Aerospace varsity planned in Bangalore

Aerospace varsity planned in Bangalore

The Hindu Business Line

SIATI would be looking at financial support from the Central and the State Governments though it would be largely self-financed. Tentatively it will require finances of the order of Rs 10-15 crore.

Bangalore , Dec. 9

BANGALORE, the aerospace hub, will also be the venue for a premier novel university for aerospace engineering and management, the country's first such body when it comes up.

The brainchild of SIATI - the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologists and Industries - the international institute for aerospace engineering and management will be of the calibre of IITs and the IISc.

It will match the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and is aimed at bridging the gap for trained manpower in the industry, SIATI President and former HAL CEO, Dr C.G. Krishnadas Nair, said.

"The plan is to establish the de novo University on 20 acres within the next one year, somewhat on the lines of the IIIT (Indian Institute of Information Technology in Bangalore)," Dr Nair told a news conference at the ongoing Aerodrome India 2005.

SIATI is weighing the location options, including closer to the new international airport or elsewhere in the city.

Both the University Grants commission and the All-India Council for Technical Education have favoured the proposal.

"We want to go about it systematically as per UGC norms and offer affordable courses to urban and rural students," Dr Nair said. The faculty would be drawn from the vast pool of experts in the industry.

Funding: SIATI, a 14-year-old body with premier public agencies such as HAL, ISRO, and DRDO Labs among its 300 small to large-scale industry members, would be looking at financial support from the Central and the State Governments though it would be largely self-financed. Tentatively it will require finances of the order of Rs 10-15 crore.

Planned for 3,000 students initially, it will offer graduate and post-graduate courses and doctoral programmes in all areas of aviation.

The aviation scene has taken off in a big way in recent years with new airlines and airports but there is a dearth of at least 1,000-2,000 trained engineers in air traffic control and management, airport design and management and operations, airline operation, aircraft maintenance engineering and airworthiness certification, avionics, quality assurance, ICAO regulations, and a host of related subjects, Dr Nair said.

China has six such educational bodies, Canada two, while the US has several.

Currently, the IITs, the IISc, and a few engineering colleges offer aerospace engineering courses but these courses are packed with highly scientific curriculum.

SIATI has tested the ground through Bangalore's MVJ Engineering College for an M.Tech course designed and conducted by industry experts and the first batch will be coming out this year, Dr Nair said.