Prof. Michael Thorne is the vice chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University, UK (ARU, estb. 1858). With a student population of 36,000, ARU is one of South-east England’s largest public universities, and is spearheading the South Asia Anglia Partnership (SAAP, estb. 2013). SAAP is a common forum for vice chancellors of universities in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UK to share best practices and work together to collaborate, innovate and enhance the learning experiences of their students in the newly emerging globalised world.

The convenors of SAAP first met in Delhi in April, 2012 and subsequently in Cambridge, UK last September when the partnership was formalised and the name South Asia Anglia Partnership agreed upon. Indian universities which signed up include the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Kochi), Bharathiar University (Coimbatore), University of Calcutta, Chitkara University (Chandigarh), D.Y. Patil University (Kolhapur), University of Mumbai and the University of Mysore.

Newspeg. An enthusiastic proponent and driver of the SAAP initiative, Prof. Thorne was recently in India to attend the 2nd annual conference of SAAP hosted by Mysore University on November 18-19. SAAP member-delegates discussed and deliberated on the role of universities and resources mobilisation. Earlier in March, Prof. Thorne was in Mumbai to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Mumbai which focuses on  promotion of music therapy ” one of Anglia Ruskin’s œworld leading research areas targeted at helping people suffering from dementia, and other mental health problems, as well as autistic children.

Direct talk. The government of India has set a 30 percent gross enrolment target by 2020, which translates into 40 million university seats ” an increase of 14 million over the next six years. This ambitious target is certain to create a scarcity of qualified academics, drive up teacher-student ratios and force a shortage of research output in terms of quantity and quality.

Education institutions in the region are experiencing similar opportunities and challenges but until the creation of SAAP, there was no regional higher education forum to discuss ways and means to meet these challenges and share experiences and expertise. Anglia Ruskin is proud to lead this initiative to bring institutions in India and other South Asia countries together to focus on these issues, says Thorne, who began his career as a lecturer at University College London followed by a decade at Cardiff University, which he left to assume administrative duties in Sunderland and Napier universities prior to being appointed vice chancellor of ARU in 2007.

Future plans. SAAP has a busy schedule ahead ” curriculum development, mastering technologies, upgrading teaching and stepping up research output. œSAAP will explore these themes through a series of workshops and review meetings in India and the UK, and we will continue to expand this forum through new partnerships and relationships, says Thorne.

Fair winds!

Paromita Sengupta (Bangalore)