MINISTRY OF TERTIARY EDUCATION, SCIENCE, RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

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QUARTERLY E-NEWSLETTER

Our e -news le t t e r w h i c h a i m s a t providing information on the developments, s t r a t e g i e s a n d policies and events i n t h e Te r t i a r y Education Sector as well as in the fields of Science, Research and Technology.

T h e T e r t i a r y Education landscape is changing across the world with increasing mobility of students and the setting up of branch universities and twinning of institutions outside their country of origin. In our strategy to make Mauritius a knowledge hub, we want to prepare our tertiary sector to respond to these changes.

Mauritius intends to position itself to be able to capture a part of this growing global market for Tertiary education. A number of measures have been put in place to facilitate this process:• A Students visa has been introduced to facilitate student entry.• Foreign students are now eligible to work part-time for a maximum of 20 hours per week.• A Study Mauritius Office has been set up to act as a focal point for local and foreign students to obtain information and guidance. A dedicated Website for the office was launched in October 2012.• Marketing strategy- Government through the BOI is supporting financially the participation

of private Educational Institutions in International Education Fairs.

In addition to the various financial assistance schemes provided to local disadvantaged students to allow them to pursue their higher education, the government is launching a new Scholarship scheme for 50 deserving African Students. We are hoping that this measure will have a pull effect which will make Mauritius a preferred destination for tertiary education in the African region.

Several measures are being taken to build the necessary infrastructure and facilities to increase access while maintaining high standards. This year we have created two new Universities namely the Open University of Mauritius and the University of Mascareignes. We are also witnessing the emergence of more and more education providers in the private sector, thus offering the students a wider choice.

This e-newsletter provides a glimpse of developments in the sector and will be produced on a quarterly basis. We hope that it will be useful to both local and foreign students as well as the general public seeking information on the Mauritian tertiary sector. I trust I can count on your comments, suggestions and ideas which can contribute to the development of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology.

Dr. the Hon. Rajeshwar Jeetah

MINISTER’S MESSAGE

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Editorial&TeamDr.&Nitish&ChooramunMr.&Vikash&BeelatooMs.&Shaina&WoodunMr.&Dwij&RamloulMs.&Kushal&Ruggoo

CONTRIBUTORSMrs.&N.&D.&Nababsing

Ministry&of&Tertiary&Education,&Science,&Research&&&Technology

Mrs.&R.&GujadhurBoard&of&Investment

Ms.&A.&BajnathTertiary&Education&Commission

Mrs.&H.&MungunMJhurryMauritius&Research&Council

Ms.&A.&M.&L’EvequeFashion&&&Design&Institute

Mr.&D.&BalgobinRajiv&Gandhi&Science&Centre

Mr.&P.&RamsurrunUniversite&des&Mascareignes

Mr.&J.&BeesoonOpen&University&of&Mauritius

Table&of&Contents

Editorial 2

Study&Mauri+us 3

1.&Study&Mauri9us&launches&its&website 4

2.&Marke9ng&Study&Mauri9us&in&Kenya&and&India 5

3.&Offer&of&54&Scolarships&by&Open&University&to&Commonwealth&Countries 8

Making&of&Mauri+us&a&Higher&Educa+on&Hub 9

4.&The&University&of&Mauri9us&launches&a&Centre&for&Professional&Legal&Studies 10

5.&SeNng&up&of&Open&University&of&Mauri9us 11

6.&SeNng&up&of&Universite&des&Mascareignes 11

7.&YK&Business&School:&Inaugura9on&of&New&Campus 12

8.&Medine&Educa9onal&Village 13

9.&Paving&the&way&for&increased&collabora9on&between&academia&and&industry 15

10.&5th&Research&Week&at&University&of&Mauri9us 16

11.&Mauri9us&Research&Council&organizes&Research&Methodology&Course 16

12.&PostYGraduate&Award&Conference 16

13.&Interna9onal&Conference&on&Interna9onal&Trade&&&Investment 17

14.&Courtesy&Calls 17

15.&Interna9onal&Conference&on&Higher&Educa9on&&&Economic&Development 18

Beyond&Academics 19

16.&UNIVERSIADE&2012 20

17.&Other&Leisure&&&Recrea9onal&Ac9vi9es 22

18.&Social&Work 24

19.&Compe99ons 24

Science,&Research&&&Technology 25

20.&Experimental&Wheat&Cul9va9on&in&Mauri9us 26

21.&Merging&Theory&with&Prac9ce&to&make&learning&science&fun 27

22.&World&Science&Day&Y&Open&Day&at&Rajiv&Gandhi&Science&Centre 27

23.&Coopera9on&with&South&Korea&in&fields&of&Science&&&Technology 28

24.&HalfYDay&Seminar&on&Phytoplasma&Diseases&on&Tomato&in&Mauri9us 29

25.&HalfYDay&Seminar&on&Guidelines&on&Use&of&Tradi9onal&Knowledge&and&Plant&Gene9c&Resources

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26.&Science&&&Technology&Coopera9on&between&Mauri9us&and&India 30

27.&Square&Kilometer&Array&Project&Y&Mauri9us&to&be&partner&with&South&Africa 31

28.&MRC&Technology&Transfer&Office:&Investor’s&Open&Day 33

29.&10th&Scien9fic&Conference 34

30.&Workshop&on&Seaweed&Farming&and&Processing&Industry 35

31.&Symposium&on&Diabetes,&The&Way&Forward 36

32.&GeNng&started&with&Medical&Research 37

33.&Public&Lecture&by&Professor&Robert&Huber&Y&Nobel&Prize&Laureate&Chemistry

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34.&Lindau&Nobel&Laureates&Mee9ng 38

2013&and&Beyond 39

35.&Budget&2013:&Measures&rela9ng&to&Ter9ary&Educa9on 40

EditorialThe&Tertiary&Education&Sector&in&Mauritius&has&been&marked&by&many&events&and&activities&over&the&last&few&months.&New&

university&campuses&have&been&inaugurated,&a&number&of&conferences&and&

seminars&have&been&organized,&and&a&number&of&measures&are&being&

implemented&to&continuously&boost&the&quality&of&tertiary&education&institutions&in&

Mauritius.&

This&quarterly&eYNewsletter&aims&at&disseminating&information&on&the&

developments&in&higher&education,&science,&research&and&technology&in&Mauritius.&The&

launching&of&the&Study&Mauritius&eYNewsletter&adds&up&to&other&measures&

taken,&including&the&setting&up&of&a&website&and&the&use&of&social&networking&tools,&to&promote&awareness&of&Mauritian&tertiary&education,&academic&research,&and&other&research&being&undertaken&in&the&fields&of&

science&and&technology.

