PhD Program in South Asian University Gets Final Nod

Dec. 12, 2012 - PRLog -- New Delhi: South Asian University will start Ph.D. Programs in various subjects from the coming academic year. The announcement was made after the final approval by the Governing Board, the highest administrative body of this international university.

Making the announcement Prof. GK Chadha, the President of SAU said that the university was envisaged as a center of excellence with primary focus on research and post graduate programs and hence the decision to start the Ph.D. programs was very much in line with the university’s vision. But for the space constraint that the university has been facing, the research programs would have been introduced earlier, he said.

South Asian University was established by the governments of the eight SAARC nations in 2010. The university is functioning from Akbar Bhawan in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The government of India has allotted a 100 acre campus in Maidan Garhi, adjacent to Indira Gandhi National Open University. The construction of the campus is expected to start early next year with the total capital cost being borne by the Indian government.
The research scholars would be inducted into the Ph.D. programs through an entrance test followed by a personal interview. All the candidates of the research programs would be eligible to apply for the on-going SAARC Silver Jubilee Scholarship, instituted by the Indian Government especially for SAU students. The maximum scholarship for research scholars carries full fee waiver, free stay in the hostel, a monthly allowance of INR 12,000 and a fixed start-up amount. There are 25 scholarships earmarked for Ph.D. students.

Introduction of the research program was one of the decisions taken by the Governing Board in its 3rd meeting in New Delhi. Prof. Azad Chaudhury, the chairman of UGC, Bangladesh – who chaired the GB meeting described the establishment of SAU as a dream to meet the challenges of the region and restore its glory.  He also thanked the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and other Member States who took initiative in the establishment of SAU. He also expressed his appreciation for the progress the university has made so far, despite many daunting challenges.
The Board has also cleared the case for the Introduction to South Asia, a compulsory course for each student of SAU irrespective of the academic program being pursued. This non-credit course will make its debut in the semester that is starting in January next year.

Prof. Mohammad Osman Babury, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Higher Education, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, speaking at the meeting as the outgoing Chairperson expressed his confidence and satisfaction on the progress being made by the university and looked forward to the day when SAU will be one of the most reputed universities in the South Asian Region.

The Board during its day long deliberations took a number of important administrative, financial and academic decisions on the functioning of the university.  The Board also set in motion deliberations on the second phase of the university as the first phase of five years will come to an end in 2014.