ICRISAT links up with Sun Microsystems to promote e-learning

Thursday, 12 February 2004, 20:30 IST
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MUMBAI: The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sun Microsystems Inc. to develop a centre of excellence for e-learning. The centre would be under the umbrella of the Virtual Academy for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT), an ICRISAT statement said. The collaboration aims to bring together the expertise of the two institutions to extend e-learning services to anyone, anywhere and on any device, ICRISAT director general William Dar said. ICRISAT is one of the 15 international agricultural research institutes, which concentrates on alleviating poverty in the semi-arid tropics through improvement of agricultural productivity. Sun Microsystems, on the other hand, is a major supplier of technologies for e-learning, having a strong partnership with leading players of learning and renowned universities. It is a major end-to-end technology provider for the scientific research area. As per the MOU, the two organisations will jointly work to promote ICRISAT's e-learning services to other international agricultural research institutes under the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Kim Jones, vice president of global education and research, Sun Microsystems, said. Besides, they will work to build a network of learning portals with other institutes in India, the statement said. This would facilitate mutual exchange of contents and services through an open architecture, leading to the development of an e-learning hub in India.
Source: IANS
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