Editorial&Team

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology launched the website of Study Mauritius on Friday 28 September 2012. The new website provides quick and easy access to information on tertiary education opportunities in Mauritius, programmes offered by both private and public tertiary education institutions, student fees, cost of living, facilities for student welfare and accommodation.

At the launching ceremony, the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, Dr. Rajesh Jeetah mentioned that about 1000 foreign students are currently studying in Mauritius. The ambitious target is to have 50,000 foreign students in Mauritius by 2022. He said that the website should act as a quality window to promote Mauritius as a destination for higher education. Ergonomically designed, the website is very user-friendly. Navigation across the website has been made very simple, and each page of the website provides detailed information to prospective students about preparing for and studying in Mauritius.

Study Mauritius launches its website

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In line with the vision of the Government of Mauritius to position Mauritius as a knowledge hub and a regional centre for higher education, the Board of Investment in collaboration with the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology organized two service export promotion missions in Kenya and Mumbai, India in October and December 2012, respectively.

Marketing Study Mauritius in Kenya and India

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A Mauritian delegation, headed by the Hon. Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, Dr. Rajeshwar Jeetah and the Director of the Board of Investment, Mr. Ken Poonoosamy, and 19 private and four public higher education providers participated in the Kenya International Education Fair in Nairobi from 4 to 6 October 2012. The objective was to showcase the Mauritian higher education sector, encourage more students from Kenya to come to Mauritius for further studies, internationalize the Mauritian Tertiary Education Sector and get an increased market share of the international students for Mauritius. About 1500 students visited the fair and interacted with the operators from Mauritius. The Board of Investment sponsored the participation of the local private higher education institutions under its SME refund scheme with a grant of up to Rs100,000 to each participant.

A one day conference was held on 3 October 2012 with the participation of Kenyan recruiting agents and principals of schools at the Hilton

Hotel, Nairobi. The Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology , Dr. Rajesh Jeetah emphasized the advantages offered by Mauritius as a study destination. The Assistant Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Kenya, Hon. Kilemi Mwiria attended the opening ceremony and in his speech highlighted that there was a great demand for tertiary education in Kenya and Mauritius would be an excellent destination for Kenyan students, given the short distance, the affordability of higher education and our cultural affinity.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FAIR IN KENYA

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Minister Jeetah meets Hon Dr Kilemi Mwiria, Assistant Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology in Nairobi

A working session was held with Dr the Hon Kilemi Mwiria, Assistant Minister in Nairobi on 2 October 2012. The Assistant Minister proposed to visit Mauritius for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries. Hon Mwiria stated that there was increasing demand for higher education in Kenya, but there was intense competition by several universities from other countries to recruit students. He suggested that Mauritius should propose a lower fee or provide scholarships to get an advantage on other countries and be rated as the first destination for Kenyan students.

A 40-member delegation led by Mr. Nitin Pandea, Director of Emerging Sectors and Markets, Board of Investment and comprising two other representatives of the BOI as well as 15 private h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n providers and 1 public t e r t i a r y e d u c a t i o n institution participated in the Times Education Fair/expo in Mumbai from on 1 and 2 December 2012.

A one day conference was organized by BOI. It attracted close to 100 participants

and had as objective to present the evolving higher education

landscape in Mauritius, provided a platform for Indian student recruitment agencies to network with prominent international h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n institutions from Mauritius

t o d i s c u s s o n opportunities in the higher

e d u c a t i o n s e c t o r. T h e students who visited the fair

were from both public and private schools of Mumbai, and expression of

interests ranged from engineering, medical, management to design, tourism and IT.

PARTICIPATION IN TIMES EDUCATION FAIR

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In the context of the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, the Commonwealth has decided to broaden the number of countries in which Commonwealth scholarships are available and has set up and Endowment Fund to subsidize the cost of the scholarships in low and middle income countries. Mauritius was invited to host Commonwealth scholars in 2013/2014 at any university in Mauritius for postgraduate level degree of one or two years’ duration. The Commonwealth will meet the cost of student accommodation, stipend, travel to and from Mauritius and other allowances.

The University of Mauritius Council has agreed to host one scholar and to waive the tuition fee. The Open University of Mauritius will offer 54 Scholarships to students from the Commonwealth for distance education post-graduate courses.

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and technology, Dr. Rajesh Jeetah announced the offer of these scholarships during the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers held in Mauritius from 28 to 31 August 2012.

Offer of 54 Scholarships by Open University of Mauritius to Commonwealth Countries

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MAKING OF MAURITIUSA HIGHER EDUCATION HUB

A Centre for Professional Legal Studies (CPLS) was officially launched by the President of the Republic, Mr. R. Purryag, GOSK, in the presence of Chief Judge Sik Yuen, GOSK, the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, Dr. Rajesh Jeetah, Attorney General, Mr. Yatin Varma, University of Mauritius at the Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Reduit on 15 November 2012. The commemorative plaque was inaugurated by the President of the Republic and the Chief Judge.

The setting up of the CPLS follows a m e n d m e n t s brought to the Law Practitioners Act in 2011 and its proclamation in September 2012. In his speech, the

President of the Republic underlined the importance of having the necessary tools to form competent attorneys, lawyers and notaries. CPLS has as objectives to provide outstanding training in legal practice, offer an intensive preparation to join the legal profession, promote professionalism and a high level of ethics in the legal profession. The Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology announced that he is considering the possibility of opening up the course to students from Africa.

