatedonion.net/eng/?p=23.
Basically, I wonder why Mysore, of all universities. This will be a three-legged race, with one sprinter and another arthritis patient, IMHO.
Good Idea! I mean the English thing. IISc put its humanities and mathematics faculties to bed a looong time ago. This may be the best way to stir IISc awake once again. IITB already has a fine philosophy dept coming up, while IITKGP is setting up a law school and med school. And the true Vishvavidyalaya of them all BHU - has all faculties - and shd be the model for all future upgrades to our elite institutions. Let's do away with all those "Law" univesities, "Medical" universities and "Technological" universities. We need multiversities. Let's have as many as we can.
Shivam: Proximity is a useful thing if one is interested in a set up to be run by IISc professors. Otherwise, a campus up in the north could very well be a separate institution!
Venkat: Thanks for leaving a link to your post. You do make some strong and interesting points!
Shiva: I agree with your sentiment about single-subject 'universities' (such as law, medicine, technology, etc). However, the IISc-Mysore tie up is unlikely to lead to a multiversity. At least that's my understanding. Also, IISc is not going to become a multiversity in a hurry; our social sciences foray is largely through our management program, and that's a small part of IISc.
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