The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : UGC to promote use of virtual infrastructure through Internet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

UGC to promote use of virtual infrastructure through Internet

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, JULY 25. The University Grants Commission has planned to promote the use of virtual infrastructure available through the Internet and other communication tools for capacity building among teachers, especially those handling open and distance education courses, the Vice-Chairman, V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, he said the UGC would adopt an integrated teaching approach for the benefit of both the open and distance education systems.

"The focus will be on optimum utilisation of the virtual infrastructure through the Internet and other communication tools," he said. Virtual infrastructure had a greater efficacy than physical infrastructure, he said, adding lectures on topics covered under the distance education syllabi would also be made available.

Pointing out that none of the 300-odd universities in the country had been rated among the top 500 universities in the world by an international agency, he said there was a strong case for strengthening the universities in the country on the academic front.

Colleges should offer integrated courses with diverse branches of study. For instance, undergraduate and basic courses should include curriculum on health awareness and disaster management. Likewise, research in basic chemistry should be clubbed with the fundamentals of medicine.

Basic science curricula followed in engineering colleges during the first three or four semesters should be taught in other undergraduate courses. Community colleges should be started in good numbers for the overall development of the students, he said.

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