AU-SoME venture Bengaluru, April 28. Ahmedabad University and the School of Meaningful Experiences (SoME, estb. 2018), Bengaluru, signed a collaboration agreement to provide management development programmes (MDPs) to corporate professionals, middle managers, and senior executives countrywide. The content of MDPs will be designed and delivered jointly by SoME and Ahmedabad University faculty. “These courses have been designed after assessing the gaps in MDPs offered by various business schools and online edtech companies. We believe the courses offered by these entities are of very short duration and lack depth and focus for upskilling business professionals because of insufficient attention to development of soft skills. Through the courses offered jointly by SoME and Ahmedabad University, we intend to address deficits in the continuous learning space for senior and middle level managers,” said Dr. Rakesh Godhwani, founder of SoME, corporate coach and communication professional, speaking on the occasion. Structured plumbing courses Delhi, April 14. The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA, estb.1993) to introduce plumbing education courses in engineering and architecture higher education institutions. Under terms of the MoU, students enrolled in engineering, architecture and interior design programmes and graduates with majors in civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering, architecture and interior design are eligible to sign up for a four credit course in ‘plumbing (water and sanitation)’. “There is urgent need to include plumbing in engineering and architecture curriculums as good plumbing is a priority health issue. IPA and AICTE have jointly designed a 50-hour study course that is 80 percent theory and 20 percent practice,” said Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, chairman, AICTE, speaking on the occasion. “This is a tremendous opportunity for plumbing industry stakeholders since the majority of plumbers who learn by doing will become more organised and structured after formal study of the vocation,” added Gurmit Singh Arora, president of IPA. Unacademy Scholarships programme Bengaluru, April 5. The Bengaluru-based Unacademy, which bills itself as India’s largest learning platform, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Backward Classes Welfare Department (BCWD) of the Telangana state government to identify and empower meritorious students from the state to prepare for competitive exams. During the next three years, Unacademy will conduct a series of aptitude tests in three phases to identify meritorious BCWD students in Telangana to prepare them for UPSC and college entrance exams. Under this MoU, 4,500 selected students will be awarded study scholarships plus exam fees by Unacademy. According to a Unacademy statement, all BCWD students of classes X-XII and in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are eligible to write these tests and apply for scholarships. Jaro-SRMIST concordat Bengaluru, April 28. The Mumbai-based Jaro Education, which offers executive education programmes, signed a partnership agreement with the Chennai-based SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST). Under terms of the agreement, the institute’s directorate of online education has empanelled Jaro to provide digital marketing services for SRMIST’s online bachelor’s and Masters degree programmes. Jaro Education will promote SRMIST’s online MBA,…
