GU to go a-wooing foreign students
EVEN when the Gujarat University plans to initiate ‘Study Abroad’ programme, the Foreign Students Bureau has stopped functioning over the years. The bureau set up by the University to help students from abroad to obtain an undergraduate or Post-graduate degree has seen very few registrations since 1998-99.
Vice-Chancellor of GU Parimal Trivedi says the reason for this is poor management of the bureau. He says, ‘’Over the years, the condition of the bureau has worsened. This has happened because of less people who are managing the bureau, though with efficiency. In fact, in the beginning there used to be at least 15 students from foreign universities appearing for programmes every year which decreased to three and the situation kept on worsening.'’
The V-C says that the ‘Study Abroad’ programme has been formulated as a means to revive the bureau. He adds, ‘’This is the first time we have introduced such a course which helps in integrating culture as well as knowledge. The registrations will be open to the students in December and I hope that we will be able to invite more students from abroad to join the university. Besides this, we are planning to open up an Information Centre to help foreign students get guidance in Science and Technology. We are also planning to start an educational exchange programme with foreign universities by signing MoU’s with them.'’
The University is also making an attempt to woo the NRI community by introducing courses for the same. These courses, ranging from Indian Philosophy and Culture to Gandhian studies, cost US $1500, including accommodation charges. However, dean of the Faculty of Arts at the School of Social Sciences, Pradeep Prajapati believes that the entire idea of reviving the bureau is a hogwash. He says, “I have asked the V-C at least many times to get the foreign education bureau functioning but it was futile as nothing really happened. The fact is that foreign students are not interested as they feel that there is no developmental education here.'’
Arvind Bhandari, registrar at the university, points out that one can never be sure of the actual number of foreign students enrolled in the university.
He says, ‘’Although the university gives out Provincial Eligibility Certificates (PCE) to students from foreign universities, who are eligible to study programmes in the Gujarat University or colleges affiliated to it, its not certain that these students take admissions into their respective colleges after they get their certificates.'’
