Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER), Chennai, and Colorado State University on Friday, March 1, formally launched their academic and research collaboration in engineering, biomedical sciences, public health and medical microbiology. 

The tie-up will allow a bilateral exchange of students, faculty and academic credits.  In addition, research collaborations are being planned in rehabilitative medicine, orthopaedic bioengineering, climate change and human health, genetics and molecular biology and medical virology.

Vice-Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University Dr Uma Sekar and the President of Colorado State University Dr Amy Parsons exchanged the MoU at a formal event. 

Speaking on the occasion Dr Uma Sekar said that in the last two years, the two universities have mapped courses, by which SRIHER, undergraduates pursuing four-year degree programmes would be able to take nine credits at CSU, primarily through online modalities.  This will enable students to pursue an accelerated master's degree programme at CSU.  

SRIHER students wishing to pursue six months to one-year of research rotation at CSU will be facilitated to identify relevant laboratories to execute a duly and bilaterally approved research proposal. 

Faculty-level research will be initiated in the five core areas including stem cell and reproductive medicine, biomaterials, climate change and human health, bio-engineering and medical virology. The joint programmes are expected to be rolled out in the next academic year, she added.