Launch of showpiece BRICS network university delayed

BRICS will be unable to launch its showpiece network university in 2016 as foundational issues are yet to be resolved, writes Kallol Bhattacherjee for The Hindu.

BRICS Network University was first mooted in March 2015 and was scheduled to be launched in 2016. But the member countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – are yet to find common modalities for the unique venture and the launch has been put back to September 2017.

“Several technical issues like curriculum, language differences among the students of member countries and nature of infrastructure are yet to be resolved. These issues are likely to be taken up by the education ministers of the member countries of BRICS during the upcoming summit in Goa,” said a senior diplomatic source. A major issue among the members is the nature of the university itself, with some sections insisting that it should be a “virtual” facility providing distance education and training.
Full report on The Hindu site