BHU to fuel advanced research via 'Indo-US umbrella'

Varanasi, Oct 9 (UNI) Fresh from his visit to the US, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) vice-chancellor Panjab Singh today announced to form an 'Indo-US umbrella' to fuel advanced education and research at the central varsity.

''Besides funding from the central government, international support is a crucial instrument for building the right infrastructure to fuel higher education and advanced research at BHU. We plan an Indo-US umbrella through which advanced research and higher education will be promoted by establishing permanent linkage with American universities,'' Prof Singh told newspersons here.

An International Cell, on the lines of the Alumni Cell will be constituted shortly at the central university to foster international support, especially from US and it will prepare a detailed roadmap in the next three month for the corporation.

Prof Singh maintained the cooperation will be in all streams of education spanning from arts and humanities to agriculture and from management and engineering to health sciences.

''Creating the Indo-US umbrella through the International Cell does not imply that BHU is hankering for US funds. The central university, instead wants to share best resources from American universities, especially human expertise in the form of long stints of US scientists at BHU under various faculty exchange programmes.'' The BHU VC was part of a delegation of 11 vice-chancellors of central universities of the country, which toured various US universities between September 17 and 28.

The visit was on the invitation of United State Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs under the 'International Visitor Leadership Programme.' The team also headed by Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia visited Washington, New Haven, New York, Chicago and Wisconsin during the 12-day trip.

The team visited various US universities, including Howard University, Columbia University, DePaul University, Land Grant University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois and University of Connecticut in New Haven.

At the DePaul University, Prof Singh met faculty members to discuss the administration of a religiously-affiliated school, in efforts to maintain ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of the student population.

UNI