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LATEST
NEWS |
23rd
March 2010 / Times of India / Mumbai Edition
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 Columbia Univ to open India centre
Mumbai: Columbia University formally announced the opening of its India centre in the country’s financial capital. “Largely backed’’ by the Aditya Birla group, the centre plans to conduct research in a host of lecture series for thinkers, policy makers and experts on sustainable development.
Addressing the media on Monday, members of the highlevel delegation from New York said Columbia was currently not interested in starting a branch campus. Nirupam Bajpai, director of the South Asian programme, said, “We don’t feel that by bringing a campus, we can do justice to what a campus should do. The financial model and getting faculty to stay for a long haul, is all not feasible right now.’’ The centre, which is slated to commence operations from August 1, will work in the area of water, agriculture, education public health, energy and climate change. Columbia president Lee Bollinger said, “It is essential that our students and faculty know and understand our worlds and we are committed to providing new opportunities to deepen our engagement with scholars, ideas and challenges across the globe.’’
Various schools and departments at the university — law, journalism, the business school, the earth institute and the public health school — have evinced interest in working in India.
“The ADB group has played a significant role in bringing Columbia to India. Now we are in discussion with several other corporates to associate with us,’’ added Bajpai. The plan is to hire core faculty from India, but faculty from New York will be stationed here temporarily.
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