Despite the debacle of the UAE campus,University of Pune (UoP) is all set to go international again. Plans are afoot to set up campus in South Africa,with more concerted efforts this time. UoP vice-chancellor Wasudeo Gade on Friday said primary talks with High Commission of South Africa in India and South African Consulate-General in Mumbai had taken place recently. South Africa is keen to establish academic collaboration with us. After bilateral discussions,it was decided that academic linkages will be formed initially,followed by setting up of UoP campus in that country, he said. Gade said the cultural link that both South Africa and India share along with pre-Independance history make strong ground for academic collaboration between both countries. Every year large number of South African students come down to India to pursue different studies. At UoP,we also have major chunk of these students. The academic collaboration with both the countries would prove beneficial for these students, vice-chancellor said. To begin with,UoP will tie up with South African educational system to facilitate joint ventures like faculty exchange programmes,joint research activities and offering of common courses. We do not want to set up our campus in South Africa directly,but want to make strong foundation for it through small academic joint venture programmes. It will ensure sustained existence of our proposed campus on foreign soil. We will first ready with all needed machinery and programmes,and then embark on setting up campus, Gade said. Considering the several mandatory clearances to be acquired,the university is likely to fulfill its dream of going international successfully only by 2015. The list of these mandatory clearances,includes approval from the government of Maharashtra,the Ministry of Human Resource and Development and the University Grants Commission among other. Established in 1948,UoP presently has jurisdiction over Pune,Ahmednagar and Nashik with more than 600 affiliated colleges and over 45 institutes. Wont lower UoP reputation: V-C UoP Vice-Chancellor Wasudeo Gade said the mistakes that resulted in the failure of varsity campus in UAE would be avoided while setting up campus in South Africa. This time,we will embark upon plans to go international only after doing all needed homework. Utmost care would be taken to ensure that any of our decisions do not lower the reputation of UoP, he said. The UoP had first went international in 2009,under the leadership of Narendra Jadhav,the then vice-chancellor of the University. Jadhav is presently serving as member,Planning Commission. Within couple of years of its establishment,UAE campus ran into trouble. Among other reasons,the 2011 economic recession had resulted in no admissions at UAE campus and it was shut down. Gade said UAE campus was set up without approvals from MHRD and UGC,and it proved one of the obstacles in its survival and growth.