Set up under the aegis of the Faculty of Law and Management of the University of Mauritius, the Centre for Professional Legal Studies (CPLS) will start in January 2013. It will be offering a Law Practitioners Vocational Course to prepare students who intend to pursue careers in any of the three streams (attorney, barrister or notary) of legal practice in Mauritius. The course has been developed in close collaboration with the State Law Office and members of the legal profession, and is in compliance with The Law Practitioners (Amendment) Act 2011 (Act No. 30 of 2011).

The University of Mauritius launches a Centre for Professional Legal Studies

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Setting Up of Open University of Mauritius

The Open University of Mauritius, situated in the ex-MCA building in Réduit has now become the seat of intense activities with a number of projects under way. New programmes are being designed and new markets are being explored, even internationally, in the African regions. It is expected that with its flexible mode of delivery and focus on quality and employability skills, the Open University may break new grounds in the delivery of tertiary education.

The Board was appointed with Mrs Ayesha Jeewa as chairperson and Dr Kaviraj Sukon as Director. But what is so special about the Open University of Mauritius? Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, the Director-General of the university explains, ‘We aim to bring quality education on everyone’s doorstep. The Open University of Mauritius endeavours to remove all barriers, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn at any time and any place on a full-time basis or by c o m b i n i n g s t u d i e s , w o r k a n d f a m i l y commitments. The focus is not only on the acquisition of qualifications but also on enhancing the employability opportunities of every learner.’

The University is also working on the production of audio-visual components to enhance the experience of learners. Modules will comprise

videos and/or audios to add an extra dimension to the inbuilt learning strategies. Through case study sequences and experiential videos, learners will discover realities of the workplace and industrial settings. The notion of flexibility is also enhanced through a number of tutorials to be delivered via videos/audios, all  made accessible on an e-learning platform. However, as a key procedure, all materials produced will be reviewed by external experts after being scrutinized by peers.

In 2013, the Open University of Mauritius will launch programmes for teachers, school leavers and employees wishing to work and study in a flexible way. The University will offer Foundation courses, Employability Courses, Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, up to PhDs in collaboration will highly reputed institutions. 

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Setting Up of Universite des MascareignesThe Université des Mascareignes Act was enacted in May 2012 to establish the Université des Mascareignes, which would take over the activities of the Institut Superieur de Technologie and the Swami Dayanand Institute of Management. Both institutions have benefitted from a ‘Protocole de Collaboration et de Partenariat’, with the University of Limoges, which was first signed in 1999 for a period of three years and will now be renewed. L’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) will also support the proper establishment of the Université des Mascareignes.

The Board of Governors was appointed in September 2012, chaired by Dr. (Mrs) Brigitte Marie Francoise Driver, presently Associate Professor at the University of Mauritius and the Act was proclaimed in September.

YK Business School: Inauguration of New Campus

YK Business School, formerly known as MANCOSA Mauritius Ltd is one of the leading tertiary education institution in overseas distance learning education in Mauritius. The institution is operating since June 2002 and it has signed two Memoranda of Understanding with two well-known programme providers in South Africa namely the Management College of South Africa and the Regent Business School. YK Business School can now boast of a brand new campus located in the newly developed area of Highlands.

The 2nd November 2012 is indeed a day to remember for the school as they inaugurated their new location with the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology as chief guest. The Minister seized the opportunity to emphasise the importance of higher education and stressing on the government policy to make the country a knowledge hub and regional centre of excellence for higher education by attracting foreign students. Indeed, with the birth of new campuses, our tertiary education sector will become increasingly attractive to foreign students.

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One of the key players in property development in Mauritius, the Medine Group Property Cluster launched the Medine Education Village in Pierrefonds on October 17, 2012. In his address the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology highlighted the importance of the knowledge based economy for the future development of the country and the need to provide quality education.

The Medine Education Village will consist of a university campus (Student capacity in Phase 1: 11,700) and other learning infrastructures, and will have at walking distance student housing facilities (Student capacity in Phase 1: 2,200), sports facilities,

MEDINE EDUCATIONAL VILLAGE

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and a festival plaza (Cinemas, Restaurants, Library, and Parks). A 60-Seater amphitheatre is being used by ESSEC Business School to dispense with their Executive Education Courses since October 2012.

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Laying of Foundation Stone - Vatel (Mauritius)At a ceremony held in Pierrefonds on 22 November 2012, Vatel International Business School for Hotel & Tourism Management laid the foundation stone for its new campus, being developed in partnership with the Medine Group. The new energy-saving building, extending over a s u r f a c e a r e a o f 1 4 0 0 m 2 , w i l l accommodate around 250 students and will be ready by September 2013.

In line with the government objective to increase graduate employability, the Minister, Dr the Hon R. Jeetah, convened a number of meetings with major companies in the ICT/BPO and Tourism sector. The aim behind these meetings was to get a feel of what companies require in terms of new employees and what are the main skills that new graduates need to possess. Also these meetings where conducted with the idea to bridge the ever-growing gap between the professional world and academia.

At the meeting with ICT/BPO operators held on 11 October 2012, various key points transpired through the discussions:

i. ICT/BPO is an ever changing sector and courses provided need to be constantly brought up to date

ii.Practical experience during studies can make major difference in terms of future employment prospects

iii.Students getting paid internship will result in a win-win situation for both employees and employers.

On 19 October 2012, major stakeholders in Hospitality management sector, such as AHRIM, MTPA, Constance Hospitality Training Centre, Beachcomber Academy and others, were conveyed to express their views on how to increase the employability rate of young graduates in this particular domain. Here also extensive practical experience, revision of syllabus taught in universities and mandatory internships in hotels were decided to be the main points to be worked out way forward.

Paving the way for increased collaboration between academia and industry

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5th Research Week at University of MauritiusIn a bid to promote a research culture amongst academics and students alike, the University of Mauritius organized its 5th Research Week 2012 from 1 to 5 October 2012.

Since 2007, the University of Mauritius has been organizing research weeks on an annual basis in view of stimulating a strong research culture among the University’s staff and students as well as providing an interactive platform to researchers in all disciplines for presentation of their work at the same forum. This year also, the University of Mauritius organized its 5th Research Week from 1 to 5 October 2012, with each research day being dedicated to a particular faculty. At the opening ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor H. C. S. Rughooputh, underlined the importance of the research week, and stated that “through these regular activities, much importance is being laid on research output and collaborative research, thereby providing additional incentives to UoM academics to consolidate and further the development of the institution’s research potential”.

