• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Anna Peter

MUMBAI, Feb. 13

THE Sylvan International Universities (SIU) is setting up the South Asia International Institute in Hyderabad this year and will initially concentrate on providing education in computer science, telecommunications and electronics engineering, hotel and business management.

The land for a 125-acre campus, 12 km from Hyderabad, has already been acquired.

According to Dr K. Anantha Padmanabhan, Vice-Chancellor of South Asia International Institute, India was chosen to set up the institute because the Government was aiming to raise the rate of growth of post-secondary education from five per cent to nine per cent.

This would mean that in a few years, eight million more students would need to be educated and the Government would not be able to cater to this segment alone, for which private resources were necessary.

He added that of the 4,000 engineers graduating ever year, 3,000 graduated from private institutes. It was also important to standardise education in India, he said.

Mr Padmanabhan said that South Asia would use the e-learning mode of education. Sylvan had link centres that were connected to the entire group and that there would be a committee to debate and provide advice on every programme the university offered.

He said the university had a student-centred mission — one that would prepare graduates for the global economy.

He added that the university would apply for "deemed" status.

There is likely to be greater demand for technical education as MNCs and manufacturing companies would be looking to set up base or use quality R&D services here because of cheaper and highly skilled manpower.

The first semester, due to begin in August this year, would have about 210 students.

Sylvan had opted to set up the campus in Hyderabad because the Andhra Pradesh Government had responded to its efforts first.

Mr Padmanabhan said some faculty from sister universities would also serve the university.

Its faculty would include those with experience, high qualification and Phds with some post-doctoral experience abroad.

The Vice-Chancellor also said that fees alone would be about Rs 1,35,500 a year.

Further, according to Ms Jan Augustine, Vice-President, Indian Operations for SIU, all students would be required to own a laptop for their studies - for which bulk orders could also be undertaken - considering that the university is an expert in online learning and distance education.

According to Ms Augustine, the large population base and the eventual perceived shift to providing services was also one of the reasons for setting up the institute in the country.

Students will also be allowed to take dual degrees - a B.Tech with an M.Tech or an MBA. South Asia will provide postgraduate programmes in engineering through the National Technological University (NTU) - a US accredited university - and will utilise material from over 50 top engineering schools in the US.

It will also provide similar programmes through its tie-ups with the Walden University, Wall Street Institutes and the Canter Group (which educates teachers).

Sylvan already has over 60,000 students enrolled with it worldwide in its universities in Spain, Mexico, Chile, France and Switzerland.

It has acquired two hotel management institutes in Switzerland - the Glion Institute of Higher Education, Glion, and Les Roches Swiss Hotel Association Hotel Management School, Bluche.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
`More awareness needed for preventing chemical accidents'

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line