GUWAHATI, September 20, 2021: With the objective to bring excellence in implementing the ambitious plans of scientific applications and generate new avenues of employment, the “International Center of Excellence” has been launched today at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) in the presence of Lahkmen Rymbui, Minister of Education, Meghalaya and virtual presence of Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Minister of Education, Assam.
Dr. P. R. Swarup, Director General, Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM, Prof GD Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM were also present on the occasion apart from others while international experts and industry leaders like Dr. Mo Najafi from University of Texas at Arlington, USA and Mr. Thenuchu, former Home Minister, Nagaland virtually took part in the programme. After launch of the ICE, a ceremonial exchange of MOU also took place between USTM and CIDC.
The ICE shall have 17 schools and fraternity chapters that include: School of vocational studies, School of construction Quality assessment & health assessment of structures, School of Trenchless Technology, School of Arbitration, Conciliation & Dispute resolution, School of Technical consultancy, School of Drone technology & GIS studies, Student Chapters of ECI, IndSTT, ICC, School of Internships for young engineers, School of skill Assessors training, School of non-conventional Energy studies, School of Production/ Manufacturing process, School of Artificial intelligence, School of Faculty development, School of Subsurface Investigation, School of Surveying, School of Project Management, School of Surface Transportation. It is planned that the students and research scientists from India’s North East and other countries like from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar shall benefit from this initiative.
Dr Ranuj Pegu, Education Minister of Assam said, “The International Center of Excellence (ICE) that has come up at USTM will be extremely useful for the growth of the North East region. It is another feather to the cap of one of the quality education institutions in the region.
Addressing on the occasion, the Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the collaboration of USTM with CIDC will bring positive results for the development of human resource in the region. He also said that study has to be done on how to balance the biosphere and economic development of the region.
Earlier, welcoming the delegates and everyone present, Chancellor of USTM Mahbubul Hoque said that the spirit behind USTM is entrepreneurship and research. Hoque said that the university is growing day by day and the new International Centre of Excellence will extend value added education to the youth of the region and the neighbouring countries.
Presenting the objectives of the Centre, Dr. P. R. Swarup, Director General, CIDC said that the new Centre at USTM is going to be a landmark with 17 schools of specialization and will use everything from the emerging technology including operation of drone technology for surveillance and other purposes.
Offering the vote of thanks at the end of the program, Prof GD Sharma, VC of USTM said that as a result of the intervention with CIDC, students from USTM will be able to go to Texas under students’ exchange programme and study there in a very low cost. He also informed that the implementation of the MoU has begun from today itself with registration of students.