Bennett Coleman to launch new university in Noida

Come July, the Times Group will foray into Indian higher education sector by launching Bennett University from a 68-acre campus in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, an official said here on Monday.

Starting with 300 seats, it will initially offer an engineering programme in computer sciences, electronics and mechanical engineering, and a management programme with an MBA, said the university's vice chancellor-designate Yaj Medury.

"We shall offer the students a premium learning experience, supported by research-driven faculty, global academic partnership coupled with a semester experience in an American university to make them competent and face the global challenges in a rapidly transforming world," Medury told IANS.

Discussing the need for such a university, Bennett Coleman & CO Ltd. CEO for Education Initiatives Shrijeet Mishra said there was a huge gap between demand and supply of capable talent entering the country's job markets every year.

"Accordingly, we shall go for qualitiative, practical oriented, encouraging 'entrepreneurial thinking', aided by strong emotional and social skills besides academic and professional skills. We visualise our students as leaders and offer 100 percent job guarantee to the MBA students on the day of admissions," he told IANS.

The fee structure will be on par with the existing rates in the education sector but with competent scoring and personal interviews for admissions to the two courses, with the process starting next week onwards.

A major attraction would be a semester in an American university for the students to help them acquire a global edge which in turn would help them in further higher education or jobs anywhere in the world, Mishra added.

Over the next few years, Medury said, Bennett University will offer a bouqet of undergraduate, post-graduate and doctorate programs in engineering, management, media, law, design, architecture, liberal arts and applied sciences with a proposed intake capacity of around 13,000.

The Times Group is India's largest and oldest media entity with a 175-year long legacy of trust, knowledge and public service, and runs the flagship publication - The Times of India.

The Bennett University has been designed by Singapore-based RSP Architects as a modern, user-centric, functional space enabling an immersive and comprehensive learning experience.