University of Pennsylvania, USA delegation visits JMI

 

A twenty-member delegation from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia led by Dr. Peter Eckel, Director of Leadership Programme and Co-Director, Penn Project on University Governance visited Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). The delegation had an interaction with JMI Vice Chancellor, Prof. Najma Akhtar (Padma Shri), Deans, faculty members and selected students of the university at Mir Taqi Mir Hall, JMI. The delegation engaged with JMI faculty and students to learn about student experiences, quality and social relevance & faculty work and research and also looked for possible academic tie-ups. Dr. Alok Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, AIU was also present during the programme.

 

The other important members of the delegation were Dr. Larry Moneta, Adjunct Professor and Dr. Damani White-Lewis, Assistant Professor of Higher Education. A very diverse group of university executives drawn from various universities enrolled in the Executive Directorate Programme of the University of Pennsylvania were also part of this delegation.

 

After formally welcoming the delegation, JMI Vice Chancellor, Prof. Najma Akhtar said that the university has been benchmarking its teaching and research processes by increasing its interface with foreign educational institutions through faculty exchange, student exchange, joint research, joint conference and joint publication and internationalizing the university is being given top priority.

 

The Vice Chancellor further said “I’m very confident that the visit of this delegation will enable us to explore and develop a sustainable collaborative partnership with University of Pennsylvania in areas of academic and research convergences. JMI and UPenn can come together for Twinning, Dual and Joint Degree Programmes”.

 

The delegation discussed areas of students experience, quality and social relevance and faculty work & research with JMI teachers and students. Six groups were formed from both sides to have a more focused and detailed discussion on these lines. After the discussion, the delegation visited Central Instrumentation Facility, AJK-Mass Communication Research Centre, NAMK Pataudi Sports Complex and Premchand Achieves & Literary Centre (Museum).

 

After giving a brief introduction of the University of Pennsylvania and its current status, Dr. Peter Eckel said that the university is looking forward to have tie-ups with Indian institutions including JMI. The University of Pennsylvania is having a long term increasing interest in engaging with India.

 

University of Pennsylvania, popularly known as UPenn is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in US was established in 1749. The University’s founder and first president was Benjamin Franklin who incidentally was one of the signatories of US Declaration of Independence.