India's O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) said here on Wednesday that it has signed a pact with The University of Arizona to help Indian students earn a U.S. degree without leaving their home country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given travel restrictions, school delays and visa moratoriums, JGU said it has created flexible, affordable options with the University of Arizona to allow students in India to earn a full U.S. degree or U.S. transfer credits with full access to the JGU campus as part of a new GIFTED Programme (Global Immersion Fellowship for Talent & Educational Development).
"The GIFTED programme is an innovative and a?ordable way of promoting excellence in international higher education and could profoundly impact the future of knowledge creation, collaborative learning and global engagement at universities around the world," Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Professor C. Raj Kumar, said in a statement.
"O.P. Jindal Global University and the University of Arizona have collaborated to offer a transformative learning experience that allows participants to earn undergraduate U.S. credits through specialised academic streams," he said.
Students can choose from two options in the GIFTED programme:
Students can complete a full U.S. undergraduate degree, graduate degree or graduate certificate online with complete access to the JGU campus. Or they can enroll in a pathway programme of online courses to prepare for virtually any major and for eventual study in the U.S.
The fellowship programme includes specially designed courses taught by JGU faculty, as well as access to JGU's campus infrastructure and co-curricular options such as academic writing and Mandarin language instruction.
"At the end of the fellowship, the GIFTED Fellows have the option to continue their studies in the USA," said GIFTED Programme Director, Professor Kalyani Unkule.
To provide an education to international students, the University of Arizona announced this week the launch of a "Global Campus" across five continents, partnering with top universities.
"I welcome the partnership between the University of Arizona and O.P. Jindal Global University in India," said Professor Robert C. Robbins, President, The University of Arizona, Tucson in the US.
"Not only does Global Campus help solve the mobility challenges of today caused by COVID-19, it's a meaningful and long term effort at meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal of providing accessible quality education to the world,
"We are truly making affordable, world-class education available to global citizens around the world including in India and, in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been needed more," Robbins said.
Global Immersion Fellowship for Talent and Educational Development can be accessed at https://jgu.edu.in/admissions/
( With inputs from IANS )