MJ Akbar launches China Study Centre at MAHE

Team Udayavani, Aug 28, 2018, 9:35 AM IST

Manipal: Minister of State for External Affairs, M J Akbar launched the China Study Centre at Manipal Academy of Higher Education here on Monday. Established under the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, the Centre has been set up to establish a network of young analysts with a complete knowledge of China.

The Minister, speaking on the occasion said, “I cannot express the hunger there is across the world for India’s education and in particular for MAHE’s. If the government has given you a designation, it is only recognition of a fact that has already happened. Your ‘eminence’ is being recognized all over. I truly believe that equally important is the fact that the education which comes from India is not salted or sugared by any ideological factor. It is education for the sake of education. And that gives our education institutions a reputation for integrity. That is critical for the success and expansion of any institution.” 

Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, Dr H Vinod Bhat told the gathering why the University considered it important to have a Centre such as this. He said, “This is, in fact, something that has been going on for the last ten years. We are starting with China and looking at other sectors for specialized studies. We are keen to see what this has in store for higher education.” 

“If we have to look at higher education in China and what the future would be for the world, a few things that are happening is that the Chinese have become adventurous in setting up universities overseas. Countries like India, western countries, UK, US included have set up campuses and universities overseas over the last 50 years. And India has about 20 of its universities overseas. And we are also seeing mushrooming of interests. Whether they are China study centres, or language centres or research centres. This is the kind of adventure we are seeing from China,” he added.

Prof and Head Department of Geopolitics and International Relations gave a brief introduction of the Centre and gave a gist of the objectives. He said that it would focus on creating a repository of knowledge on China from a multifaceted dimension with a concentration on Politics, Economics, Commerce, Society, Culture, Science and Technology. “But the main objective of the Centre is to establish a network of young analysts with holistic knowledge on China,” he added.