LUDHIANA, MAY 21: A two-member delegation, from TAFE, New South Wales (State Department of Education and Technology) and Association of Trainee Farmers Employees, Australia, visited the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today to explore the possibilities of collaborative venture with the PAU in agriculture and its allied fields. The delegation members comprised Phil Pamment and Dr Om Jhorar. Emphasising on the possibility of strengthening the international ties between the two, the delegates interacted with Dr R.K. Mahey, PAU Registrar, Dr Gursharan Singh, Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Dr T.S. Thind, Additional Director of Research (NRM) and Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman, Additional Director Communication.
Dr Mahey apprised the delegates of the academic programmes of PAU and said that there were prospects of entering into cooperation for students-exchange programme. Presently, the university is laying thrust on enhancing the employment generating skills by imparting hands-on-training to the rural students in crop production, floriculture, bee-keeping and many other farm related activities, he said. Highlighting the contribution of the PAU, he stated that that the two sides could engage in diploma courses for nurturing the agri-based skills of students. The modalities need to be worked out, in this regard, and will be examined only after studying the equivalence of the courses being offered by both the sides. Dr Mahey shed light on various international collaborations of the PAU for research, teaching and transfer technology programmes. Dr Jhorar said that the TAFE programme is skill-based and seeks to make the Indian students practically strong in agriculture. He suggested that the knowledgeably strong students of the PAU can receive practical training and get exposure of farming by working on-farms of the Australian farmers, which upon return to India, they can apply at their own farms. The Indian students can have diploma qualification and two-years work experience at TAFE, he said, while showing keen interest for collaboration in six-year programme also. Dr Jhorar disclosed that the PAU is the first Indian Institute that the TAFE has approached for international linkages.
Mr Pamment referred to different teaching programmes being offered by TAFE to the foreign students. On this occasion, the delegates were presented with the PAU dockets of information.
