South Asian University starts academic session in '09
Sunday, 3 June 2007
The first South Asian University, initiated by the member- countries of the SAARC during the 14th summit here last April, will be set up in New Delhi and its academic session would commence in 2009, reports UNB from New Delhi.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed the Delhi government to allot 200 acres of land for the proposed university, which is aimed at creating a regional centre of academic excellence.
Singh mooted the proposal for establishing the university at the summit and it was approved by all the member-countries of the forum, including Bangladesh.
The plan for the university was conceived by Gowhar Rizvi, director of Ash Institution of Democratic Governance and Innovations of Harvard University.
The university will have centres in all the eight countries while the host nation will get 50 per cent seats. Each country will have fixed share of seats in all faculties.
Initially, this university will offer postgraduate courses and there is a plan to include undergraduate courses as well. The residential university will have a distinct academic character like Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Mohan Man Sainju, former vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, said that the homework for the project was yet to be done.
Similarly, Jehan Ara, adviser of Pakistan Software House Association, said that connectivity is far easy to achieve through linking up major universities of the SAARC.
The first batch of students is likely to be enrolled in 2009. The broad contours of the university have already been spelt out in the agreement signed by the SAARC countries.
It proposes to bring together brightest and most dedicated students of the region together. The university will be run by a governing board comprising two members from each country.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed the Delhi government to allot 200 acres of land for the proposed university, which is aimed at creating a regional centre of academic excellence.
Singh mooted the proposal for establishing the university at the summit and it was approved by all the member-countries of the forum, including Bangladesh.
The plan for the university was conceived by Gowhar Rizvi, director of Ash Institution of Democratic Governance and Innovations of Harvard University.
The university will have centres in all the eight countries while the host nation will get 50 per cent seats. Each country will have fixed share of seats in all faculties.
Initially, this university will offer postgraduate courses and there is a plan to include undergraduate courses as well. The residential university will have a distinct academic character like Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Mohan Man Sainju, former vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, said that the homework for the project was yet to be done.
Similarly, Jehan Ara, adviser of Pakistan Software House Association, said that connectivity is far easy to achieve through linking up major universities of the SAARC.
The first batch of students is likely to be enrolled in 2009. The broad contours of the university have already been spelt out in the agreement signed by the SAARC countries.
It proposes to bring together brightest and most dedicated students of the region together. The university will be run by a governing board comprising two members from each country.