Page 69 - EducationWorld January 2023

the University of Southern Califor- and Ph D degrees at this top-ranked USC and AVSE are ready and willing
nia (USC, estb.1880). With over private, research-focused univer- to collaborate with a larger num-
50,000 students and 3,000 faculty sity. Evidently, he became enam- ber of engineering universities in
on its muster rolls, USC is America’s oured with his alma mater and was India and in particular, deepen our
second largest private multidisci- inducted into the faculty of AVSE. In research engagement with them,”
plinary university (22 schools) after 2011 shortly after he was appointed says Yortsos.
NYU (New York University). The Dean of AVSE, Yortsos signed up Future plans. Yortsos believes that
engineering school of USC, AVSE several academic and research col- harnessing advanced computer
hosts 10,000 students, 20 percent of laborations with IIT-Delhi and other science-driven technologies is the
whom are from India. engineering and technology universi- necessary precondition of any coun-
Newspeg. A regular visitor to India, ties in India. try or society attaining the United
during his previous sojourns in this Direct talk. Since then, Yortsos’ belief Nations sustainable development
country, Yortsos signed durable in the latent capabilities of India’s goals (SDGs) — universal health,
academic and research partnerships engineering talent — especially security and life enrichment.
with the top-ranked Birla Institute of students enrolled in the IITs and “The institutional autonomy and
Technology & Science, Pilani and the top-ranked science and technology encouragement that the new Na-
Indian Institute of Science, Banga- institutions — has increased. “Indian tional Education Policy (NEP), 2020
lore. In early December, he made engineers are among the world’s confers on India’s higher education
his first post-pandemic visit to India best, especially graduates of India’s institutions, provides new opportu-
to survey the engineering education Top 200 engineering colleges and nities for USC/AVSE to deepen its
scene and renew ties with faculty and universities. However with the tele- engagement with higher education
researchers in BITS-Pilani and IISc. phone, radio and computer technolo- institutions to realise UN’s laudable
History. A chemical engineering gies having merged in recent years, SDGs in India,” says Yortsos.
graduate of Athens University, India’s institutions of engineering That’s an offer which shouldn’t be
Yortsos signed up with USC for post- education need to evolve new sylla- refused.
graduate study, earning his Masters buses and curriculums. To this end, Dilip Thakore (Bengaluru)

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