Mumbai University (MU) will soon launch Master Cle, that is, Masters in Literary European Cultures. The programme will span for two years and students will be able to apply from next academic year. Mumbai University has become the only university in Asia to become a part of an international consortium of eight universities in the world to offer this programme.

The other universities which are a part of the consortium are the University of Bologna, University of Thessaloniki, University of Mulhouse, University of Lisbon, University of Strasbourg, University of Dakkar and the University of Moscow.

Mumbai University will offer French and Italian languages apart from English. The students, who enroll in these courses will receive an integrated MA-MPhil degree. Once the course is vetted by the University Grants Commission (UGC), candidates will be able to apply for the courses.

Vidya Vencatesan, in-charge director of the centre for European Studies at Mumbai University explained that the programme will help candidates, who are looking to become inter-cultural facilitators for organizations in India. It will also create qualified Indian teachers who can teach these languages in the country.

The Centre for European Studies was inaugurated in July 2017 to co-ordinate the new international programme to be taught in eight universities in the world. The centre received the approval for separation from the Board of Latin, Greek and European studies only in the Academic Council meeting held last month. The center for European Studies has been created to promote Indian languages in Europe and vice versa.

Graduate students with a C1 level of French and B1 level of Italian are eligible to apply for the programme. Vencatesan added, “it is a multiple degree programme students will receive a degree from a maximum of three universities” that they attend as part of their four-semester programme which is supported by the European Union. The main co-coordinator is University of Bologna.

Source: Jagran Josh