Soon, the Mahatma Gandhi University will offer yoga training and personality and career guidance sessions live to thousands of students in its nearly 250 colleges through its proposed e-learning support centre initiative.
A centralised video conferencing facility will come up at the auditorium of the Department of Chemical Sciences at the main campus of the varsity in Athirampuzha, Kottayam. Students could participate in live classes and courses to be offered via video conferencing. The affiliated colleges will get an opportunity to run massive open online courses (MOOCs) of the varsity.
“We are also offering a robust revenue model for the affiliated colleges as part of the Knowledge Network Framework programme.
They could earn a share of the income generated out of the courses/classes provided under the video conferencing mode.
The varsity plans to rope in internationally-renowned experts in various subjects to offer lectures and courses to the students through the e-learning support centre project,” Vice Chancellor Babu Sebastian told The Hindu .
The varsity has plans to offer English language speaking and learning classes through video conferencing to students in affliated colleges. It will be held during the weekends. The project also envisages inviting renowned experts in various fields to attend the open defence sessions held before approving the PhD theses of the researchers via video conferencing from abroad. The e-learning support project will also be available in the nearly 34 university centres under the self-financing mode.
Mr. Sebastian said colleges had to set up e-learning support centres on the campuses and install video conference equipment.
“The service will be provided through a 10 MBPS leased line from the BSNL at subsidised rates. The colleges will also get access to digital content worth over Rs.16 crore that includes e-books and journals, research theses and international publications,” he said.
