Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) — a division of Tata Industries Ltd — launched Classedge, an integrated learning solution for Indian schools in Mumbai on February 22. With the launch of Classedge, TIS has ventured into India’s school education sector with an initial investment of Rs.100 crore from Tata Industries. According to TIS sources, the division’s current headcount of 200 is likely to rise to 600 by December.
Over the past 20 years, TIS has been developing media-rich interactive learning solutions for reputed education publishers and institutions in the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East. “Classedge was developed on the strength of this solid international experience, with a commitment to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Indian classrooms. India’s supplementary education sector represents a $15 billion (Rs.67,500 crore) market opportunity over the next decade and we plan to target schools in over 100 cities this year. We are committed to expanding the market and establishing a leadership position in this segment,” says Sanjay Sharma, chief executive of TIS.
Adds Kishor A. Chaukar, managing director of Tata Industries Ltd: “A strong education system is a prerequisite of socio-economic development and in the Tata Group we are committed to the cause of making world-class education available to the young people of India. We are confident that with an expert learning solutions provider like TIS entering this space, the school education landscape is up for an overhaul that will bridge the education divide and provide the right skills to our children to make them self-reliant.”
HDFC-IWS tie up
Housing Development Finance Corporation or HDFC, India’s premier housing finance company, has purchased an equity stake in Indus World Schools (IWS) for Rs.50 crore. Promoted and managed by the Delhi-based Career Launcher Pvt. Ltd — a well-known tests prep and tutorials company — IWS is a 14-strong countrywide schools chain with an aggregate enrolment of 2,800 students mentored by 120 teachers.
“HDFC and Career Launcher have a lot to gain from this relationship and together they can make a significant positive impact on the quality of school education in the country,” says Renu Sud Karnad, managing director of HDFC.
Satya Narayanan R, chairman of IWS, is equally pleased with HDFC’s vote of confidence. “HDFC is a role model organisation which we would like to emulate in many aspects, including leadership, and for their commitment to social values. We could not have asked for a better partnership at this stage,” says Satya Narayanan.
HUS Chennai invites admission applications
The Hiranandani Upscale School (HUS), Chennai, a K-VIII institution affiliated with the CBSE, Delhi and IBO, Geneva examination boards and promoted by Hiranandani Upscale, invites admission applications for the new academic year 2011-12. Situated within the integrated community of Hiranandani Upscale, Chennai, HUS offers primary students the world-class learning environment, faculty, and facilities that have firmly established the Hiranandani schools in Powai and Thane among the Top 10 K-12 institutions in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital.
“At a time when children are under tremendous pressure to perform, be it in academics, sports, arts, and other cultural activities, Hiranandani schools with their common motto ‘Excellence through Endeavour’ facilitate the holistic development of children to enable them to emerge as confident global citizens,” says Neha Hiranandani, director of Hiranandani Upscale.
Equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure including spacious classrooms, libraries, playgrounds, swimming pool and laboratories, for which the Hiranandani Group has acquired a national reputation, HUS Chennai also offers excellent facilities for music, dance, indoor-outdoor and water sports. “We had a dream that our children would dare to dream of a better tomorrow. At HUS Chennai, our vision for a better, brighter India has been realised,” adds Surendra Hiranandani, managing director of Hiranandani Group of companies.
ECGC-Newcastle University twinning pact
Ecube Global College, Mumbai (ECGC, estb.2010) has entered into a twinning agreement with Newcastle University, UK (estb.1963) for offering engineering study programmes. Under the agreement students will complete their first year engineering degree programme in ECGC in Mumbai in May this year, and proceed to Newcastle University in September to complete their second and third year studies culminating in a Newcastle degree.
Dr. John Terry, head of the international office, Newcastle University, visited the ECGC campus in Mumbai on February 24 to meet with the first batch of students who will be transferring to Newcastle University this autumn. “We are pleased to acknowledge the commitment and sincerity of ECGC in delivering our curriculum. As part of our commitment to this association, Newcastle University has deputed an academic from our faculty of science, agriculture and engineering to ECGC on a permanent basis,” Dr. Terry informed the UK-bound students.
Adds Sandeep Goenka, director of ECGC: “The association with Newcastle University will allow Indian students to experience excellent international global education. Those who pursue their academic dreams in Newcastle should be mentally prepared to take on responsibility for all aspects of their lives.”
Unisys Cloud contest awards
Unisys India Pvt. Ltd — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unisys Corporation USA — announced the results of its Cloud 20/20 Version 2.0 technical essay-paper contest on February 24. This annual contest inaugurated last year is designed to encourage innovative ideas and technical talent in the country’s leading engineering colleges.
This year the Unisys Cloud 20/20 Version 2.0 contest attracted the participation of 2,300 engineering students from over 1,000 education institutions across the country including Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bangalore; and Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani, among other engineering colleges/institutes countrywide.
Students contributed papers relating to automation for cloud computing; virtualisation of servers, storage and networks; application developments for the cloud; and security issues in cloud computing.
Following several rigorous rounds of evaluation, including face-to-face interviews and final presentations, the judges who included several top-level Unisys Corp professionals, selected Jai Bhatt of Nirma University, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) as the first-prize (an Apple MacBook laptop) winner for his paper ‘SentiCloud’. The first runner-up was Saloni Maru of PESIT, Bangalore (Apple iPad), and the second runner-up was Ravjot Singh of Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology, Delhi (Samsung Wave 2).
“The quality of abstracts we have received this time is extraordinary. The winning papers present fresh ideas and perspectives that can make major contributions to advancing cloud computing,” said Bob Supnik, vice president (engineering and supply chain) of Unisys Corp, speaking on the occasion.
Edinburgh U in Mumbai
The University of Edinburgh, UK inaugurated a new liaison office in Mumbai on February 14. According to university spokespersons, the new office will simplify communication and collaboration between the university and its partners in Indian education, business and government. In addition, the university is launching a new study programme to train students to aid India’s development, supported by a new programme of scholarships for Indian students studying in Edinburgh University’s Masters degree programmes.
Comments Prof. Sir Timothy O’Shea, principal of the University of Edinburgh: “Our partnerships in India will not only help us to further education around the world, but to also jointly pursue solutions to serious problems facing us all — climate change, improving global health, and economic development.”
To coincide with the inauguration of the Mumbai liaison office, Roger Jeffery, the university’s professor of sociology of South Asia, delivered a public lecture at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, titled ‘Indian pharmaceuticals in the post-WTO world’. These activities mark the beginning of a series of collaborative events in India for Edinburgh University in 2011.
XIMR inaugurates CAS
The Xavier Institute of Management and Research (XIMR), Mumbai, in association with the Makerere University Business School, Uganda (estb.1997), inaugurated its Centre for Africa Studies (CAS) on January 20. CAS will offer courses in Africa business studies to students and corporates.
The centre was inaugurated by His Excellency E.M. Barine, deputy high commissioner, Republic of Kenya and Prof. Waswa Balunywa, principal of Makerere University Business School. “Together, XIMR and Makerere University Business School will shoulder the responsibility of generating information about African markets and enhancing India’s trade relations and economic interaction with African nations,” said Fr. Paul Vaz, director general of XIMR speaking on the occasion.
“CAS aims to establish itself as an apex body of academics and culture to develop courses and research studies that will lead to an understanding and appreciation of the African business environment and contexts for students and Indian businesses,” added Dr. K.N. Vaidyanathan, director of XIMR.