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IIT Madras Zanzibar to be inaugurated today: All about this Africa Campus

IITM Zanzibar campus is the first global campus by IIT Madras or any of the IITs in India to open in Africa. It was earlier confirmed by the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

IIT Madras Zanzibar, Africa

IIT Madras Zanzibar, Africa. Photo: www.iitm.ac.in

Sonika Nitin Nimje New Delhi
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is ready to inaugurate its first worldwide campus outside India on November 6. The campus will be set up at the IITM Zanzibar in Africa.
 
The institute is being built in Africa with an aim to globalise Indian education, the organisation has said. The setting up of the offshore institute will foster greater engagement between the people of the two nations. The offshore Institute will have staff and students from India as well.

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What does the faculty have to say on the inauguration of IIT Madras Zanzibar?

The IIT Madras posted in an official tweet on X, “Preparations are in full swing at the IITM Zanzibar Campus, which is awaiting its official inauguration on November 6, 2023. IITM Zanzibar campus is the first international campus by IIT Madras and also the first by any of the IITs in India.”
 

Also, Preeti Aghalayam, Dean of School of Engineering and Science and Director-in-charge, Zanzibar campus, IIT Madras in an exclusive interaction with NDTV stated, “IIT-M considers this opportunity important for its future growth as an institution, and is investing significantly in the vision and operation of its Zanzibar campus. The activity builds on our strengths in academics, research and innovation and brings together significant diversity of thought and ideas into our system. It will highlight IIT-M's emergence as an institution of global repute.”

 

Procedure of the admission to the IIT Zanzibar, Africa

The admission of students depends on screening exams and interviews led by a faculty board from IIT Madras. This admission method is not the same as JEE, and is displayed partially on early years of admission to the IITs.

Also Read: BPSC 69th Prelims Result 2023: The result is expected to be announced soon
 
All students go through a similar cycle for an admission confirmation by filling a detailed application form with information followed by their academic, screening test and interview. 

IIT Zanzibar, Africa: Courses offered

The Zanzibar Campus also called IIT Madras at Zanzibar, Africa will offer two full-time academic courses. A two-year Master of Technology, and a four year-year Bachelor of Science (BS) degree; both in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, with a complete student admission of 50 to 70 undergraduates and 20 masters students from October this year. India is giving many scholarships to local students. 
 
The courses are available to students of all nationalities, including Indians. Apart from a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates all parts of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, students will approach a few fascinating opportunities during their course of study.
 
These include study abroad/semester exchange with IITM's partner institutions in the UK and Australia, among different nations, internships with many prominent organisations and an opportunity to meet a portion of the course necessities at the IIT Madras campus in Chennai, India. 

IIT Madras Zanzibar, Africa: Insights

The academic courses, educational plans, student selection perspectives and pedagogical details will be coordinated by IITM, while the capital and operating expenses will be met by the Zanzibar-Tanzania government, as per a MoE statement.
The new campus will be housed at temporary offices, auditoriums, classrooms and student dorms in Zanzibar. The new permanent campus, with the Master Plan being created by IIT Madras specialists will ultimately be spread in more than 200 acres on Zanzibar Island.
 
Eligible students won't need to take the competitive Joint Entrance exam (JEE) for India's 23 IITs, as foreign students at India's all IITs are not needed to do as such. However, IITM's Office of Global Engagement will organise the student entrance process including a screening test and an interview, according to the IITM Senate-approved admission procedure for international students, as per an IITM statement. 
 
Sources in India stated Zanzibar has ensured IIT Madras in Zanzibar the necessary autonomy to keep up with its elevated expectations. IITM has said it is focused on keeping up with 'robust' faculty-student ratios in Zanzibar.
 
The primary instructors for Zanzibar will be from India, however, the long-term goal is for IIT-trained local instructors to take over. IIT Madras has expressed that Zanzibar students will want to get to access internships with organisations worldwide and participate in exchanges with the IITM campus in Chennai, which already has various students from East Africa enrolled for its degree courses.


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First Published: Nov 06 2023 | 11:53 AM IST

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