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MKU to offer dual degree courses

Shastry V. Mallady

MADURAI: The University of Madras will soon join hands with Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) to offer dual degree courses for students.

It has also evinced interest in entering into collaboration for joint research programmes, particularly in the area of life sciences.

G. Thiruvasagam, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras, said here on Friday that he had a preliminary discussion with the MKU Vice-Chancellor R. Karpaga Kumaravel on the areas where the two universities could work together effectively.

“We may sign a memorandum of understanding by January 15 and offering dual degree programmes will be one of the joint initiatives,” Dr. Thiruvasagam said. Students will pursue only one degree course but the degree will be awarded jointly by two universities. They will spend time in both the universities and get exposure to the facilities/expertise available in the University of Madras and the MKU.

Strongly supporting partnership among universities in the State, he said that when a university in India was able to offer dual degree programmes by tying up with a foreign university, the same could be done by two universities in Tamil Nadu who had a distinguished record in higher education and because the Choice-Based Credit System helps in innovations.

Augurs well

“It is well-known that Madurai Kamaraj University is very strong in biological sciences…and the University of Madras also has a huge capacity in medical sciences and basic sciences. So, it will augur well if these two come together and forge a partnership.” Dr. Thiruvasagam, who visited MKU to inaugurate ‘Online Tracking Software in Ph.D. research wing,’ informed that a team of faculty members from the University of Madras had meetings with their counterparts here in the last two days to identify potential areas for cooperation.

Dr. Karpaga Kumaravel and his team would visit the University of Madras on November 30 after which the joint programmes would be announced, he said.

Facilitates exposure

According to him, students will stand to gain by having dual degree courses since they will be able to learn in different environments and have exposure to the facilities in two institutions.

I. Singaram, Registrar, P. Gunasekaran, Chairperson, School of Biological Sciences, S. Perumal and PR. Athappan, university Syndicate members, were among those who participated.

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