July 25, 2022

IIT-Madras Considers Establishing a Campus in Tanzania; Nepal: Plans for Campus in Sri Lanka Too

A An offshore campus of IIT Madras in Tanzania is one of the options under consideration by the government as it works on a strategy to ensure the country's premier engineering institutes have a global presence. According to officials familiar with the developments, the recommendations made in a draught report prepared by a 16-member committee led by IIT Council standing committee chairperson Dr. K. Radhakrishnan serve as a possible roadmap for the expansion plans.

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, told the press that, in addition to Tanzania and other African countries, the institute has received requests for campuses in Sri Lanka and Nepal to offer courses in emerging areas such as data sciences and artificial intelligence, as well as energy systems.

…for African countries, programmes in mining are very important… In Nepal, there are demands for courses on energy systems... Courses in data sciences are in demand everywhere…

Director of IIT Madras, Prof. Kamakoti, added, "IIT Madras is in discussions with multiple countries, including Tanzania, regarding offshore campuses. We are considering many of these places. For African countries, programmes in mining are very important. In Nepal, there is a demand for courses on energy systems. Courses in data sciences are in demand everywhere."

Discussions are underway to determine whether individual IITs should venture abroad or whether multiple IITs should collaborate to do so. Prof. Kamakoti was one of the Radhakrishnan committee's seven IIT directors. Efforts are also being made to research market demand in some of the countries that have made requests for Indian institutions to establish offshore campuses.

While the proposed satellite campuses may initially offer postgraduate courses, the plan is to eventually scale them up to offer the flagship undergraduate degree courses taught at the IITs.

Posted in News and tagged News, India, IIT-Madras, Tanzania, Nepal, Sri Lanka
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