Varsity to transform arts, science colleges

Updated on: Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The University of Madras will spearhead a campaign to transform affiliated arts and science colleges through public-private partnership programmes into institutions offering job-oriented training, its Vice Chancellor G.Thiruvasagam said here on Tuesday.

Henceforth, industry representatives would be involved in every sphere of higher education – from framing the syllabus, delivering guest lectures and in the evaluation process, he said, adding that to start with the process is being initiated in the University itself.

Speaking at an event organised to issue placement orders to students of M.Sc Cyber Forensics and M.A. Criminology, Mr.Thiruvasagam said “Faculty and students of arts and science colleges are very much tired of hearing about the placement opportunities that professional colleges offer. It is a misconception that only professional colleges provide the required human resources for the country.”

Stressing that the university believes in training and application-oriented courses, he said that following the example set by the Department of Criminology, a majority of the courses that the university offers will be modified and tailor-made for job creation.

The syllabus of the M.Sc and M.A. courses offered by the Criminology Department were designed by those who eventually recruit the students. Many of the electives are also taught by persons who work in the field of cyber-security.

R.Thilagaraj, Head of the Department of Criminology, said that the syllabus is revised every year by an advisory committee consisting of senior information security and information forensics officers from the industry.

Admitting that currently at least 25 per cent of the departments in the university are not able to provide any placements, Mr. Thiruvasagam said, “We have begun to realise that no academic programme can be successful or [the students] employable without industry collaboration. For example, in the B.Com (Honours) course which is being revived this academic year, students will be attached to an industry for more than 60 per cent of the course duration.”
Survey

Citing a recent survey conducted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University, he said that 93 per cent of parents send their children to institutes of higher learning not to get a degree, but to get employment.

At the event, 22 students were issued placement orders by software companies and anti-money laundering divisions of banks.

Varsity to transform arts, science colleges

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