London Metropolitan University (lmu) headquartered in central London which established its India office in New Delhi in 2001, recently inaugurated its second India office in Chennai. LMU’s Chennai office offers support services relating to admissions, application processes, accommodation, visa, etc to students signing up for its study programmes, in conjunction with the British Council, Chennai.

Established following a merger between London Guildhall University and the University of North London, LMU has two campuses — the City campus in the heart of London, and the London North campus in Islington. With a student strength of 32,000 instructed by a faculty of 4,000, LMU is one of the leading providers of undergrad, postgrad, professional and vocational education and training in Britain boasting an international student community of over 4,000 students from 147 countries.

The university’s extensive range of study programmes includes architecture, art and design; business and management; chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences; computing, electronics and communications engineering; health studies; law; mass communications; multimedia technology; nutrition; polymer technology; psychology; sports science; silversmithy and hospitality management, among others.

For admission students must have an English language qualification (IELTS or TOEFL) or more than 65 percent in English in Plus Two. Such students can enroll for full time courses in September and February during the academic year. “Moreover international students with the appropriate stamp in their passports can work in the UK for 20 hours per week during term and acquire workplace experience by way of internships and placements,” says an LMU spokesperson.

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards applications invited

More than 20 front-rank universities including Cambridge, Oxford and Cardiff, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University College of London, London School of Economics among others, are participating in the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards (DHPA) scheme. This fully funded postgraduate scholarship scheme will allow outstanding graduate students from India (and China, Hong Kong, Russia and the developing world) to study for a Ph D in excellent research environments in the UK. DHPA is open to the best science, engineering, medicine, social sciences and technology students. Approximately 130 scholarships will be awarded in the first year (commencing October 2004) with the number increasing in subsequent years.

The participating universities are among the best for research in Britain with all being rated 5 or 5* for research activity under the UK’s Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). A complete list of participating universities and the number of DHPA scholarships awarded by each is available at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/hodgkin/uni_list.asp.

“The overriding criterion of the scheme is excellence, and DHPA scholars should be the ‘best of the best’. Interested students should contact universities of their choice directly at http://www.reuk.ac.uk/hodgkin/uni_contacts.asp. Awardees will be selected in accordance with each university’s own postgraduate admission requirements. However selected candidates are expected to hold the equivalent of a British first class honours degree from a prestigious academic institution. DHPA will fund up to a maximum of £75,000 (Rs.60 lakh) per student over a period of three to four years, to cover fees and maintenance,” says Amrita Sadarangani, science and technology advisor to the British Trade Office, Bangalore.

Nirma Group launches global technology entrepreneurs programme

Nirmalabs — a new initiative of the Ahmedabad-based Nirma Ltd and Nirma University — has promoted a novel scheme which will identify, groom and incubate talented individuals to enable them to become ‘global technology entrepreneurs’ in hi-tech areas.

Dubbed as the first-of-its-kind technology driven business incubator the ‘NirmaLabs for Knowledge-based Wealth Generation’ programme will incubate individuals as opposed to the conventional form of incubating their business plans. Housed in the Nirma University campus on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, this is a not-for-profit initiative funded by the Nirma Education and Research Foundation. NirmaLabs offers a three phase programme designed to transform outstanding graduates into global techno entrepreneurs. The first batch is expected to be selected by June 17.

“The three-phase programme includes a grooming phase during which each student will identify and germinate an enterprising idea and prepare a business plan; the incubation stage will require intense interaction of participants with mentors, torch-bearers and venture capitalists with NirmaLabs providing seed capital upto Rs.20 lakh; and in the final growth phase NirmaLabs will provide opportunities for strategic networking, reality checks and exploring new horizons on a continual basis. The culmination of these three phases is expected to result in creating a pool of networked global techno entrepreneurs,” says a NirmaLabs spokesperson.

The NirmaLabs initiative has full support of the legendary Dr. Karsanbhai Patel, founder of the Nirma Group; Hirenbhai K. Patel, director of Nirma Ltd; Ambhubhai Patel, educationist and finance professional, and Prof. N.V. Vasani, vice-chancellor of Nirma University. The project is spearheaded by Dr. Madhu Mehta who is the chief architect of this venture.

Canterbury International open for admissions

A mint new international residential school at Karjat, equidistant from Mumbai and Pune and contiguous to the salubrious hill stations of Lonavala and Matheran, invites parents and students to its Open Day function on May 8. Offering the IGCSE, IB, ICSE and “the best of international and national qualifications,” the Canterbury International Public School (CIPS), a co-educational pre-primary to class XI institution, also invites admission applications for the academic year 2004-05.

The brain-child of Dr. Arjun Gaur, MRCGP (London), MBA (UK), a medical consultant turned entrepreneur now returning to his roots, CIPS is the first of a chain of schools which will provide “international education in India to everyone, not only the rich,” says Gaur.

Sited on a 100 acre campus, top grade syllabuses apart, the school offers facilities such as swimming, horse-riding, health club, etc and board and lodging to students. A helipad within the premises and a link with the nearby Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital ensure quick medical services if required.

Comments Derek Hamilton, principal of CIPS: “We are making a sincere attempt to establish and provide top class international qualifications in India at a very competitive and affordable cost.”