The University of Hyderabad (UoH) will create a new school by conferring upon the existing Department of Communication the status of a School of Communication and Media Studies. It will discontinue the MPhil programmes aligning with the tenets of the National Education Policy (NEP). The School will continue to offer two MA programmes in Media Studies and Media Practice, respectively, and a PhD programme.
The decisions for the constitution of its 13th School of studies made on Friday night at the 88th Academic Council meeting of the University. The Academic Council approved the introduction of new programmes, including a new multi-disciplinary MTech in Modeling and Simulation to be offered by the Centre for Modeling, Simulation and Design; a Master of Performing Arts (MPA) programme in Music; the reintroduction of the 5-year Integrated MA in Urdu; and a Certificate course in Publishing to be offered, in collaboration with Cambridge University Press, by the Department of English, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Community Eye Health; and a Certificate course in Ophthalmic Dispensing Optics.
The University has also accorded in-principle approval for joint PhD programmes with top-ranking foreign universities, a provision made in the NEP. The University's Office of International Affairs will work with the institution's IoE Directorate to put in place modalities for admission, eligibility, and degree equivalence. This is expected to open up opportunities for Indian research scholars enrolled in the University to gain exposure and experience in leading international research laboratories and departments, while also permitting international students to work at departments and Schools of UoH. The Academic Council has also approved establishing working relationships with national laboratories to facilitate collaborative research, especially at the doctoral level.
The University will soon be establishing rigorous benchmarks, against the top 100 universities in the world, for assessing Faculty publications for all academic purposes, in line with the mandate given, along with the additional funding, as an Institution of Eminence (IoE), the university said in a release on Saturday. Meanwhile, Youth for Inclusive and Sustainable Society (YISS) of the UoH protested during the 88th Academic Council Meeting on Friday. Students demanded disbursement of fellowships and Digital Access Grant (DAG), spending of IoE funds for students and research scholars, and establishment of Satellite Campus across the State.
They asked "Where are IoE fellowships and scholarships for students, grants, projects, seminars, and incentives for research scholars publications? The university is only focusing on spending IoE funds of Rs 1,000 Cr on construction activities." They also said, "What is the purpose of giving mere Rs. 1000 under the Digital Access Grant (DAG) if they are disbursed after the semester? Delayed DAG is Denying access to online classes and Social Justice." YISS demanded the resignation of the current Vice-Chancellor Prof Appa Rao P and has appealed Centre Government to appoint new Vice-Chancellor, as the term of Prof Appa Rao completed last September.
