South Asian varsity is taking shape

The idea was proposed by Manmohan Singh in 2005

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s idea of setting up a South Asian University (SAU) in the Saarc region taking a concrete shape. Keeping in view India’s leadership role in the field of education, it has been decided to set up the main university in New Delhi with affiliating units in member-countries.

The search committee headed by Indian agriculture scientist M Swaminathan and comprising experts from Saarc countries has also finalised the chief executive officer, an Indian, sources in the human resource development ministry said. His name will, however, be announced after clearance from the inter-governmental committee. The SAU campus will be ready by 2009 and the university functional by 2010, the sources said.

The university will offer courses in human, social and natural sciences, regional integration and common culture among Saarc nations.  The idea was mooted by Singh at the Saarc conference in Dhaka in 2005 to have the best academic and scientific institutions in the world. The proposal was later approved by Saarc heads at a meeting in Delhi.
 
The SAU is expected to witness a free flow of students and faculty from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and India. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, it will be developed as a centre of excellence on the lines of the American Ivy League universities and would provide professional faculty to students and researchers from Saarc countries.

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