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Date:02/04/2010 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/02/stories/2010040260660300.htm
College ties up with university in China
Special Correspondent
| To facilitate exchange of faculty and students |
— Photo: G. Moorthy
OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD:Brijveen, consultant, EduFrance, addressing students of American College in the city.
MADURAI: The American College here has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a university in China to facilitate academic and cultural exchange between the two institutions. The MoU, signed on Tuesday with Ginling College, Nanjing Normal University (NNU) in the People's Republic of China, will be in force till December 2015.
According to T. Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar, Principal and Secretary of American College, the areas of cooperation include exchange of faculty members and students, joint degree programmes, joint short-term programmes, research projects and joint cultural programmes.
It was a sequel to the visit of Premila Paul, Dean, International Exchange and Study Programme, American College, to Nanjing Normal University in November last year. “This is the college's second Asian Exchange Programme as the institution has been sending students to Japan through Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme,” he said.
The latest understanding with a university in China would help in giving an Asian tilt to the otherwise West-centric higher education in India.
The other overseas institutions with whom the American College had collaboration were Oberlin College, Appalachian State University, Boone North Carolina, USA; University of Northrumbia, UK and the Leeds Metropolitan, UK.
The college was also exploring the possibilities of collaboration with German and French universities. “These collaborations would serve the vision of promoting the much needed cosmopolitanism and international standards needed in a city such as Madurai,” he said.
Campus France
Meanwhile, an event to give exposure to students on higher education opportunities in France was conducted in the college on Wednesday. Called ‘Campus France in American College,' it focused on Lille Catholic University and programmes offered there.
Brijveen, consultant, EduFrance, Alliance Francaise de Madras, Marie Pierre Augustin, Head, Department of French, Madurai Kamaraj University, and B. Vijaya, Lecturer, Department of French, American College and the college Principal participated.
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4 comments:
Its good to hear that our college is extending its wings in the field of academics. Hope the students should be get more benefits by these programs.
dear Samji!
Its not surprising that The American College has initiated (even already has some exchange programs)such collaborative programs. Because American college has such potentials and capabilities. But the thing which I am most concerned is: So far the college has not at all created?explored enough research space in almost all disciplines except very few. It is still a undergraduate and graduate degree yielding college. When will it transform into a research atmosphere?
Everything you have, be it students or faculties, library or exposure, but when a person completes MA program, he or she has to leave. of course one has to leave to other institutions for further studies. But what we are offering when somebody knocks your door after post-graduation.
I feel the college has to think seriously about this issue. I cannot forget my graduation days. what kind of academic space I enjoyed there. same thing I had in Folklore department at St. Xavier's College while I really didnt have any feeling of the college. My days in Folklore Dept were always such a memorable experience. Now I am in JNU and so no need for explaining the academic space. the point I try to make here is American College has this space, potentials, and resources-Faculty, student, library-or you have a nice space from which you can get everything you need.
But still we are known for degree-UG/PG-programs!
I really didnt know where is the the problem? every year students are coming to JNU from American college. at a time, you can find at least 4-5 students in JNU. Now this number is increasing. MCC, Loyola are the other colleges which share this privilege. I am not exaggerating here anything. If I am wrong you can point out me.
probably one particular thing, I guess, might be the reason. the focus on getting employment to the students after UG/PG programs. Of course, It's a very welcoming thing, But I think, we are not giving that much space to create a research space in American College.
So what is happening ultimately? all the scholars visiting Madurai-Bate, Mines, and so on leave Madurai without any conversation with College. the irony is American college people has all the links with all these scholars. I really wonder even you invite these people: but who will listen to their lectures? Except some teachers and friends of the college(here I mean either teachers only broadly), whether we are creating a potential student community in this aspect?
These questions and lots of other questions I was thinking very long time. In fact, there was a Scholar-in-program in MG university, Kottayam. Gayatri Spivak is giving lectures there. I just imagining: Are we capable (in terms of academic capabilities) of inviting her in Madurai? except very few people (mostly teaching community and may be some exceptional students), hardly there will be people for such things. Here Spivak is just an example.
this is my personal view, and in my opinion, I feel American college can perform a lot than it is now. and last two years it has underwent such traumas and tragedies. But we need to think ahead now. And WE can! If this hurts anyone, I feel sorry for that because thats not my intention. but If anyone has different opinion, I am willing to listen!
American college is extending towards west and now to east.
The college should realise that for any extension you require a foundation i.e. Madurai campus, which should be a peaceful atmosphere. Good luck!!1
I welcome this initiative. I found lots of Indian students studying at a medical college at Suzhou, China (near Shanghai). I spoke to them and they were very happy. China makes lots of efforts to attract international students to their campuses. Chinese studies are a popular subject for Koreans and I found them in every campus in Beijing and Shanghai universities. Parallel with Govt.India's initiative "Look East" The American College should make its own contributions. Our students should strengthen ties between two Asian giants for posterity.
N.Kannan
Geoje, Korea
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