Delhi University to decide on appointing 10 teachers from USA, Germany, France

NEW DELHI: If the Delhi University administration has its way, DU could have scholars from Germany, United States and France teaching its students. The DU Executive Council (EC), the university’s highest decision making body, will discuss the selection and appointment of 10 overseas scholars from five countries as adjunct faculty on Friday, this week.

The Delhi University had taken a decision to appoint foreign faculty in August 2021 for “value addition and internationalization of academic activities” in the university. A committee, formed to select the faculty, had recommended the 10 foreign faculty on November 18 and it got the Vice Chancellor's approval on December 1.

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The decision was met with resistance from teachers’ associations which criticized the university for appointing foreign adjunct teachers while many temporary teachers are yet to be regularized.

The final approval now rests with the EC.

The EC will also discuss the budget head for foreign faculties which will include honorariums, travel costs and accommodation.

DU: USA, Germany, France, Iran

The selected foreign scholars includes faculty from University of Paris, University of Leuven, Belgium; University of Regensburg, Germany; University of Pittsburgh, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago; University of Hamburg, Germany; Rutgers University, USA; Global Institute for Sustainable Development, Concord; Boston College, USA; Allama Tabatabai University, Iran.

The majority of the foreign faculty have been selected for science departments.

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The committee for selecting foreign faculty had also discussed appointing national level adjunct faculties in various departments of DU.

However, the committee also noted that “departments have infrastructural limitations to provide logistical support”. It also noted that there could be unforeseen challenges in appointing national level adjunct faculties since it is being done for the first time.

The EC will take a decision on this matter as well on Friday.