The Hindu Business Line : Oxford varsity, Lavasa Corp to set up research centre in UK

University of Oxford and Lavasa Corporation Ltd, part of the Hindustan Construction Company, has announced setting up of a research centre in the UK that will focus on Indian businesses, besides imparting a range of educational services.

Oxford University Vice-Chancellor Dr John Hood announced the establishment of the Oxford University India Business Centre (OUIBC) during a visit to the Capital.

The centre, to be located at Saïd Business School in Oxford, will address major business issues through collaborative research between academics in Oxford, India and elsewhere.

“The primary objective of this research centre is to learn from India’s business success. A clear understanding of the issues faced by India and their innovative solutions, as India transitions from poverty to prosperity, will form a guide to future generations of countries attempting similar transitions,” he said.

Hill station project

Alongside research and teaching at Oxford, the centre will develop a range of custom and open executive education programmes which will be delivered in India through a new facility in Lavasa, near Pune. The facility is part of a new hill station being developed by the Lavasa Corporation Ltd.

HCC Chairman and Managing Director Mr Ajit Gulabchand, who is also the Chairman of Lavasa, said, “A Memorandum of Agreement will be signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos”.

Alongside research and teaching at Oxford, the centre will develop executive education programmes that will be delivered in India through a new facility in Lavasa from 2009.

New chair

As part of the initiative, a new chair — ‘The Ajit Gulabchand Professor of Indian Business Studies’ — would be set up at the University of Oxford.

Meanwhile, Mr Ajit Gulabchand said Hindustan Construction Company is expecting a total revenue of Rs 1,47,000 crore over the next 10-15 years from the ‘Lavasa’ hill station project being developed near Pune.

“The total revenue expected from the Lavasa project is Rs 1,47,000 crore,” he said, adding the first phase would start in 2009-10, and all the four phases are expected to be completed by 2020.

The ‘Lavasa’ hill station project is being developed by HCC along with L.M. Thapar Group and Venkateshwara Hatcheries. HCC holds 65 per cent stake in Lavasa Corp, while Thapar Group has 15 per cent share and Venkateshwara Hatcheries 12.5 per cent. The remaining stake is held by two other local entities.

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