The research topics this year included, amongst others, sustainable energy, youth and female participation in politics, and service quality in the Mauritian tertiary education sector. It was announced that the University will be putting in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure that its research output is adopted by the end user.

Mauritius Research Council organizes Research Methodology Course

The Mauritius Research Council, under the aegis of the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, and in collaboration with the University of Mauritius; the University of Technology, Mauritius and the Mauritius Institute of Health, organised an MQA-Approved course on Research Methodology.   This course was developed to provide an overview of how to design and conduct effective research studies and was attended by 150 participants from 50 institutions (public and private).

Post Graduate Award ConferenceThe Council has been funding the MRC Post-Graduate Award since 2005. Currently there are 28 registered awardees undergoing their research studies in various fields at both University of Mauritius and University of Technology, Mauritius. These fields are Ocean Technology and Marine Resources; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Waste Management and Waste Recycling; Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Research based on indigenous resources; Science and Technology Education; Social and Economic Issues; Information & Communication Technology; Land & Land Use; Manufacturing Technology; Water Resources; and Financial Services.

On 25th & 26th October 2012, the Council organised a two-day conference to provide the awardees a platform to present their respective progress in the form of a 20 minute-presentation and stand the test of conference scrutiny. The launching ceremony was held on 25th October 2012 in the Conference Room of the Mauritius Research Council at Ebene.

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International Conference on In ternat ional Trade and Investment

An international conference on International Trade and Investment (ICITI) was held jointly by the University of Mauritius and the World Trade Organisation Chairs Programme from 24 to 26 October at le Meridien Hotel. This was the second iteration of this conference and the innovation implemented in this edition was the bringing together of academics, policy makers and Ministers from the region to discuss trade-related issues, international investment and upcoming crises. This year's conference had chosen for theme 'Financial Crisis and Trade and Investment in Developing Countries’ in order to reflect on actual economic situation affecting various parts of the planet and more specifically the African region. The audience for the event was composed of students from the University of Mauritius, practitioners from various TEIs, policy makers from different stakeholders and international Academics. The Keynote speaker was Professor Oliver Morrissey from the University of Nottingham who has much expertise of the economic effects of aid and trade policy reform in Africa.

Courtesy CallsFrom August to November 2012, the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research & Technology received a number of courtesy calls f r o m p e r s o n a l i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g H . E . Purandeshwari, Minister of State for Human Resource Development of India and H. E. Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs.

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His Excellency Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs

The Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, His Excellency Vayalar Ravi together with an Indian delegation paid a courtesy upon the Honourable Dr Rajeshwar Jeetah, Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology while being the chief guest in the cadre of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Mauritius.

Her Excellency Daggubati Purandeswari, Minister of State for Human Resource Development of India

Her Excellency Purandeshwari, Minister of State for Human Resource Development of India, paid a courtesy visit to Hon. Dr. R. Jeetah, to discuss cooperation between India and Mauritius in the field of Higher Education, Science & Technology.

The International conference on Higher Education & Economic Development was held on 3-5 September 2012, at Le Meridien Hotel, Pointe aux Piments under the aegis of the Tertiary Education Commission. The conference explored and examined issues such as developing economies, innovation and sustainable development, skill gap, linkages with the world of work and contemporary issues in tertiary education. The conference had the following for themes:

- Making tertiary education a major pillar of developing economies

- The role of tertiary education in innovation and sustainable development

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- Towards market driven tertiary education

- Contemporary issues in tertiary education

The main forecasted benefits to be derived from the conference is to position Mauritius as a knowledge hub in the region, equip policymakers with latest trend in higher education, create awareness of latest models of economic development through the knowledge industry, and serve as a platform for bringing together an international panel of university leaders, practitioners, scholars, and policymakers interested in advancing research and cooperation for the benefit of making higher education a pillar of the economy.

BEYOND ACADEMICS

UNIVERSIADE 2012

Universiade 2012 was held between 22 October 2012 and the 01 of November 2012. The objective of this year's edition was to encourage the youth to create, develop and adopt the ‘sports culture’. Additionally the event provided a platform for all post-secondary education institutions to meet up, to interact, and to develop and maintain an inter-insitutional relation just like one big family of the sector.

A number of sports activities were proposed such as football, volleyball, athletics, cricket and this year for the first time two new activities were introduced, namely Rugby and Tug of War. The opening was marked by a rally from Ebene to Reduit, with a cultural show organized by students. 24 institutions participated in the various competitions. In his message to the students, Dr. the Hon. R. Jeetah encouraged the holding such events in universities as a means of shaping team spirit and healthy development.

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The University of Mauritius won with a total of 70 medals, Mauritius Institute of Education secured the second place with a total of 46 medals, and EIILM (Mauritius Branch Campus) came third with a total of 15 medals. Other notable performances were from Universite des Mascareignes (12 medals), and University of Technology Mauritius (10 medals).

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University of Mauritius: Semaine de L’Etudiant

The University of Mauritius hosted its annual Semaine de L`etudiant from 17 to 22 September 2012, with a panoply of recreational and sports activities. This event is held with the major aim to foster sharing and learning between the different faculties and categories of students as well as to inculcate a sense of belonging towards the institution. Breaking away for a week from studies and assignments, students enjoyed the diverse range of activities ranging from traditional games to innovative ones.

Other Leisure Activities

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In the context of the event, the different associations on campus seized the opportunity to get new comers acquainted with their associations and to recruit new members. Many students were also given the opportunity to show their talent during the concerts and shows organised during that period. The Honourable Minister who was present at the university participated in some games to motivate the students. He also mentioned that the years spent at university is a character building process and shapes our personality, hence it is crucial for students to maintain the equilibrium between studies and social activities.

The Halloween party was the first event organized by the newly launched Student Council on the 2nd November 2012 at the Sir Gaetan

Duval Hotel School Gymnasium. They welcomed around 150 guests, comprising of teaching, non-teaching, ex-students and actual students.

