MUMBAI UNIVERSITY EXPLORES BILATERAL EDUCATION WITH M'SIA

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, June 15 (Bernama) -- Mumbai University (MU) is in talks with
several Malaysian public universities to explore collaboration to enhance
bilateral education.

MU Vice-Chancellor Vijay Khole said a Malaysian delegation led by government
officials recently visited the university's faculties and had expressed interest
for mutual cooperation.

"The Malaysian delegation wanted to know what is special in our education
system because Indian students are performing well in higher education. We are
discussing how Malaysia and India can collaborate in the future," Khole told
Bernama.

Established in 1857, MU (formerly known as the University of Bombay) is one
of the oldest universities in India, which offers a range of courses including
liberal arts, nano technology, green technology (production of safer chemicals),
biotechnology and information technology.

India's National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has granted
five-star status to MU, making it a premier university in the country.

"The Malaysian government is keen to make the country a centre for
excellence in higher education. They are even looking at how Indian students
could pursue higher education in Malaysia.

"First, we need to build confidence in Indian students' minds about Malaysia
and later move to a larger collaboration," he said.

He said that though the talks were still at a preliminary stage, MU was
ready to start off with an exchange of students and teachers to establish
linkages with Malaysian universities.

-- BERNAMA