UoM launches new online courses

CHENNAI: The University of Madras has launched almost 20 new certificate courses and diplomas that can be taken up through Online and Distance Learning mode, said Vice Chancellor S Gowri. He was speaking at the 163rd annual convocation of the university held on Thursday.

In keeping with the expanding scope of ICT-enabled teaching and learning, Gowri said the nomenclature of the Institute of Distance Education has been changed to the Institute of Distance and Online Education, so that the varsity can offer programmes online.

Speaking at the convocation, IIT-M Bhaskar Ramamurthi, who was the chief guest, said, “In the post-pandemic world, there will be a sharper focus among students towards achieving specific goals, be it employment or the seeking of knowledge for its own sake.”

Pointing that education will be consumed more competitively across borders, he encouraged the varsity, “to collaborate across institutional boundaries by incentivising and rewarding research in emerging multi-disciplinary areas.” Governor and Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit presided over the event, in which as many as 1,24,862 undergraduate and postgraduate students received their degree certificates. In addition, three candidates received their Doctor of Letters and 683 got their PhDs. Over 12,000 students from the Institute of Distance Learning also received their degrees.

New courses introduced through ODL mode include certificate courses in Research Methods for Social Sciences, Christian Scriptures and Interpretation, Indian Christianity, Intellectual Property Rights, Carnatic Music, Voice Training, Management and Written Tamil; and diploma in Teaching Methodology in Music, Management, Marketing Management, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Systems Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Hospital Management and Saiva Siddhanta. Postgraduate diploma in Archaeology and Periya Puranam Studies are new additions as well, said Gowri.