The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Encyclopaedic dictionary on environment released

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Friday, Apr 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Encyclopaedic dictionary on environment released

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Anna University has brought out a Tamil encyclopaedic dictionary on the environment with a Rs.5.3-crore grant from the University Grants Commission.

Releasing the dictionary on Thursday, the former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, said it would be helpful to students and environmental scientists in the State. It covers 5,060 topics.

Eight departments of the university, including environmental science, geology and physics, and the centre for water resources were involved in the preparation of the dictionary, which is based on an integrated approach, Vice-Chancellor D. Viswanathan said. The project, which began in 2004, involved 72 experts in the sciences and Tamil language.

Mr. Kalam also released a book on A SEED for Vision 2020. A SEED, which stands for Achieving and Sustaining Excellence in Education Delivery, is a community project, funded by the World Bank’s Technology Education Quality Improvement Programme. It is aimed at aiding development of education in the country, one of the five key areas in Mr. Kalam’s vision for a developed India.

The book offers a model for education delivery created by experts at Anna University after a series of brainstorming sessions with teachers from Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Kalam said the “A SEED” programme must “facilitate provision of uniform quality education to our children and the youth along with soft-skills and value system as part of the course curriculum.” Offering examples from the Finnish education system, he said innovation and knowledge application were more important than studying for the sake of examinations. The government, academics, industrialists and venture capitalists should work together to evolve innovation in education and the entrepreneurial system as a public-private venture.

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