The winners of the different categories were as follows:Best Male Costume (Allagain Ramakrishna, Muntasir Edoo)Best Female Costume (Prema Mookaram, Ourmilla Seeboo)Best Make Up – Boy (Nicolas Madelaine) Best Make Up – Girl (Axelle Ravel)Best Dance Performance (Anishta Caunhye) Special Prize (Reza Hanseea)

On 28th September 2012, an “Activity Day” was organised at the SDIM whereby students participated in a number of tournaments such as badminton, foot-ball, Volley-ball and tug-of-war, amongst others.

Fashion & Design Institute

Universite des Mascareignes

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Mega Blood Donation

On 13th September 2012, students and staff of Université des Mascareignes participated in a Mega Blood Donation organised by the

Blood Donors Association at the Sir Sewoosagur Ramgoolam North (SSRN) Hospital in Pamplemousses.

Donation to Foyer Namaste

On 11th September 2012, the Student Union of Université des Mascareignes proceeded for a donation of a wide range of

items such as Canned food, Clothes, Juices, Milk, Books etc. to the “Foyer Namasté” in Beau Bassin. A team from MBC’s “A Nous Bouzer” was present and a clip thereof was shown on TV some time afterwards.

Student from FDI wins 1st Prize for Costume Design at 40th Anniversary of MEXA

Mushirah Joolia, student in second year HND Fashion & Textiles at the Fashion & Design Institute was the WINNER of the THINK GREEN competition, displaying an affinity with new/trendy materials, trims and accessories that is tailored-made to their individual touch/style.

The announcement was made at a Gala Night held on 8 November 2012 at the Freeport of Mauritius, where Mauritian

designers had to present 2 outfits that reflects the theme.

Students of FDI win Hat Competition of CIM Group Challenge Cup

Students of the Fashion & Design Institute were asked to provide 10 Haute Couture Hats for a Catwalk. The 2 best hats were voted and the winners were Annick Ip Sion Thoo ( First Prize) and Natasha Veeranah (Second Prize), both Students of HND 1 Fashion & Textiles.

Social Work

Competitions

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SCIENCE, RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

Wheat is among the three top-m o s t p r o d u c e d c e r e a l worldwide, together with maize and rice. In 2010 global annual production of wheat amounted

to 653 million tons grown on 217 million hectares. Mauritius is highly dependent on food imports and is currently importing 80% of its food requirements; wheat imports amount to around 166 000 tonnes annually.

Growing concern over the food security issue in Mauritius has led the Ministry of Tertiary E d u c a t i o n , S c i e n c e , Research and Technology, with the collaboration of the Mauritius Research Council, to undertake a feasibility project on wheat cultivation in Mauritius.

The research project focuses on:• Evaluating wheat cultivation under different agro climatic conditions of Mauritius;• Assessing the highest yielding wheat variety under study; and• Assessing the quality of the wheat product as flour for consumption.

In this context three experimental plots were set up in different agro-climatic regions around the island, namely at Montagne Blanche (Centre of

the island), Saint Antoine (North of the island) and Savannah (South of the island). Six varieties of wheat were evaluated for their adaptability, yield potential, resistance to pests and diseases and also for the quality of flour. This project involves a close partnership between both the public and private sector including F.U.E.L, Compagnie Sucrière de Saint Antoine and ENL Agro-business among others.

F o l l o w i n g t h e s u c c e s s f u l establishment of the crop, a

wheat harvest ceremony was organised at Saint Antoine on Thursday 18th October 2012 at Verger Baudot of Compagnie Sucrière de Saint Antoine, in the p r e s e n c e o f D r T h e

Honourable Rajeshwar Jeetah, Minister of Tertiary

Education, Science, Research a n d Te c h n o l o g y a n d T h e

Honourable Lormus Bundhoo, Minister of Health and Quality of Life.

The next phase of the study consists of quality assessments on the harvested wheat grains, processing into flour for bread making and characterisation of the final product. Wheat cultivation on the field will be up-scaled to semi commercial cultivation in at least 5 sites.

Experimental Wheat Cultivation in Mauritius

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Merging Theory with Practice to make Learning Science Fun

That was the initiative of the Rajiv Gandhi S c i e n c e Centre, which h o s t e d a Science Fun D a y o n

Thursday September 13, 2012 at the CEDEM (Centre D`Education et de Developpement pour les Enfants Mauriciens), a non-governmental association in Floreal, to promote Science and Technology in the context of the 112th Birth Anniversary of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

Hence several activities was conducted on that day:

1. Science Demonstrations – these consists of experiments whereby, the underlying message is that one need not necessarily be in an expensive lab environment to get engaged with science. One can do science with low cost materials available in the house, kitchen or even in the open air. The demonstrations will include some experiments based on surface tension using simple low cost materials.

2. Science exhibitions – Some interactive science games were displayed and students had the opportunity to have a hands on experience of science.

3. Distribution of gift packs – The Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre also distributed gift packs consisting of stationary and a science game, to the 63 students who are currently enrolled at CEDEM, Floreal.

The key message of the day was that one does not need to be in a scientific laboratory to gain knowledge about Science, since each and every single aspect of our lives is linked to it. An understanding of this concept would greatly revolution the way that Science is viewed and this is the root towards attracting more students to embrace Science subjects.

The Honourable Minister Dr. Rajesh Jeetah interacted with the children, some of whom suffer from disabilities.

World Science Day: Open Day at Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre

On 10 November 2012, The World Science Day, declared by the UNESCO, was celebrated at the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre. Exceptionally the centre opened its doors freely to all visitors from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm.

About 200 visitors seized this opportunity to have a round in our science park and the five permanent exhibition galleries dedicated to the ‘Story of the Universe’, ‘Land and Environment of Mauritius’, ‘Resources of Mauritius’, ‘Frontiers of New Technology’ and ‘Fun Science’. Much interest was shown by those present to the newly inaugurated exhibition entitled ‘Climate Change: Challenges, Threats and Consequences’.

Visitors had the opportunity to watch 3-D Science Documentary films and assist a Science Demonstration performed by the staff of RGSC. Simple experiments were performed and explained to the audience in a fun and informal manner.

