OU-KSU: forging ties for academic excellence

Updated on: Monday, January 11, 2010

Twenty senior faculty members from Kansas State University spent five days on Osmania University campus interacting with the university faculty from January 4 to January 8. These teachers represented different disciplines ranging from English to Engineering, covering the faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Management, Education and Engineering.

Initiated by Osmania University Centre for International Programmes (OUCIP) and the International Office of KSU, the academic visit led to networking of KSU teachers and their counterparts in OU and ground was prepared for serious deliberations resulting in concrete plans for collaboration.

The visit acquires a special significance in the context of the strides Osmania has been making in the last one year in internationalising its education.

Osmania University Centre for International Programmes (formerly American Research Studies Centre) which acts as the international face of Osmania University played a vital role in organising this huge historic academic meet. The centre provided the accommodation and space for deliberations and Prof. C.Vijayasree, Director OUCIP and Prof T.Vijay Kumar, Joint Director, OUCIP developed a model for this five-day long faculty orientation offered to KSU faculty. This included presentations on education at Osmania, teaching and research scenario in different disciplines of Osmania and the current academic priorities at OU.

Deliberations

Then small groups were formed teaming KSU faculty with their counterparts in OU. Visits to the departments were arranged and intensive deliberations were held in small groups to explore areas of common interest and evolve modalities for collaborations. The results of these deliberations were drafted and presented at the exit meeting by different teams. Blue prints for academic collaborations included organisation of collaborative seminars and conferences on areas of common interest leading to publication and launching of research projects; Faculty exchange programme; Team-teaching system where in OU and KSU faculty members collaborate to develop academic courses which will be jointly offered at KSU campus; Student exchange at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels; Faculty-led Study Abroad Programmes for KSU students; Twinning Programme where in OU students can pursue part of their course in KSU and Collaborative Research Projects

Praise

“Thank you so much for the hospitality, but also for the intellectual stimulation, as well. We have dreamed together--let us continue to work to bring these dreams to fruition,” said Dean Hall, Department of English, Kansas State University.

“The faculty, staff and administration of OU should be commended for taking the initiative and leadership to network with our group. Our shared visions can have mutual benefit for students and both of our communities,” was the reaction of Greg Stephens, Department of Business Management, KSU.

Responding to views expressed by the visitors, Osmania University Vice-Chancellor T. Thirupathi Rao said, “Nothing deters Osmania from its march to excellence.”

OU-KSU: forging ties for academic excellence

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