Delegates from the University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt, Germany, visit the Department of Civil Engineering, JMI; two universities work out modalities to renew the over 2-decade-old MoU
An official delegation from the University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt, Germany, comprising Christian Stangenberger, Dip.-Ing., Department of Civil Engineering, and 7 students have been on a visit to the Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), since September 19, under an academic exchange programme between the Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia, and the University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt, Germany, as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions.
The delegation was formally welcomed at the Department of Civil Engineering by Prof. Quamrul Hassan, Head of the Department, faculty members and students. The delegation also had a separate official interaction with the Vice Chancellor, JMI, Prof. Mazhar Asif, Registrar, JMI, Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Deans (Academics, International Relations, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Alumni Affairs), and Foreign Students’ Advisor, JMI. During the meeting, it was appreciated that the MoU of JMI and Erfurt has been successfully operating for about two decades for the exchange of students and faculty between the two universities. The renewal of the MoU with the University of Applied Sciences and new avenues for joint research and cooperation were also discussed in the meeting.
Welcoming the delegation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Mazhar Asif said, “India’s rich intellectual heritage, knowledge traditions and cultural history have long made it a centre of learning and civilisation. Our relationship with Germany also has deep and fruitful roots. The contributions of German thinkers such as Max Müller and Immanuel Kant, as well as the German translations of Omar Khayyam’s works, are part of this shared intellectual legacy. Three of our founders, including a former vice chancellor of JMI, pursued higher education in Germany in the 1920s. This MoU with the University of Erfurt is therefore particularly significant for us as we seek to deepen academic exchange and cooperation. We hope to soon establish a Centre for German Studies at JMI, bringing together the study of German language, history, culture, art and cinema, and creating a vibrant platform for dialogue between India and Germany.”
In his interaction with the delegation, Registrar, JMI, Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi said, “JMI considers its long-standing association with Erfurt to be highly valuable and significant. India and Germany have enjoyed a cordial and enduring relationship, with our trade and commercial ties dating back to 1947, the year of India’s independence. These relations have continued to evolve and flourish through the Cold War and the subsequent decades, even as India maintained its policy of non-alignment. Recognising the growing importance of German language skills among India’s young population, JMI is committed to strengthening opportunities for learning German. In addition to our full-time four-year Bachelor’s programme in German Studies, introduced last year, Jamia has also launched a German language course in distance mode, making language education more accessible to learners across the country. We see these initiatives as an important step towards deepening academic and cultural ties between India and Germany.”
During their visit, the delegation was shown around the campus, including the renowned AJK Mass Communication Research Center, Dr Zakir Husain Library and the laboratories of the department. The delegation was also taken on a tour of Okhla Barrage, constructed on the Yamuna River, where they were given a technical presentation by the Barrage Engineers on its operations and SCADA automation. They were taken to the retrofitting project of the 100-year-old Gole Market building in Lutyen’s Delhi. The delegation also visited the construction site for the Gurgaon Railway Station Redevelopment project along with the faculty members and students of the department.
A joint field survey by the visiting delegates and the students of the department was carried out for one of the oldest buildings, i.e., the Faculty of Education building of the university, using the latest total station equipment to study the architectural features and structural condition of the building.
The delegation, along with the Indian students, visited many world heritage sites, including the Taj Mahal, Red Fort at Agra, and Qutub Minar.
An evening with visiting delegates was organised by the department to discuss the way forward and future collaborative activities, followed by dinner. The students and faculty members of both the universities expressed their satisfaction and happiness with the ongoing exchange programme.
