Indian University Principals enthralled by their visit to La Trobe University, Australia

June 1, 2012 - PRLog -- New Delhi (1st June, 2012) – La Trobe University, Australia – after signing memoranda of understanding earlier this year with leading Indian universities and institutes such as IIT - Madras, Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), BITS Pilani, Delhi Technological University, Presidency College-Bangalore – has taken another step toward strengthening its relationship with India.

A five-member Indian delegation was invited by the University to visit its main Melbourne campus to witness the sod turning ceremony of its new La Trobe Melbourne state-of-the-art building for international students.

The five-storey $45 million building will house 1,000 students and is expected to be completed in 2014.

The Indian delegation to Australia comprised principals from top ranking colleges: Dr Meenakshi Gopinath, Lady Shri Ram College (for women), New Delhi; Dr Frazer Mascarenhas S.J, St Xaviers College, Mumbai; Rev Dr Tomy Padinjareveettil, St Berchmans College, Kerala; Dr Ravindrasinh Pardeshi, Fergusson College, Pune; and Aaron O’Shannesey, Asia Education Foundation.

It was greeted by a team of professors from La Trobe University which included Dr Peter Friedlander, Dr Trevor Hogan, Dr Gregory Bailey, Professor Lin Crase, Professor Alberto Gomes, Dr Markandeya Jois, Dr Kay Souter, Dr Thomas Weber, Professor Ainslie Dewe, Eva Fisch, Abizer Merchant, Nandi Lakshmanan and Diana Heatherich.

La Trobe faculty members gave a summary of their diverse work and research interests in India to help Indian College Principals prepare enhance collaborations with the Australian university.

Professor Dewar, Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University, said: “One of the biggest challenges for institutions is how to integrate international students into the local community.”

The delegation discussed a variety of possible collaborations between La Trobe University and Indian education institutions, and opportunities that can created for the benefit of Indian students.  

The La Trobe University team shared their happiness with Indian delegation on the IRON Program which proved to be very successful in Kerala. The program has already had more than 160 graduates, with more than 100 from India.

Professor Rosenberg, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, La Trobe University said: “Faculty exchange will facilitate relationships for teaching and research links, which could then lead to study tours and increased opportunities for our students to visit India as part of the internationalization of their study at La Trobe.”

The La Trobe University team said that there will be more study tours to India. Some now taking place are to Bangalore for Agriculture and Pharmacy.

There is a also a need to ensure that Hindi continues to be taught at La Trobe University as this is a key to providing a solid base from which to work in future projects. The team said that the level of interest in Hindi is growing, but this is overshadowed by the pressures on the higher education sector generally.

The Indian delegation also appreciated the vast India collection of books in La Trobe University’s library which consists of publications varying in age from the 1700s to 1900s.