Dr. Arunanshu Dasgupta, organized the event and invited noted History and International Relations professors from both Kolkotta University and Jadavpur University.
Located on the outskirts of the city of Kota, Rajhastan, VMOU has a vast 75 acre campus. With the recent increase in funding received from the Distance Education Council and the Rajhastan State Government; new buildings are being constructed all across the University Campus, including what will be a top notch satellite TV broadcasting studio for propagating Distance mode courses.
These fundoos, self-appointed custodians of Indian culture, may start chipping away at temple murals, breaking down monuments, and eventually targeting the temples at Khajuraho, Konarak, and Bhubaneshwar until they succeed in effacing the rich Indian culture of art, image, and narrative, to conform to their own one-track, fascist vision of what Indian civilisation is.
YCMOU is one of the largest Open University in the country, it spends a tremendous amount of capital on the Research and Development of its Agricultural courses and the continual improvement of its infrastructure. It has eight regional sub-centres, spread across Maharashtra and Goa; I was informed that the Regional Cooperation Seminar would be held in all 8 sub-centres, similar in presentation to the one in Nashik.
SOS-Kinderdorf International is an International Child development organisation working in 131 countries and territories through its member associations. In South Asia it has member associations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Nepal.
Although the staff at BAOU was tremendously hospitable, the University only held a Cheque Distribution ceremony with no Seminar component – this is strange considering the Seminar was the focal point of all correspondence with the University since the beginning of the current session’s cheque distribution process.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the South Asia Foundation (“SAF”) and the Media Development Foundation (“MDF”), Chennai.
MANUU, has by far, one of the best University grounds I have seen in the country – at par with Universities in the United States and in Europe. The officials organized a brief, yet highly informative seminar on Regional Cooperation. Furthermore, even though MANUU is well funded by the UGC, they see the affiliation with the SAF Scholarship Programme as more about Certification / Brand Affiliation than mere financial support.
BRAOU is situated right in the middle of Jubilee Hills, near the outskirts of Hyderabad, making it easily accessible from both the city and rural areas. Apart from being the very first Open University, BRAOU offers interesting and important programmes, such as various Bachelors of Science and Arts degrees. The University will soon introduce a Masters of Science Distance Learning programme as well.
Despite the oppressively hot summer weather, Jammu University’s campus is a treat for the eyes; it has a beautiful campus. Mr. Kuljeet Singh, Coordinator of the SAF programme, organized a seminar on Regional Cooperation, the Dean Academic, Prof. P.S. Sehgal and the Director of Distance Learning, Dr. O.S. Sudan, drew heavily from the SASIA Story.