IIT Madras has made history by inaugurating its first-ever overseas campus in Zanzibar, which was virtually opened by Prof V Kamakoti, the Director of IIT Madras, and officially inaugurated by H.E Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the President of Zanzibar.
This initiative is seen as a significant step in the rapid internationalization of IITs and aims to bring a more diverse culture into the IIT system by establishing a presence in a foreign country.
The success of this endeavour is attributed to the efficient collaboration between the Indian and Zanzibar governments, who expedited all official procedures within a remarkable six-month timeframe.
The Zanzibar campus commenced classes last week, enrolling 50 students for two programs: a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and a Master of Technology (MTech) in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.
The Zanzibar government has allocated over 200 acres of prime land for the permanent campus, and the temporary campus is already well-equipped to accommodate students with essential facilities.
The entire financial burden of the campus, including faculty salaries, is being undertaken by the Zanzibar government, demonstrating their commitment to this partnership.
The selection process for students at the Zanzibar campus involved an eligibility test followed by personal interviews, with feedback indicating that the students chosen are exceptionally talented.
The IIT Madras administration plans to introduce five new courses at the Zanzibar campus in the next five years, further enhancing its academic offerings.
To facilitate student enrollment, IIT Madras has sought assistance from public sector banks to provide loans on equal terms as those offered to students studying at the main IIT Madras campus. Preeti Aghalayam, an alumna of IIT Madras, has been appointed as the director in charge of the Zanzibar campus, where the available courses include a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and a 2-year MTech in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence program.
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