The varsity intends to promote and facilitate new collaborations, research projects, academic programming and overseas study, Columbia University president Lee C Bollinger said.
In an effort to enhance its international perspective in teaching and research, leading US educational institute Columbia University has launched its global centre for South Asia in Mumbai.
The facility is expected to be operational in August.
The varsity intends to promote and facilitate new collaborations, research projects, academic programming and overseas study to address the interdisciplinary challenges of an increasingly global society, Columbia University president Lee C Bollinger said here today.
"The university is proud to mark the opening of Columbia Global Centre in Mumbai."
"Columbia's intellectual history and engagement in South Asia have deep roots and our global centre in India will allow us to build foundation in new and innovative ways that enhance our knowledge and contribute to society," he said, adding the most famous Columbian from India was BR Ambedkar, Dalit icon and architect of Indian constitution.
While some US universities have built branch campuses and degree-granting schools abroad, Columbia is taking a different path, Bollinger said.
"The Columbia Global Centres provide flexible regional hubs for a wide range of activities and resources intended to enhance the quality of research and learning at the university and around the world."
"The mission is to establish and nurture a network of partnerships in international capitals to collaboratively address complex global challenges by bringing together scholars, students, public, officials, private enterprise and innovators from a broad range of fields," Bollinger said.
The varsity has opened a similar global centre for Europe in Paris. Last year, a centre for East Asia was opened in Beijing and for West Asia in Amman, Jordan.
Another collaboration of the university is `Studio-X Mumbai', a project of Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. It is likely to be
housed in a heritage building near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in South Mumbai, director of the Mumbai centre Nirupam Bajpai said.
South Asian scholarship at Columbia is led by more than 50 faculty members in associated fields, including a number of endowed academic chairs. Over 1,700 undergraduates, 800 graduate and 65 doctoral candidates are enrolled in these regional studies, Bollinger said.
More than 130 non-language courses with South Asian content are offered in 13 departments of the university. Last year over a dozen Columbia faculty members travelled to India to present their research findings and work on collaborative projects, he added.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}