SPJIMR signs MoU with Shivaji University for faculty development and research

New Delhi, May 24: SP Jain Institute for Management and Research (SPJIMR) Mumbai and Shivaji University have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. University Chancellor Dr. Devanand Shinde and SPJIMR Dean Dr. Ranjan Banerjee signed the agreement. The signing ceremony was held at Mantralaya in the office of Mr. Vinod Tawde, State Minister for Higher & Technical Education. The institutes forged a public-private partnership (PPP) towards the growth of faculty development, case writing and select social initiative. As part of the MoU, SPJIMR will work with Shivaji University in areas like faculty development, case writing, research, curriculum development and on select social initiatives of the Government of Maharashtra that are relevant to regions around Kolhapur.

Shivaji University is headquartered in Kolhapur and covers Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts. The state-run university affiliates over 280 colleges in Southern Maharashtra. 

Mr. Tawde said, “The government supports the enhancement of quality education through partnerships and mentorship programmes. This MoU sets a new benchmark of public-private partnership that can enhance learning and open up new opportunities for development of faculty and students.” 

SPJIMR Dean Dr. Ranjan Banerjee, stated, “We can influence practice at the level of the corporates, students and thought leadership. The second is at the level of other institutes of education, where we seek to mentor faculty and improve educational outcomes. The hunger for quality education is even higher in tier-two and tier-three towns and it is a market in which we can make a difference to benefit society. It carries a larger social purpose we can serve. We will learn a lot from the experience.”

The Shivaji University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Devanand Shinde mentioned, “The signing of the MoU today marks a new beginning for Shivaji Universty in the field of management education to help us address various local issues and it will for certain be useful in internal capacity building so that we can take the benefits to society.”

Dr. Apoorva Palkar, Advisor to the Minister for Higher & Technical Education also attended the MoU signing ceremony. Dr. Palkar announced, “The government is looking at helping public institutions in the State enhance quality and this is one such endeavour in public-private partnership. It brings the strength of one of the great players into a region that requires such expertise. It is not that Shivaji University does not have expertise but there are areas that can draw benefits, particularly with the eco-system of Mumbai that comes with SPJIMR. This is an endeavour for the region of Kolhapur as well as for developing the University department and is a first of its kind initiative."

The MoU is a result of conversations which were initiated by SPJIMR with the Government of Maharashtra to explore ways to serve society and people across the State. The idea came up while discussing new efforts that the State could take up in order to upgrade Higher and Technical Education in the State. The move will also help SPJIMR in its mission to influence practice and promote value-based growth.