In a first, a university is all set to offer defence technology studies to students. Inaugurating Hindustan University’s Centre for Defence Technology Studies (CDTS) at its campus in Padur in Chennai on Friday, Mr Francois Richier, French Ambassador said just from a buyer-seller relation, India and France had now entered into co-development and co-production of major defence equipments. He welcomed the establishment of the dedicated centre.
Speaking on the Centre, Commodore (retd.) Shekhar. S, joint director of CDTS said it was the first private sector initiative in defence technology. “Cranfield University, the Defence University of the UK and Hindustan University in Chennai, have entered into an agreement to establish the CDTS.
The Centre will conduct Cranfield University designed, delivered and certified programs in cutting edge defence technologies for users such as the armed forces, DRDO as well as defence industries both in the public as well as private sectors,” he said.
The programmes that will be offered at the CDTS from January 2013 will encompass PG certificate, PG diploma and Master’s degree conducted through face-to-face contact programs at CDTS and specially designed Cranfield University web delivery modules as well as project work.
“These programs will be offered by Cranfield in India in the private sector. The objective of these programs is to enhance the level of defence technology knowledge in India ,” Mr Shekhar added.
The Centre will offer PG programs on subjects such as defence acquisition management and defence information systems and certificate programs in automatic test equipment and proto typing among other programs.