KOCHI: Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Maldives National University (MNU) for academic and research collaboration between the universities.
The MoU was signed by MNU Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohamed Shareef and CUSAT Vice Chancellor Dr K N Madhusoodhanan at a meeting held at the Maldives National University. The meeting deliberated on areas of mutual cooperation and collaboration, especially in the fields of marine sciences, marine research, maritime law, marine engineering, R&D and academic strengthening.
The MoU will facilitate capacity building of students and staff of both establishments in terms of knowledge exchange, collaborative technical expertise, and initiatives with the support of the Maldives Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology.
It will also help introduce marine post-graduation courses at MNU with the technical and academic support of CUSAT. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr Bijoy Nandan, Dean, Faculty of Marine Sciences, CUSAT, and Aishath Shaheen Ismail, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, MNU. A meeting was also held with the Deans of Faculties at MNU.
During the two-day visit to the Maldives from January 17 to 18 that was facilitated by the High Commission of India in Maldives, Madhusoodanan and the delegation from CUSAT attended meetings with Munu Mahawar, the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Maldives, S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, and Abdullah Shahid, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maldives, and the officials of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives.
Discussions were held on initiating future academic exchanges and collab- orations and mutually beneficial programmes and projects in the field of marine sciences.