A new educational institution — Auronya College — was recently launched in Puducherry. With a focus on defining education through the conduit of technology, or ‘Education 4.0’, it is headed by renowned educationists Abhaya Kumar Jain, Founding Executive Chairman, Auronya, and Indira J Parikh, Founding Chairperson, Auronya. The logo of the college was officially launched at a recent event in Chennai.
Auronya College will offer both under-graduate and post-graduate courses as well as post-graduate diploma courses that will begin July 2018.
The curriculum is inclusive and not only stresses what is taught but also the nuances of how information is presented to students. This education model will help develop an individualised curriculum that will define how youngsters process the overload of information that is thrown at them.
Campus design
The curriculum aims to embed timeless cultural values and throw light on our connections to nature.
The campus has been designed by architect BV Doshi and will have amenities such as virtual and augmented reality studios, a 3D printing facility, think spaces, an amphitheatre, smart classrooms, sports facilities, a gymnasium, swimming pool and more. The college will have six departments — School of Design & Sciences; School of Humanities & Art; School of Business & Economics; School of Social Science; School of Research & Intelligence; and School of Media and Communication.
Management programme
In addition, a one-year Post-Graduate Diploma Programme in New Age Management & Leadership (PGDNAML) called Antariksh will begin in October this year.
Antariksh is designed to prepare future leaders; it will focus on the complete transformation and not just on improvement in the skills and abilities of an individual in an interconnected ecosystem.
Candidates with a minimum of two to five years of full-time work experience at any level, in an external or family business, can apply for the programme. Those without any work experience can also apply but will have to go through a special screening process.
The introductory fee for the year-long programme is ₹15 lakh, inclusive of accommodation, food, global and national exposure, boot camps, and personal growth labs.
The management will provide scholarships for students on a need-cum-merit basis.
Speaking at the launch, Abhaya Kumar, Founding Executive Chairman, Auronya, said: “Auronya College aims to align the education system with the fourth industrial revolution by redesigning the 20th century model to meet real-time needs of a technology-driven and fast-changing 21st century. Auronya is built with a foundation of creation and contribution embracing the spirit of liberal education, invention, intelligence, globalisation and entrepreneurship.”
Shaped by technology
“The Post-Graduate Programme in New Age Management and Leadership is based on the latest technology available, impact of technology in occupation, at work, and in family. Courses at Auronya College are futuristic and envisage how the world will be shaped by these technologies. Education at the college will prepare students with domain knowledge of bio-sciences, nano technology, and digitisation, among others,” said Dr Indira Parikh.
Anuj Sharma, Founding Dean, Auronya, said: “Auronya’s learning environment is designed to infuse a human connection with nature while immersing the experiences with future technologies. Knowledge and technology represent the ‘What’ while human insight represents the ‘Why’. We are committed to creating unique under-graduate, masters and post-graduate programmes.”