All muddled over Microsoft- VTU MoU
5:15 PM Posted by ukmad
The Centre for Internet and Society filed an RTI application to Visvesvaraya Technological University asking it to provide details about its curriculum design, and its tie-ups with various software vendors. (The Microsoft DreamSparkProgram is an initiative by Microsoft where all the students of the VTU would be allowed to download free versions of Microsoft original software and portraying an act of benignity from Microsoft for the student community. Microsoft through this program (with the real intention of suppressing any development of intellectual self reliance of the students), was able to make a deal with the VTU.)
The grip software vendors have over courses in technology (at both the school and the university levels) is a matter for concern. Due to what can be termed institutional inertia, educational institutions often don't realise that alternatives exist in the form of FLOSS (Free/Libre/Open Source software), as proprietary software is entrenched in the system (and is sometimes the market leader in that tech sector). To further tighten their grip, software vendors enter into commercial deals with governments and universities in attempts to penetrate the crucial education sector. This often results in students being taught courses on how to use particular (usually proprietary) software instead of being taught standard technologies. In turn, this denies them the opportunity to learn the concepts behind the software effectively, and ties them to the particular software that they were taught. For software vendors, getting their products into the curricula is very important because the supply of students trained in particular software also affects the demand for that software.
Against this backdrop, The Hindu on Nov. 19, 2008 and the Deccan Herald on Nov 20, 2008 carried articles which talk about MoU being signed between Microsoft and VTU. A Right to Information application to get more details about it and t seems that the answer they got for it was pretty ridiculous one.
VTU’s reply to the RTI stated -
“With reference to the above, this is to inform that the matter MoU between Microsoft Corporation and Visvesvaraya Technological University is in discussion level. No document is signed till date.”
But things get even more interesting when it was found that there was a Microsoft Press Release. For your reference here is the link to Google Cache which shows the MS Press Release in HTML format with relevant text highlighted.
So clearly there is something messy in there, says The Centre for Internet and Society. Someone of the two is not correct. As the VTU has officially replied its now turn of MS to clarify. Why its technologies were are given preference over several FOSS technologies (which are often better) and also disregarding competitors who rule the market.
Source: http://www.cis-india.org/advocacy/floss/blog/rti-application-on-microsoft-vtu-deal
http://www.controlenter.in/2009/03/all-hazy-over-microsoft-vtu-mou/
Links shared by Swapneel Patnekar.
Switch your mobile on: Lecture will commence
4:39 PM Posted by ukmad
Latest developments in the field of education are the development of e-learning content on a mobile device. This is what the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has planned to launch in about three months’ time.
With the launch of the e-learning content, VTU would be enabling its students to learn anywhere, anytime via a mobile phone.
According to Vice-Chancellor, this will be for the first time that any educational institution in the country has taken up a project to provide such a facility that will also ensure a new learning experience to engineering students. A Bangalore-based Information Technology company has already started working on developing the programme.
Once the facility is launched, a student can access a topic from the course on his/her mobile phone. The programme enables students to have direct access to the courseware and learn with the help of 3D graphical presentation of topics in various engineering subjects. The presentations are linked with voice and text content.
The students can view the 3D animations from different angles. For example, the working of a DC motor can be understood well by showing the animation of setting up of flux and the generation of torque which control the movement of shaft. The student can vary the field current, and see how flux changes and hence the change of torque. The low bit animation of process enables fast access and hence can provide quicker response to the input stimuli.
The VTU has proposed to develop five courses using the low bit animation technology.
Source: The Hindu
Ratan Tata, Kakodkar to get Doctorate from VTU
10:10 AM Posted by ukmad
Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur, who is also VTU Chancellor, will present the honor to the personalities at the eight convocation scheduled to be held at Jnana Sangama at VTU Campus in Belgaum on February 10.
Source: Netindia123.com
Stop this treatment for us
9:41 PM Posted by ukmad
We are totally upset over the recent attitude and act of state government especially education department and vice chancellors of VTUThe VTU Bosh and Rexorth R & D centre is opened in Mysore and even the German tool room was established at Bangalore, the e-learning studio of VTU is in Mysore,Why not the proper expansion of VTU takes place in Belgaum.
Why the government have this sham and show off in showing its attitude towards North Karnataka in general and Belgaum in particular, North Karnataka cities mainly Belgaum and twin cities hubli dharwad are the best potent cities with diverse culture and skilled manpower resource ,I highly feel off for such attitude of state government, I want Belgaumites to come forward and fight for such discrimination , Why not Belgaum have such development centre and studios.
The wake up call some weakness and strength
Strength :Belgaum contributes second largest revenue to state and first in horticulture export
Weakness: Cargo handling facility at Belgaum Airport for agriculture and horticulture export was planned and never executed.
Strength: Equidistant to Bangalore Mumbai and Hyderabad
Weakness : No initiative form state government for Belgaum-Dharwad and Belgaum-Bagalkot-Raichur Rail line
Strength: American and foreign universities, GEMS education interested to establish educational township in Belgaum
Weakness : lack of political will and slow response form state government to make investor friendly approach towards Belgaum
Still at LargeIT park ( only foundation stone , no facilities)
Textile Park ( Private partnership , in progress)
Power generation projects ( 1 Shelved and 2 are on hold for indefinite time)
Food and Agriculture park (bureaucratic delays and lack of support to contractor)
International cricket stadium ( only land allotted and no further move on it)
Airport expansion funds available with state government from AAI but not ready to utilize for settlement of farm land acquired by farmers , fight over the cost of landRing road , just ringing around in papers
Suvarna Vidhan Suadha , only foundation stone
Vaccine institute to be developed in Belgaum as research centre, no further news on it
Auto complex an utter flop due to lack of proper planning .
Lot of entrepreneurs investing in border district of Maharashtra. Well there are many still but will never work till are made aware and brought to public noticeLet Belgaum flourish and we the Belgaumites reap benefits of it.
Honeywell partners with VTU to ignite young minds; Nobel Laureate Dr. Sheldon Glashow to interact with VTU students on the Need for Basic Research
4:13 PM Posted by ukmad
From The Hindu & other sources:
Nobel laureate Sheldon Lee Glashow speaking at the Honeywell Nobel Initiative Lecture Series in Belgaum on Thursday
Nobel laureate Sheldon Lee Glashow, in his first-ever talk on Indian soil on Thursday, not only posed a question “Does science evolve through blind chance or intelligent design,” but also gave a quick answer, which was affirmative.
He was addressing a gathering of eminent academicians, faculty members of universities and students at the launch of the Honeywell Nobel Initiative Lecture Series (December 6 and 7) on the Jnana Sangama campus of the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) here.
In fact, he is on a mission to make young minds take keen interest in research and basic sciences by directly interacting with students in group discussions.
Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has named Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Belgaum as the inaugural site for the Indian launch of the Honeywell - Nobel Laureate Lecture Series, the centerpiece of a global education initiative designed to connect students across the globe with Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry and Physics.
Dr. Sheldon Glashow, the 1979 Nobel Laureate in Physics, visited VTU on December 6 and 7 to participate in various activities with students and faculty while on campus including a lecture on December 6th entitled: “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design: The Need for Basic Research”. He will also deliver a colloquium on “The Story of Neutrinos: From a Desperate Remedy to a Profound Enigma”
The Honeywell – Nobel Initiative brings students together with some of the world’s most advanced minds to inspire and motivate the development of the leading scientists of the future. Dr. Glashow’s visit to VTU is a significant milestone in the partnership between VTU and Honeywell.
