Victoria Uni to offer courses in Gujarat

A high level delegation of Victoria University visited Gujarat recently and offered to help the state’s efforts in higher education.

Affirming the commitment of Australian universities to ongoing partnership and collaboration with the universities of India, Victoria University has signed an agreement with Ganpat University in Gujarat to jointly offer a range of courses from September this year.

The agreement was signed on July 2, 2010 by Victoria University (VU) Chancellor George Pappas and Vice-Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman, who earlier called on Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar and offered to partner and assist Gujarat’s efforts in higher education.

“In the first stage of the partnership, VU would offer the first year of masters courses in computer science and business and an MBA at the Ahmedabad campus of Ganpat University from September 2010. Students will complete their courses at Victoria University in Melbourne,” said VU VicePresident International Andrew Holloway.

Later stages would involve diploma and bachelor programs including joint degrees with Ganpat University, he added.

A large number of students from Gujarat pursue university education in Australian universities. Mr Holloway estimates that about 1000 students will enroll in a range of VU programs in Ahmedabad by the end of 2011.

The Gujarat State Government has also invited Victoria University to establish a vocational training institute with funding support from the state.

According to Mr Holloway there is strong demand for postgraduate courses in business and computer science in India and VU is well placed to provide these. “This is the first stage of our plans for further collaboration with Ganpat University. We are discussing a range of further options, including development of a VU-badged campus to be operated by Ganpat University in the state’s largest city, Ahmedabad,” he said, adding that there is also interest in establishing pathways to VU undergraduate and postgraduate programs in engineering, computer science and management.

The Victoria University delegation to Gujarat also evinced interest in training and upgrading professional skills in technical education, keeping in tune with the fast changing global requirements, a release from the Gujarat government said. Victoria University has offered $50,000 scholarship for brilliant and needy students of the state, it added.

The delegation also agreed to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s suggestion to conduct a detailed research in Gujarat’s success story in people’s participation in rehabilitation of the quake-hit in Kutch, and study the Gujarat Government’s unique disaster management policy, ordinance and setting up of the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) in all its perspectives.

The Victoria varsity has expertise in specialized subjects like tourism, marine engineering, shipbuilding, environment technology, sports management and infrastructure, besides short-term technical up-gradation courses.

Mamta Sharma

Melbourne in the wake of the recent alleged racial attacks on Indians in Melbourne and the Migration Amendment (Visa Capping) Bill 2010 introduced into the Parliament recently, which if passed will adversely affect the number of Indians travelling to Australia.

However, with just five months to go, there is no travelling schedule in place and the airline is yet to get an office in Melbourne. Sources say the airline first needs to go for registration at Canberra, which is yet to happen. Besides, there is lot to do in terms of work at the airport for the service and the crew. With daily direct flights, Air India in its B-777 aircrafts would need to fill in approximately 3,000 seats per week, an extremely challenging task. Even a large international carrier like Etihad has flights scheduled only three times a week.

But for the Indian Australians it will be a pleasure to welcome back the smiling Maharaja to these skies.