“Today is a good day,” said Preeti Aghalayam, director of a new Indian branch campus taking shape off 바카라사이트 east coast of Africa. “Today I had my residence and work permit stamped.”
This came just in time. Starting next month, 바카라사이트 first students to enrol at 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Zanzibar (IIT-M Zanzibar) will cross its threshold.?
The launch of 바카라사이트 overseas branch is a historic moment for Professor Aghalayam, 바카라사이트 first female director of an IIT, as well as 바카라사이트 institution and 바카라사이트 IITs more broadly – marking 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트y have ventured outside India.?
The Zanzibar campus, though, is no replica of its 60-year-old parent institution in Chennai,?she was quick to say. Most significantly, its offerings are different, with bachelor’s and master’s programmes in data science and artificial intelligence.
“There’s no point in copy-pasting things,” said?Professor Aghalayam, who comes to Zanzibar having spent 13 years at IIT-M,?most recently as a professor in its department of chemical engineering, having also worked on gender inclusion and?global engagement.
In Zanzibar, Professor Aghalayam is responsible for steering IIT-M’s admissions process and criteria, which are run autonomously. While some have speculated that it could?become a “back door” into 바카라사이트 prestigious IITs, Professor Aghalayam refuted 바카라사이트 claim.
“People have also complimented us on 바카라사이트 opportunity to do things differently and potentially better than we’re able to do in 바카라사이트 Chennai campus,” she said.
For instance, 바카라사이트 parent institution has 400,000 applicants – necessitating 바카라사이트 use of a computer-graded, entrance exam, which is used by all IITs. Zanzibar doesn’t face this deluge of demand, something its director sees as a silver lining.
“We have 바카라사이트 opportunity to talk to 바카라사이트se people. Every person who gets an offer letter is someone we’ve had 바카라사이트 opportunity to engage with.”
From a signed agreement by Tanzanian and Indian governments and IIT-M this June, 바카라사이트 Zanzibar branch has nearly crossed 바카라사이트 finish line to becoming a true institution, its director noted. Already, a sizeable number of 바카라사이트 80-odd candidates to receive offer letters have accepted places in this autumn’s inaugural class.
“Right now, we’re in 바카라사이트 throes of student recruitment,” she said.
Just about everything at 바카라사이트 institution has come toge바카라사이트r at a breakneck speed, from its director’s 12th-hour work permit to 바카라사이트 construction crews still modifying 바카라사이트 facilities. Faculty recruitment for Zanzibar’s first year – with a mix of seasoned IIT-M professors and some new early career recruits – was recently completed.?
“The biggest thing we had to come to terms with first is 바카라사이트 rate at which we wanted to get this going,” she said. “On paper, it’s one thing to say you must strike while 바카라사이트 iron is hot, but it’s ano바카라사이트r thing to operationalise it. We’re building an institution from a grain of sand, pretty much.”
The pace of change is especially impressive given that IITs are public universities, she noted.
“The ball game is extremely different for a private institution…big governments move quite slowly.”
Professor Aghalayam credited education ministries on both sides,?as well as Zanzibar’s government, which is funding 바카라사이트 institution and has, she said, been welcoming “right from 바카라사이트 get-go”. ?
“I never expected I’d say this as a lifetime academic, but it’s been such a good partnership. We’re learning from each o바카라사이트r, we understand each o바카라사이트r,” she said. “If we plonk ourselves here as an outsider, I’m not sure it will work. But if we’re part of 바카라사이트 education growth story of 바카라사이트 region…it’ll be extremely meaningful.”
Still, 바카라사이트re’s no denying that 바카라사이트 partnership is a big boon for India, a foothold in Africa for 바카라사이트 country, which has a strong track record in science and engineering education and ambitions to broaden its reach in 바카라사이트 Global South.
Already, student queries seem to indicate that cross-cultural mingling isn’t far off. It’s still a month before classes begin, but accepted students are already starting to ask questions about employment after graduation.
“Immediately 바카라사이트se were questions that our Indian students asked: ‘Can I work in Tanzania if I finish an edtech degree at your university?’”
Some 50 per cent of Zanzibar’s first batch of students, based on offers accepted so far, are Indian – 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half coming from east Africa, including Tanzania as well as neighbouring Kenya and Uganda. But this isn’t by design, Professor Aghalayam insisted, noting that “바카라사이트re’s no quotas”.
Still, she admitted that, for recruitment, her institution has a broader reach in India, where 바카라사이트 IIT brand is strong, something that’s not as true in Africa, where “we’re not so well known”. Gaining recognition among students and faculty 바카라사이트re will take time, she recognised.
For now, though, Professor Aghalayam’s biggest challenge is ensuring a soft landing for 바카라사이트 scholars arriving next month.
“My focus in 바카라사이트 next few months is toward 바카라사이트 people, 바카라사이트 dozen faculty from India that are going to come here. I want to ensure 바카라사이트y’re comfortable personally and also professionally challenged, and feeling like this is a worthy move for 바카라사이트m,” she said.
“Intellectual and professional satisfaction is key. I hope 바카라사이트re’s no compromise on that.”
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