Mumbai-based Mexus Education Pvt. Ltd, the well-known education technology solutions provider, has partnered with the 45-schools strong St. Xavier’s Group in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to complement the learning environment and philosophy of the group. These schools have opted for technology integration to leverage the creativity of students through enabling learning environments transcending textbooks education.

All St. Xavier’s schools sited in Varanasi, Allahabad, Lucknow and other parts of UP have opted for digitisation in partnership with Mexus. These schools will be provided complete school solutions including Iken Library for digital classrooms, Iken Evaluate for remote objective tests and Iken Learning Labs to introduce hands-on conceptual understanding of science subjects. Under the agreement, Mexus will train and support St. Xavier’s teachers to introduce animation, videos, and other applications in their classrooms to capture, enhance and retain students’ interest.

“The ultimate objective of education is to prepare students for the rapidly changing global economy and jobs market. Mexus Education works with schools across India to ensure children have access to effective, enabling education. This partnership with the St. Xavier’s Group is a milestone in taking technology education to the grassroots,” says Anil Goyal, director of Mexus Education.

Adds Sandeep Kumar, director of the St. Xavier’s Group of schools (UP): “Our tried and tested best classroom practices supported by the Iken School ecosystem will stimulate children to use their creativity while learning. Contextual learning prepares children to apply their learning as they progress academically and professionally.” 

Amity International’s junior annual day

Amity International School, Pushp Vihar (Delhi), organised its Junior Annual Day dedicated to celebrating the centennial year of the city of Delhi with great fanfare including a colourful tableau titled Delhi meri jaan (I love Delhi) and dance performances by students of classes I-IV.

The event was inaugurated by Sheila Dikshit, chief minister of Delhi, with Dr. Kiran Walia (minister for health and family welfare, women and child development), Prof. Christine Ennew (pro vice chancellor, University of Nottingham, UK), Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan (founder-president of the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation), and Dr. Amita Chauhan (chairperson, Amity International School) present on the occasion. Amita Mohan, principal of Amity International School, Pushp Vihar welcomed the gathering.

“The theme of the annual day is very apt as it showcases 100 years of Delhi which has changed tremendously. It has the highest per capita income in India of which 92 percent is spent on education by families of Delhi. However, there is a mismatch in the ratio between girls and boys in education which should be removed,” said the chief minister, speaking on the occasion.

Welcoming the chief minister, Dr. Chauhan, founder-president of the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation (the promoter trust of the Amity Group) said it was historic that the chief minister consented to grace Amity International’s Junior Annual Day because of her love for children. “Under the dynamic leadership of our chief minister, Delhi will very soon be a frontline city of the world. We are nurturing under-privileged girls under the Amitasha project, and it is because of the inspiration and guidance of the chief minister that we are conducting this programme in all schools of the Amity Group,” said Dr. Chauhan.

Shiv Khera institute off the blocks

Distinguished author, educator and business consultant Shiv Khera launched the eponymous Shiv Khera Institute of Leadership & Management (SKILM), in New Delhi on March 26.

The institute offers a 12-month postgraduate programme in leadership and management, comprising lectures, interactions with industry experts, group activities, role plays and audio-video presentations. Graduates are eligible to apply for this programme which commences in July this year. The course will admit 60 students per batch.

According to an SKILM spokesperson, this comprehensive one-year certificate programme aims to develop leaders who can inspire, influence and get results through a blend of character and competence. The programme fee is Rs.4.30 lakh plus taxes applicable.

“I am elated to launch SKILM for future leaders ready to assume important roles within organisations or work independently. At SKILM, the programme content is designed to bridge the competency gaps of industry. The curriculum is dynamic, designed for all organisation levels and employs training methods beyond classroom settings. The key focus of the institute is to develop effective leadership skills essential for the corporate world,” said Khera, speaking on the occasion.

Macquarie’s doctorate pathway programme

Macquarie University is set to become the first Australian varsity to provide an integrated advanced coursework and research training degree as a pathway for entry into a Ph D programme. The new two-year Master of Research (MR) degree to be offered at Macquarie in Sydney from 2013, aligns closely with research degrees in universities in Europe, the US and throughout Asia.

This degree will allow Indian students, who wish to study in Australia to achieve a research qualification that will easily translate into a Ph D programme anywhere around the world. For admission into the programme, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution with a specified level of performance. They will be allowed to study advanced disciplinary content of a range of subject areas across the university. This will allow them to construct a programme relevant to their specific interests, subject to academic approval. The MR degree is modelled on the Bologna protocol which has 47 nations as signatories.

According to Prof. Jim Piper, vice chancellor (research), Macquarie offers a special scholarship programme for Indian students through a partnership initiative with CII’s India@75 mission. Scholarships are offered to graduates across all major Indian universities/IITs and IIMs to undertake Ph Ds and engage in jointly supervised research projects, spending time at their home institution and at Macquarie. Macquarie’s scholarship support of Indian students now totals AUD$11million (Rs.58 crore).

Successful CONCERN conclave

The Bal Bharti Public School, Delhi and Assocham joined forces to organise a three-day event — Consortium for Competence in Education and Research for National Development (CONCERN) — an initiative for the overall educational development of society, in New Delhi between March 2-4. The objective of CONCERN is to bring “foreign students closer to India and Indian institutions closer to the world”.

A total of 56 universities and colleges, 55 consultants from more than 13 countries, held 2,394 meetings, signed eight crucial memoranda of understanding (MoUs) during CONCERN 2012 to facilitate partnerships and collaborations between foreign education institutions and Indian universities and colleges.

Concern 2012 addressed two main issues — ‘The Role of ICT in School and Higher Education’ and ‘Come to India Program’. Both were designed to facilitate productive business-oriented discussions between educational professionals from various countries.

“The discussions brought about several partnerships and exchange programmes between foreign and domestic universities, institutes and consultants. Presentations and discussions by our respected panels explained the Indian education system to the global community with the objective of attracting foreign students to Indian varsities,” says a CONCERN spokesperson.

Pearson Vue announces LSAT-India

Pearson Vue, a global leader in computer-based testing for academic, professional and licensure examinations, has announced opening of registrations for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)-India 2012. The test will be conducted on May 5 in major cities countrywide.

LSAT-India is a special version of the renowned LSAT® conducted globally by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The test is specifically designed by LSAC for admission into Indian law colleges. It is standardised and assesses critical-thinking skills, logical reasoning, problem-solving and other qualities required for a successful career in law. Many of the country’s leading law colleges, including the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and Jindal Global Law School, Sonepat, use LSAT for admitting students into their law programmes.

“We are excited by the response received for LSAT-India, with numerous law colleges expressing interest in the test. Currently, over 40 Bar Council of India-approved law colleges across the country have agreed to accept LSAT-India 2012 scores. We expect this number to grow significantly as we continue receiving college sign-up forms,” says Sandeep Dua, vice president of Pearson Vue, India. Candidates can register for the 140-minute test at www.pearsonvueindia.com/lsatindia.