Sheffield Univ Sets Up Office In New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 17 (UNI) Britain's Sheffield Hallam University opened its office in India today to build industrial links-- besides academic partnerships-- for greater job opportunities for graduates, its vice chancellor announced.

Prof Philip Jones told a news conference the University was exploring potential partnerships with industry in India and abroad ''to enhance employment opportunities for our graduates.'' ''This may include internships at some of the leading venues, SHU India coordinator Kalpana Das told journalists.

SHU has more than 29,000 students, including some 3,500 international students from 120 countries.

Das said the university admits nearly 400 Indian students annually for such courses as engineering, biotechnology, journalism, computing and physiotherapy.

Each course costs about eight thousand pounds or Rs seven lakh.

SHU has course partnerships with half a dozen Indian institutions including National Institutes of Technology at Hamirpur and Surat, Manipal University in Karnataka, and National School of Hotel Management, Kolkata.

Asked whether SHU has plans to set up campuses in India, Prof Jones said not so far. ''It's not something I am thinking of at the moment.'' Asked about instances of students submitting assignments picked up online, Prof Jones acknowledged he came across one such case at SHU in the year he has been with it and the student was expelled.

Prof Christine Booth, executive dean in the Organisation and Management Faculty, said this sort of circumstance would be treated as plagiarism and frowned upon by the academic community.

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