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Cooperation with South Korea in fields of Science & Technology

Hon R Jeetah Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology visited Seoul from 6-11 September 2012, to discuss about possibilities of collaboration in the fields of Science, Research and Technology.

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Meeting with Hon. Cho Yui Rae, Vice Minister of Education, Science & Technology, Republic of South KoreaHe met Hon. Cho Yui-Rae, Vice Minister of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Korea. The South Korean Minister conveyed his willingness for cooperation between both countries for the exchange of students and joint research programmes and agreed that both ministries can start discussions with the view to signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.

Visit to Gwangiu Institute of Science & TechnologyHe visited the Gwanju Institute of Science and Technology, an institution dedicated to science and technology, which was ranked 10th in the World University Rankings in 2010. It aims at generating superior research, based on current research capability and global competitiveness and to create high level scientists and future Nobel prize winners. Professor Geckeler and Professor Kim- Woog Kim, Dean, International and Public Affairs of the Institute highly recommended participation of Mauritian researchers in scientific/technical programmes.

Visit to Korean Institute of Ocean Science & TechnologyThe Minister also visited the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, one of the world’s best marine research organizations. The President of the Institute agreed to consider assisting Mauritius in ocean research, the first phase of which will consist in collecting data.

Half Day Seminar on Phytoplasma Diseases on Tomato in Mauritius

A half day seminar was organised on the 22nd of November 2012 at the Mauritius Research Council to dissemination the findings of the research work entitled “Phytoplasma diseases on tomato in Mauritius”. This study was conducted by Dr A G Bunwaree, from the Agricultural Extension Unit, and was funded by the Mauritius Research Council from 2009 – 2011, under the Unsolicited Research Grant Scheme.

Phytoplasmas are cell wall-less bacteria associated with more than 1000 crop diseases across the world. This study was carried out to determine the incidence of phytoplasmas across tomato plantations in Mauritius, determine whether phytoplasmas occur singly or in combination with viruses and eventually come up with effective management strategies for local growers. An islandwide survey across 79 tomato plantations revealed the widespread occurrence of phytoplasma diseases (`maladie pompon’ in local jargon) in Mauritius.

Three phytoplasma groups namely Stolbur group SrXII, Aster yellows group SrI and Elms yellows group SrV were identified from tomato leaf and fruit samples by nested-PCR followed by RFLP techniques. Mixed phytoplasma and virus infections were also confirmed by the ELISA technique. Finally, the use of disease free seedlings and good sanitation measures at field and shadehouse levels were recommended as main management techniques for these emerging plant pathogens.

Half Day Seminar on Guidelines on Use of Traditional Knowledge and Plant Genetic Resources

The Maurit ius Research Council (MRC) organised a half-day seminar on “Guidelines on Use of Traditional Knowledge and Plant Genetic Resources” which was held on Tuesday, 27thNovember 2012, at the Board Room of the Council, Level 6, Ebene Heights, Ebene Cybercity at 09:15 hrs. The seminar was organized based on the objective of a NEPAD initiative, SANBio, which was entrusted to develop the Guidelines.

The objective of the SANBio mission to Mauritius was to formally introduce the guidelines through a visit of the SANBio Secretariat and CSIR, South Africa. The guidelines, a recent publication of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), could be useful for policy makers, researchers, traditional knowledge (TK) holders and communities when dealing with traditional knowledge and plant genetic resources. The gu ide l ines a im a t con t r ibu t ing to the development of an effective framework to protect and sustainably utilize TK and Africa’s biological resources.

NEPAD has through its programme, the Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio), been working on Guidelines for development of policy framework for the protection and management of intellectual property Rights (IPRs) and traditional knowledge (TK) related to the use of plant genetic resources in the SADC Region for the past two years. The guidelines have been developed as a result of growing concern in several SADC countries with regard to policies

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and laws that govern the use of TK, biological resources and benefit sharing in line with the fact that countries have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The Gu ide l ines seek to fac i l i t a te the development and implementation of national policies and legislation for the protection and management of IPRs, TK and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) relating to use of plant genetic resources in the Southern Africa Region by contributing to sustainable utilization and management of biological diversity.

The target groups for these guidelines are: Government institutions; Private Sector; Research Institutions; NGOs, Development Agencies and Civil Society. SANBio intends to publish and disseminate the Guidelines widely in the sub-region of Africa.

Science and Technology Cooperation between Mauritius and India

The MoU on Science and Technology Cooperation was signed in Delhi during the State Visit of the Hon. Prime Minister to India in February 2012 and by the Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and International Trade on behalf of the MRC. In this context the First Joint Committee meeting was held in Mauritius between the MRC, and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) from the Indian Ministry of Science and Technology, on 24th & 25th September 2012, in Ebène. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Arjoon Suddhoo, Executive Director of MRC and the Adviser and Head of International Bilateral

Cooperation of DST, Dr. Arabinda Mitra. The delegation also comprised of Dr K Somasundar and Dr R Ramesh, who were accompanied by a Senior Representative of the Mauritian High Commission of India. The MoU provided an opportunity to identify areas of mutual interest between the 2 organisations in Science & Technology matters.

The following areas of cooperation were agreed upon Astronomy and Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. In order to identify joint projects of mutual interest, it was proposed to have the following activities:(i) Workshop in the area of Ocean Science and Services.(ii) A training module on Ocean Data and Image Processing. (iii) Workshop in the area of Astronomy.

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On 13 February 2009, Government was informed of the SKA project, a revolutionary radio telescope made of thousands of receptors, linked together across a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometer, making the SKA the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever built. It will be able to survey the sky more than ten thousand times faster than ever before. With receiving stations extending out to distance of at least 3,000 kilometers from a concentrated central core, it will provide the highest resolution images in all astronomy. To achieve high sensitivity, around 3000 dishes, each 15 m in diameter are planned.

The budget for this project is €1.5 billion and the construction of the SKA will be phased. Phase one (2016 – 2019) will constitute about 10% of the array and will include dishes and low frequency aperture arrays. Phase two (2018 – 2023) will extend the array with mid frequency aperture arrays and dishes. The phased construction of the telescope will mean that  the SKA can start operating before construction is completed.

