Sano Meru
September 13
KOHIMA (MExN): The Government of Nagaland and the World Institute of Building Programme (WIBP) today signed an agreement for setting up of the proposed Open Global University at Wokha district. The official agreement took place at the Office chamber of Rajiv Bhansal, Commissioner & Secretary, Higher and Technical Education, at the State Secretariat in Kohima.
Talking to The Morung Express PR Trivedi, President WIBP revealed that the Headquarter would be at Wokha District with branch-campuses in Dimapur and Kohima. He said that should things proceed as planned, the University would start within a year and that the proposed site had already been located. It is also learnt that campuses would be set up in all the districts in Nagaland after a period of 5 years.
The University, Trivedi said, would offer only vocational and job-oriented courses. The courses to be offered would be subjects relating to Ecology, Environmental Disaster Management, sustainable development, total quality management, Bio-informatics, Geo-informatics, Human Rights, intellectual property rights, Eco-tourism, Media Management, Pollution control, MBA (Green Business, which would be the first of its kind in Asia) and MBA in Insurance Management. These subjects would be offered in the initial phases.
In the second phase Bachelors and Masters Degree in Medical laboratory, technology, Radiology, Emerging Technology, Physiology, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Nursing, Biotechnology as well as Medicinal plantation would be offered. Trivedi further informed that it was their vision that in due course of time, the university would be expanded to other North-Eastern states as well and that it would provide job opportunities for deserving students in countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Edward Lotha, Director of Higher and Technical Education, said that the approval of the Cabinet has already been made and the passing of the Act would be proposed in the next session of the Nagaland legislative Assembly. Lotha also said that they were impressed by the presentation of the aims and objectives and the fact that the courses offered, were job-oriented. The Director also informed that the Chief Secretary Nagaland has entrusted a committee consisting of 9 members to look further into the matter based on the draft act.
The Morung Express also spoke with Dr. Shurhozelie in his office chambers where he expressed hope that such a university would help in attracting many students. Based on studies conducted, the Minister said that although the number of institutions in Nagaland were growing fast the State was still lagging behind with only 1.10% pursuing Higher Education as compared to the national figure of 11%. He however expressed hope that the open Global University offering job-oriented courses would provide tremendous job opportunities particularly for the Naga students’.
It is worth mentioning that The Morung Express last month broke the news on the Government’s initiative to set up a university of class to facilitate students particularly from Nagaland, to avail international-class courses, which has been possible only from metropolitan cities or in foreign countries.
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