Warwick University plans partnerships, branches in India

Bangalore, Oct 9 (UNI) The Warwick University is planning to establish several collaborative partnerships and branches in India, as part of its effort to promote trans-border education, its Vice-Chancellor Nigel Thrift said today.

Addressing a session on 'Emerging Trends in University Education,' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) here, he said the latest trend for universities was to cross the borders and project themselves as global citizens in providing education-related global issues like energy conservation, security in terms of climatic change.

Stating that another trend was that of rise in student mobility in comparison to the earlier decades, he said adding that the global demand for students would go up to 5.8 million by 2020.

The United Kingdom registered university which had around 4,000 Indian students in 2003, currently has over 23,000 students in its roll.

As part of its collaborative efforts, the university planned to establish international partners, distance e-learning centres and overseas campuses in India, for interchange of scientific knowledge, he informed.

Prof Thrift said the university had set up the Warwick Manufacturing Group, comprising industrialists at its campus in UK, where business and academia met to learn about business, industry and management in an international context.

Warwick University was a unique institution in the world in promoting link between universities and industries for mutual benefits, he said adding that the concept could be activated in India also.

UNI