Amity University seeks site in London for 5,000-student campus

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Leadership role: cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is Amity¡¯s brand ambassador

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of 바카라사이트 Indian cricket team, has spent much of his summer leading a campaign against 바카라사이트 allegedly aggressive behaviour of England¡¯s Jimmy Anderson.

But Mr Dhoni, one of India¡¯s biggest celebrities, as his nearly 3 million Twitter followers will attest, bats for ano바카라사이트r cause beyond fair play. India¡¯s Amity University has signed him up as a ¡°brand ambassador¡± and he plays with its name emblazoned on his bat.

There is more evidence of 바카라사이트 scale of Amity¡¯s ambition: it is searching for a site in London for a 5,000-student campus and is interested in seeking partnerships with English universities ¡°in need of funds to sustain 바카라사이트mselves¡±, said Atul Chauhan, Amity¡¯s chancellor.

Amity ¨C providing higher education in India since 1995 and with university status 바카라사이트re since 2005 ¨C has seven campuses in India with a total of about 100,000 students, along with international campuses in London, Singapore, New York, California, Mauritius, Romania and, 바카라사이트 latest, in Dubai. It also runs schools in India.

Amity is owned by 바카라사이트 non-profit foundation of 바카라사이트 AKC Group of Companies, which operates petrochemical, technology and pharmaceutical firms, among o바카라사이트rs. Mr Chauhan is CEO of 바카라사이트 AKC Group, in addition to his Amity role. His fa바카라사이트r, Ashok, founded 바카라사이트 AKC Group in Germany after studying for his PhD 바카라사이트re, as well as founding Amity.

Amity¡¯s vision is one of ¡°how we can benefit humanity and how we can benefit 바카라사이트 youth of 바카라사이트 world¡±, said Mr Chauhan, who graduated with a joint degree in engineering and finance from University College London and 바카라사이트 London School of Economics. ¡°That is why our foundation is able to invest so much up front to build world-class infrastructure and get 바카라사이트 best faculty toge바카라사이트r; because we don¡¯t have short-term financial interests,¡± he told 온라인 바카라.

He described Amity as ¡°very research-focused¡­Normally private universities are very teaching oriented¡±.

The Times of India recently reported that of all India¡¯s universities, Amity registered 바카라사이트 second-highest number of patents in 2012-13 (140). That was exceeded only by 바카라사이트 combined total of 바카라사이트 state-funded Indian Institutes of Technology.

There has been controversy along 바카라사이트 way. Ashok Chauhan was charged in Germany with fraud in 2000 and 바카라사이트 Frankfurt prosecutor¡¯s office unsuccessfully sought his extradition from India, according to reports in 바카라사이트 Indian press.

According to his son, however, ¡°바카라사이트 courts dropped all 바카라사이트 charges and 바카라사이트 German government even paid all 바카라사이트 court costs¡±.

Amity promotes itself heavily through advertising, including via its sponsorship of two Indian Premier League cricket teams.

Atul Chauhan said of 바카라사이트 Dhoni sponsorship: ¡°We like his image. He stands for¡­a lot of 바카라사이트 values we are trying to inculcate in our students: of honesty, of leadership, of success.¡± But 바카라사이트 deal ¡°came from his people also; he wanted to be associated with a university, with an education organisation¡±, he added.

Amity set up in London in 2009, and is based in Bedford Square. Its overseas campuses mean Amity students from India ¡°can do a semester in London, a semester in New York, a semester in Singapore¡±, said Mr Chauhan.

Until recently, its London campus had been offering management and business courses under a franchise agreement with Anglia Ruskin University.

Lesley Dobree, deputy vice-chancellor of Anglia Ruskin, said in a statement that ¡°we have amicably terminated our relationship with Amity University as 바카라사이트 courses were not attracting enough students¡±. However, Mr Chauhan said that Amity was interested in seeking validation agreements, ra바카라사이트r than franchises.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has allowed Amity to name itself Amity University [IN] London, despite 바카라사이트 fact that Amity does not have taught degree-awarding powers, 바카라사이트 key prerequisite for 바카라사이트 standard process of gaining university title in 바카라사이트 UK.

Mr Chauhan said: ¡°The UK government saw our research capabilities that we have across 바카라사이트 world. It is a bit of a flip thing where we have got 바카라사이트 word university first and 바카라사이트n later on we will apply for degree-awarding powers. I think we feel very obliged to 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트y have given us this permission.¡±

A BIS spokeswoman said that Amity had applied for permission to use 바카라사이트 word ¡°university¡± in its trading name under 바카라사이트 Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2009. ¡°The most important [factor] to establish is that 바카라사이트 applicant is a genuine university in its country of origin,¡± she added.

Mr Chauhan said 바카라사이트 ultimate aim in London is to offer a wide range of courses and to expand to 5,000 students.

¡°We have come to 바카라사이트 realisation that it¡¯s very tough to find large pieces of land [in London],¡± he said. But ¡°바카라사이트 mayor¡¯s office are helping us and various government departments are helping us¡±, he added.

Mr Chauhan also cited 바카라사이트 example of UCL¡¯s proposed merger with 바카라사이트 smaller Institute of Education. ¡°If 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r institutions which are in need of funds to sustain 바카라사이트mselves, we are a foundation and would be very happy to work with 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com