Top French Univ's tie-up with St Stephen's, Madras Univ

New Delhi, Jan 24 (UNI) Extending its presence in India, Sciences Po Paris -- a top French research university in social sciences-- will enter into partnerships with St Stephen's College, Delhi and the University of Madras, it was announced today.

The agreements will be signed on January 26 during the State visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Sciences Po Vice-President Francis Verillaud said.

The creation of the Sciences Po India Alumni Association will also be formally launched during the presidential visit, he said.

Under the agreements, three students each from St Stephen's and Madras University will go to Sciences Po to study for a full year, and similar number of students from the French university will come to study in the two Indian institutions.

''This is just a beginning.... We want to increase the number of students under the exchange programme in times to come,'' Mr Verillaud told UNI.

The agreements will be signed by the Madras University Vice-Chancellor, the Principal of St Stephen's and Sciences Po President Richard Descoings who will be accompanying Mr Sarkozy.

Sciences Po has already entered into similar agreements with Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, University of Pune, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata.

As part of the agreements, more than 20 French students come to study one full year in India, and a similar number go to France to do research at Sciences Po.

Sciences Po is attracting Indian students by introducting courses in English and increasing the number of scholarships.

Last year, it launched the Indian Economy Chair, with the support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

The university is a member of the Global Public Policy Network, along with Columbia University, London School of Economics and National University of Singapore.

UNI YJ SHB ND1504