First Indian university set to go operation

The first Indian university in Qatar will operate from The Commercial Avenue on Industrial Area Road in Ain Khalid, where it will offer undergraduate programmes from September this year.Milestone International Education, a company registered in Qatar, has partnered with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) in India to set up the MIE SPPU Institute of Higher Education.A ceremony was held on Monday to hand over the designated premises at The Commercial Avenue to the institute.The handover took place in the presence of Dr Khalid Abdullah al-Ali, acting Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), Indian ambassador to Qatar Dr Deepak Mittal, MIE chairman Ali A Latif al-Misnad, The Commercial Avenue chief executive Abdulla Haider, DPS Group chief patron Mohamed bin Hammam al-Abdulla, and MIE president Hassan Chougule.The institute is fully licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar and will offer the following undergraduate programmes: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Business Administration.The officials said that the MIE SPPU Institute of Higher Education’s admissions and academic teams started functioning in Qatar in June.The institute will launch its academic programmes, under Savitribai Phule Pune University’s academic governance structure, in September."The programmes offered by SPPU encourage academicians as well as learners to inculcate knowledge that has the ability to adapt and change as per modern circumstances,” a press statement noted. “A multidisciplinary method of educational instruction is used whereby a student learns about a topic from a variety of viewpoints.”“The approach inculcates interdisciplinary aptitude, attitude, ability and perspective," the statement added. "SPPU provides programmes of study that enable employability and opportunity globally for its graduates."Al-Misnad said there is close co-operation between the university and the MoEHE, noting that the institute was set up after several rounds of deliberations and visits to India.He added that the institute will be one of the universities that the "Qatar government and private sector can count on".“Our graduates will be ready to join the market,” al-Misnad said.“The academic faculty conducting these courses will be recruited and deputed by Savitribai Phule Pune University and will have enough academic and industry capabilities to enable the holistic development of students and get them prepared for futuristic careers in Qatar," said Chougule.The campus will have well-structured and modern educational facilities, laboratories and libraries to ensure that students get all the required amenities.Dr Mittal said the launch of the university marks a milestone, stressing that there are vibrant India-Qatar relations in several fields.Dr al-Ali, while addressing the ceremony, said students of the institute will not require equivalency certification.“All universities outside need to get equivalency for their certificates in Qatar. But students of MIE SPPU Institute of Higher Education won’t need them,” he added.Students of MIE SPPU Institute of Higher Education will study on a state-of-the-art campus facility in The Commercial Avenue, Industrial Area Road, Ain Khalid.Prospective students and parents have been advised to register for admissions as soon as possible by contacting the admissions counsellor at 55008444 or by making an admissions enquiry on the website, www.miesppu.edu.qa Savitribai Phule Pune University is a state-owned public university established in 1949.It is a multi-disciplinary institution consisting of 50 departments and 900 affiliated colleges and institutes.