KOCHI: MV Explorer, a cruise vessel carrying students and teachers onboard reached Kochi on Friday. The vessel is known as the ‘Floating University’.
The vessel is travelling with students on board around the world as part of the ‘Semester at Sea’, an academic programme organised by the University of Virginia. Though an initiative of University of Virginia, students from more than 200 universities are on board the vessel. The vessel which started from San Diego in the US is heading to India after visiting Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Burma.
‘MV Explorer’, during its 112- days itinerary will also visit Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Moroco and England before returning home. The students will visit 12 countries and 15 cities. Students in small groups visited places of interest in Kochi. “Some of them may even go up to Delhi. The first academic session on shore will begin at 4 pm on Saturday,” said Gopinath Panangad, project advisor of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi based research organisation which will host classes and seminars for students. MV Explorer is a Bahamas-registered passenger ship. She has facilities such as spacious class rooms, hostels, library, indoor playing areas and swimming pool.
The ship will leave on March 11 for Mauritius.