The project started with the process of an international bidding for the siting of the telescope. Four sites were initially proposed in South Africa, Australia, Argentina and China. On 25 May 2012, two sites have been selected, namely Australasia, with New Zealand joining Australia, and South Africa. The South African bid was made with eight partner countries

n a m e l y Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The core site in South Africa is at an elevation of about 1000 metres in the arid Northern Cape Province.

This is a major breakthrough for South Africa and the eight partner countries as the radio telescope project wil l bring substantial advantages, namely -

(i) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the construction of the SKA will be around a 2 billion Euros of capital investment in telescope stations spread out through the nine African partner countries. The yearly expenses for the SKA project, once its is operational will be about 200 million Euros. This may come to some 6 billion Euros for 30 years, the minimum time the SKA will be operational. A substantial % of the 6 billion Euros will be spent in the host countries;

(ii) broadband connectivity in all the African partner countries will definitely be enhanced. Mauritius is presently connected to SAFE and SAT3 undersea cables. The speed will be increased by at least 10 times as the project will involve the installation of cables like WACS;

(iii) local inputs from entrepreneurs, educators, engineers and economists.

Square Kilometer Array Project: Mauritius to be partner with South Africa

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(iv) direct benefits will accrue in the form of jobs created during the construction and operation of the facility, with needs for highly skilled positions for in engineering and astronomy;

(v) the SKA project will produce skilled experts in astronomy, different branches of engineering and use of supercomputers;

(vi) the project will also be able to attract the best scientists and engineers to Africa and enhance research and knowledge transfer; and

(vii) spin off innovations in terms of large volumes of data from geographically dispersed sources;

(viii) energy requirements of the SKA also present an opportunity to accelerate technology development in scalable renewable energy

generation, distribution, storage and demand reduction.

A delegation from the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa visited Mauriitus f rom 21 to 22 September 2012 for a brainstorming sessions with the scientists and technical experts of the University of Mauritius, University of Technology, Mauritius Research Council, Mauritius Telecoms, Information Communication Technology Authority, Mauritius Radio Telescope and relevant Ministries to bring together all the available competence in Mauritius relating to dish technology. The local team working on this project is headed by Professor Somanah of the University of Mauritius.

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MRC Technology Transfer Office: Inventor’s Open Day

The MRC organised the second Inventors’ Open Day on the 17th of September 2012 to promote the awareness and use of Intellectual Property (IP) in Mauritius. For this session, legal representatives, researchers and SME owners were invited to provide participants with practical explanations and guidance on issues relevant to their concepts and inventions.

The presentation topics aimed at explaining the different issues that can arise in the inter-relation between

various IP laws and business practices. The importance of affording legal protection to plant varieties and the policy objectives

underlying this approach were also highlighted.

In addition, through presentations to be made by business representatives, participants were also made aware of services,

including those involving IP, which can support the creative and innovative capacities of SMEs.

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10th Scientific Conference

The 10th Scientific Conference of the ECSACON (East, C e n t r a l a n d

Southern Africa College of Nursing) conference was organised by the Mauritius Nursing Association in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life and World Health Organisation. The conference was held from 5 to 7 September 2012 and it brought together 400 nurses and midwives, researchers, clinicians and partners from ECSA region and beyond.

The theme of the conference was “Acceleration towards Attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through revitalizing Primary Health Care: Nurses and Midwives sharing high impact interventions”. The key question that was raised

was how the regional and global community would work as a team towards achieving the MDGs. It was stated that Primary Health Care (PHC) was the key mechanism for driving the health agenda forward and that the delivery of PHC required two essential components namely nursing and midwifery.

The discussions focused on sharing of knowledge and experiences on strengthening human resources for health for effective health services delivery through nurses and midwives. Moreover, the best practices and innovative ideas which would be conducive to the attainment of the M D G s w e r e disseminated.

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The Mauritius Research Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology and Ministry of Fisheries and the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, organized a hands-on training workshop on “Seaweed Farming” at the Albion Fisheries Research Centre (AFRC) in Mauritius from 7th to 11th November 2011 and at Petite Butte Community Centre, Rodrigues from 14th to 18th November 2011.

The aims of the five-day hands-on training workshop were to train members of the stakeholder institutions/organizations

in seaweed farming, which include all skills involved from site selection for seaweed culture to

setting up experimental seaweed farms, including farming methods, p rob lems (bo th soc ia l and

e n v i r o n m e n t a l ) , w o r k i n g w i t h communities and management of a seaweed

farm, etc. The training was dispensed to around 140 fishermen (80 in Mauritius and 60 in Rodrigues) and 40

participants from around 15 stakeholder institutions have been trained in seaweed farming.

Nine innovative food products (jams and pickles) were made from local seaweeds, some in combination with local fruits and vegetables. This project is being conducted with the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit and shelf life studies are being conducted prior to finalization of protocols and technology transfer to entrepreneurs. It is anticipated that these products could be of interest to the tourist industry given its healthy and exotic nature. It is further anticipated to transfer the technology to Rodrigues where there is an important agro processing industry.

Workshop on Seaweed Farming and Processing Industry

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Symposium on Diabetes, The Way Forward

The International Association of Medical and Biomedical Researchers (IMBR), under the aegis of SSR Medical College, Mauritius, organised a symposium on “Diabetes, the way forward” on September 17-18, 2012 at SSR Medical College, Mauritius.

The rate at which Diabetes Mellitus is spreading worldwide is alarming, with a global prevalence of 6.4%. Besides, the situation in Mauritius is become more and more worrying with the country having the second highest prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus. This can be attributed to several reasons namely; increasing levels of obesity, rapid urbanisation, predominance of Asian genetic background and sedentary lifestyle.

The aim of the symposium was to sensitise and educate the population as regards prevention and delay of Type 2 diabetes, early detection, management techniques to reduce complications and increase lifespan. The panel of 12 speakers comprised of specialists from Mauritius, USA, France and UK.The Mauritius

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Getting started with Medical Research

Research Council, in collaboration with the Padmashree Dr D Y Patil Medical college, Mauritius, organised a lecture by Dr Urmilla Thatte (MD, PhD, Professor of Cl inical Pharmacology at the Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital in Mumbai). The lecture was held on the 22nd of October 2012 at the MRC at Level 6, Ebene Heights, 34 Cybercity, Ebene. It was entitled “Getting Started with Medical Research”.

