Garden City Foundation is the incubation centre and professional training division of Garden City College. Garden City Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hanze University in the presence of eminent delegates from Netherlands and leading industrialist at its campus in the city. It was signed between Dr. Joseph .V.G., Chairman, Garden City Foundation and Mr. Cor de Ruiter, Vice-president Hanze University Groningen.
According to Mr. Cor de Ruiter, Hanze University Groningen has been on the lookout for a reputed institution for a knowledge transfer project in India. “We feel honoured to enter into an agreement with Garden City Foundation and we look forward to develop a unique system of educating students by creating a combination of academic and practical knowledge through internship.”
As a part of the program, Indian lecturers will be trained in teaching Retail and Facility Management, Communication & Media programmes by the teaching staff of Hanze University Groningen. Also graduates will be trained and certified under the two post graduate courses in Retail and Facility Management. Industrialists Mr Rajagopal, Manager Facilities, HAL; Mr. Naren Balakrishna, Director Café Coffee Day, Austria Operations; Mr Arun Kumar Madhan, J.L.L.M ; Mr. Dilip Kumar, Senior Manager, TOI and Mrs Annapurna Murthy, Education Correspondent, TOI.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Joseph V G expressed his optimism towards the realisation of the venture. “There is a growing demand for graduates with specialized skills in every department of the industry. Considering the pace of growth of Indian companies, there is a definite need for specialist skills. Our association with Hanze University will help nurture the finer skills that are required in the market by industry.”
The training of the Indian lecturers will not only focus on contents in Retail and Facility Management but also on new teaching methodologies, especially Competence Based Learning, which seeks to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Part of this new didactic approach will also help students spend a period of at least two months doing their internship in a company of their choice.
Replying to the questions from the audience, Mr. Cor de Ruiter emphasized that his University is not motivated by commercial interests. “This will be a long-term relationship with GCC and will benefit the students,” he said adding that Facility Management in its proper way of functioning is what the customer feels without knowing who is actually providing this feeling of comfort. Retail Management on the other hand makes it possible to please the individual consumer but at low cost and highest possible quality.
Shortly, the staff of Garden City Foundation will participate in training-the-trainer programme in Netherlands and in India conducted by Hanze University. Garden City Foundation will use the acquired knowledge for the development of new Post Graduate Programmes in the areas mentioned above and Dutch experts will assist them during the period.
Earlier the powerful 21 member delegation from Netherlands was treated to one hour cultural medley showcasing the beauty and the diversity of the India by GCC Roll for Soul Dance Academy.
They also interacted freely with the students from the college and other invited colleges in the city. The team will be in the city and will continue the interacting with leading industrialists and academicians.
