WLC College to set up three overseas campuses

Eyeing global presence, Delhi-headquartered WLC College India (WLCI) is planning to expand its operations to South Asia.

The college plans to set up three campuses, one each in Colombo, Dhaka and Khatmandu, besides substantially increasing its domestic footprint.

"We have already received necessary approvals from the respective governments and we are currently in the process of finalising locations for setting up our own campuses, which would be up and running from the next academic year," Vinay Pasricha, chairman of WLCI, told mediapersons here on Monday.

The college also plans to increase the number of its campuses in the country by adding 7-8 more to the existing 15 this year at an investment of between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore each. Besides, it plans to develop collaborations with five international campuses "� two each in Australia and Europe and one in China "� to provide local students access to international education next fiscal.

"The collaborations are now in the final stages" Pasricha said. At present, WLCI has similar partnerships with three UK-based universities "� the Wigan & Leigh College, University of East London and the University of Central Lancashire.

Meanwhile, the college today launched an array of new courses to provide professional training to students in Hyderabad and those from other parts of the country.

Apart from the ongoing programmes in business, fashion, media, advertising and graphic designing, the college would offer full-time and part-time programmes in retail, banking, hospital administration, information technology, politics and social work, and hospitality.

Fee structure for these courses would be in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh for full-time and Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh for part-time.

"We have decided to offer free seats to 400-odd economically-backward students. This will cost us Rs 10 crore this year," Pasricha said, adding, "Around 2,500 full-time and 500 part-time students are currently pursuing a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate professional courses in our campuses, and we expect the number to go up to 5,000 next year."