The Hindu : National : Haryana ties up with Cambridge

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Friday, Aug 03, 2007
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Haryana ties up with Cambridge

Special Correspondent

Students to be offered English language courses certified by British university

First in India to set up lab-based language training
Plans on to introduce flexible scholarship scheme

CHANDIGARH: Haryana on Thursday became the first State in the country to have a sub-centre of Britain’s Cambridge University for certification in English language proficiency.

The British Council and the Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, a university for women at Khanpur Kalan in Sonepat district, signed a memorandum of understanding to offer Business English Certificate (BEC) and Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) from the University of Cambridge ESOL examinations to the students of the Mahila Vishwavidyalaya.

The MoU was signed by Minister of Cultural Affairs British Council Division, British High Commission Rod Pryde and Vice- Chancellor of the university Anuradha Gupta, in the presence of Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on the university campus.

Dr. Kidwai and Mr. Hooda congratulated the British Council and the University for setting a new trend to improve the language skills of students. They also inaugurated language labs.

Ms. Gupta said the endeavour was to provide an opportunity to the students to develop their business English and teaching knowledge proficiency to meet the requirement of the industry.

She said the British Council would work with the University as the lead partner in the State to offer and promote Cambridge ESOL qualifications.

She also said the university had implemented a mega project to impart free of cost lab-based language training in spoken English, communication skills and foreign languages to all the university students. It is the first university in the country to set up a department of lab-based language training with a capacity of 3,000 in a year.

Dr. Kidwai and Mr. Hooda called for developing the Mahila Vishwavidalya as a world class university.

Mr. Hooda announced that an engineering and a medical college would be set up on the campus. Also, an academic staff college would be set up with the cooperation of the Univesity Grants Commission in Bhainswal Kalan village, to train lecturers. He also announced plans to set up a Bhagat Phool Singh Medhavi Chhatra Kosh to give scholarships to outstanding students of the university.

Mr. Hooda also announced plans to introduce a flexible scholarship scheme known as merit-cum-means to benefit outstanding girl students from belonging to poor families. Special courses would also be introduced to develop their personality.

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