Maintaining that education and knowledge are no longer the
prerogatives of the western world, the President of Nanyang Technologic al
University, Dr. Bertil Andersson
stressed that research is the frontline of knowledge and that leading
universities and institutions get to the top by having right leadership and
vision. SRM University conferred the
Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) on Dr. Andersson at a Special Convocation
at the Kattankulathur Campus.
Small ideas
go on to make bigger things said Dr. Nicholas Dirks, Chancellor of the
University of California at Berkeley, USA who was also conferred with Doctorate
of Literature (Honoris Causa). “The Founder Chancellor of SRM University is now
seeing the fruits of his ideas. He started a small and fledgling institution.
Now it is a great University. It is ideas of this kind that are critical for Tamil
Nadu, India and the world” Dr. Dirks said stressing that Universities not only
produce knowledge but are also guardians to make the world a better place.
“Academics is just no longer confined to the heavy weights
of Europe and America. Institutions in Asia have started marking their
presence. Knowledge has become global”, Dr. Andersson said going on to make the
point that strides made by Singapore in the realm of education is by no means a
small achievement as two of its Universities are in the top global ratings.
“NTU is an inspiration to Asia and India” he said. “In the future SRM will get
many Nobel prizes”, he remarked.
A plant
biochemist of international repute Andersson has authored more than 300 papers
in research pertaining to photosynthesis, biological membranes, protein and
membrane purification and light stress on plants. Educated at Umea and Lund
Universities of Sweden, Professor Anderson was installed as NTU’s Third
President in 2011. Currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nobel
Foundation, Dr. Anderson has been a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry
(chairing it in 1997).
An
anthropologist, Dr. Dirks is a prolific writer of books, articles and papers
and his fascination has been with India and the state of Tamil Nadu. Proficient
in Tamil, Dr. Dirks has focused on different aspects of Tamils and Tamil Nadu
including the cinematics of Tamil Political Culture, Marriage and Rank in Tamil
Kinship, Rituals and Resistance are some of the themes he has spoken at
international forums. The University of California at Berkeley started off as a
small idea but today it is one of the top five Universities, Dr. Dirks
remarked. “There will be greater cooperation between SRM University and the
University of California at Berkeley” he said.
The
Chancellor of SRM University Dr. T.R. Paarivendhar presided over the Special
Convocation.
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