IIT move to enrol more foreign students

Addressing an international educators meet organised by Anna University on Monday, IIT-Madras Director Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi said that the IIT Council had in a meeting last year discussed about increasing the number of PG students from foreign countries, for which a sub-committee was formed. “It is not that we don’t have foreign students in our campus right now, but we want to increase the number,” he said. 

Prof. Ramamurthi pointed out that by the end of this year, 400 renowned experts from India and abroad would teach students at the campuses in India for a few days as part of the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) scheme. “The course content to be taught is available on the GIAN website. We hope that institutes will take advantage of this programme and explore collaboration,” he said, adding that IIT-Madras has 12 joint PhD programmes with foreign universities. 

Anna University Vice-Chancellor Prof. M Rajaram has announced that the university will soon set up centre of excellence in the automobile, aerospace and energy branches. “As per our Chief Minister’s Vision-2023 document, we have planned to start these centres of excellence for research in the respective fields. Our university is keen in partnering with industries, besides providing hands on experience to students through an industry partnership,” he said.