Nalanda University to start PhD, MBA programmes

RAJGIR: Nalanda University is to start three research centres — Centre for Bay of Bengal, Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace building and Common Archival Resource Centre — from the upcoming academic session, its vice-chancellor Sunaina Singh said on Wednesday.
Singh said the university has already shortlisted 13 candidates for the PhD course to start from August 2020.“We are going to run both regular as well as part-time 4 years’ PhD course in three centres,” she said.
Addressing the media on the new campus of Nalanda University at Rajgir on Wednesday, Singh said the university was also going to start its first MBA course under the School of Business Management from the upcoming academic session. “The course would be specialized in sustainable development and management. Besides, we are going to start several certificate and diploma courses of one year in cultural heritage and ethos,” she said.
“The journey of rebirth of new Nalanda University has been very small. Historically, if we look at institutions, it takes a long time to grow. But now, we are slowly spreading our wings,” Singh said.
The VC said the university has 100 students in postgraduate courses and 650 in diploma and certificate programmes. “About 60% students are from Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada and other European countries. Earlier, we only had students from South Asian countries,” Singh said.
“Of the total students, around 50% are girls and 30% students are monks. We have 26 faculty members, including three foreigners for four PG courses and other certificate and diploma programmes. Some visiting faculties from abroad also take classes in language and literature/humanities, ecology and environment studies, historical studies and Buddhist studies,” the VC said.
Presently, the university’s five buildings — academic block, laboratory block, faculty block, teaching block and administrative block — are operational. The sprawling campus is spread over 465 acre land, where 110 buildings, including 17 non-residential and 80 residential ones will come up.