Dr Urmilla Thatte

Dr Urmilla Thatte has been the Course Director for Research Ethics in the Joint National Institute of Health and Indian Council of Medical Research (NIH-ICMR ) Tr a i n i n g P ro g r a m o n Bioethics and has served as faculty on several national programs. She has also developed training modules on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Advanced GCP and has conducted nationwide course on GCP for investigators, ethics Committee members, sponsors and Regulators. Moreover, she has lead the Indian Society for Clinical Research-ICMR effort to make guidelines on Compensation for Research Related Injury. She was conferred: “ E x c e l l e n c e i n D r u g R e s e a r c h Award” (Traditional Medicine) by the Central Drug Research Institute, and has delivered the prestigious: Dr B N Ghosh Oration and the Dr Faroque Abdullah Oration.

Dr Urmilla Thatte has:

• Over 120 Publications in National and International Journals including • 8 books to her credit and • Editor for Clinical Pharmacology for the API

(Association of Physicians of India)• Textbook of Medicine published in 2008.

Lecture - “Getting Started with Medical Research”

During the lecture, Dr Urmilla Thatte presented a series of key points which need to be considered when starting with Medical Research. The points discussed were as follows:• It is imperative for the researcher to be

asking the right question. The question should be specific to the problem area • A comprehensive literature s e a rc h i s re q u i re d f o r evaluating the current state of art in the field • A list of references needs t o b e m a i n t a i n e d a n d updated on a regular basis

• The research question can be assessed using the FINER principle (Is the project Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant)• Data Collection is a key part of medical research. Therefore, the integrity of the data is indispensable. This can be achieved by appointment independent auditors for validating the data col lect ion processes and the corresponding data.• Conclusions need to be drawn on data and not on assumptions.• When formulating a research question, the

PICO principle may be adopted (Patients, Intervention, Control, Outcome)

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Public Lecture by Professor Robert Huber - Nobel Prize Laureate Chemistry

The Mauritius Research Council, the University of Mauritius, and International Conference on Pure and Applied Chemistry 2012 organised a public lecture by Nobel Laureate, Prof Robert Huber.

With very modest origins, Professor Huber has risen to become one of the superstars of science through his dedication, commitment, sense of purpose and perseverance in the quest for new knowledge. He came from a humble family; his father was a cashier and his mother a housewife. In his autobiography, he states how the family struggled for some milk and bread during the war and how he taught himself chemistry, by reading all textbooks which he could get. In addition to his discovery of the determination of t h e t h re e - d i m e n s i o n a l s t r u c t u re o f a photosynthetic reaction which made it possible to understand the photosynthetic light reaction as well as numerous ways in which proteins function, Professor Huber is also contributing his knowledge to two b iotechnology firms researching into active ingredients for new medicines and the struggle against diseases like multiple sclerosis.

Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting

The Lindau Nobel Laureates meeting, which aims at bringing together young scientists from all over the world, is held annually to allow scientists to meet and interact with Nobel laureates. The next meeting will be held from 30

June to 5 July 2013 in Lindau on the theme of Chemistry.

The Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology has signed a MOU with the Lindau foundation, thus becoming one of the academic partners of the Lindau Nobel laureates meeting and becoming eligible to nominate one candidate from Mauritius. It will meet 50% of the cost of participation while

the organisers will meet the remaining 50% cost.

The eligibility criteria for the young scientists were as follows:• they are under 35 years of age,• they study, graduate or have graduated in chemistry or related disciplines, • they can provide records of distinctly above-average academic achievements, and • they can provide at least 1 letter of recommendation.

Following a public call for applications, three nominations were received and have been sent to Lindau which will make and announce the final selection in February 2013.

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2013 AND BEYOND

The Budget 2013 was presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Xavier Luc Duval on Friday 9 October 2012.

Mauritius: A Regional Knowledge HubA r o u n d 1 , 2 0 0 foreign students were enrolled in Tertiary Education I n s t i t u t i o n s i n Mauritius in 2012, represent ing a two-fold increase f rom the 2011 fi g u r e o f 6 0 0

foreign students. In view of attracting more foreign students and meeting the target of 50,000 by 2022, the Government is extending the student visa scheme, which was previously limited to students of tertiary education institutions regis tered wi th the Ter t iary Educat ion Commission, to technical and vocational institutions as well. A new scholarship scheme for 50 deserving African students will also be launched. Participation in international education fairs, as a marketing channel, is also being encouraged through the doubling of the Small and Medium Enterprises Refund Scheme from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 200,000.

Catering for Emerging Sectors

The Government will grant special scholarships to encourage youths t o e m b r a c e a career in the ocean economy. Considered as one of the new pillars of sustainable development, the ocean economy is one emerging sector that the Government wishes to promote through this measure in light of the maritime space over which Mauritius has jurisdiction.

Equitable Access to Tertiary EducationOne of the major aims of the Government is to widen access to tertiary education. For this to be possible, the necessary infrastructure needs to be created to accommodate the increasing number of students for tertiary education. In this respect, the Budget 2013 makes provision for the establishment of three new campuses across Mauritius in the Réduit Triangle, Pamplemousses and Montagne Blanche.

The Government will also be providing support to students with lack of financial means who wish to pursue their higher studies. A new Government-backed Student Loan Scheme will be introduced, where banks will offer student loans of up to Rs. 100,000 per annum to students to finance university studies, whether local or abroad. This student loan scheme will be at a preferential rate of 7.9%, will not require any security except for a parental guarantee, and

Budget 2013: Measures relating to Tertiary Education

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✓ Extension of student visa scheme to technical and vocational institutions✓ New scholarship scheme for 50 deserving African students✓ SME Refund Scheme doubling from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 200,000

✓ Special scholarships to encourage youths to embrace a career in the Ocean economy

20% of it will be guaranteed by Government in case of any bad debt arising. In addition, provision has also been made for a scholarship

for students from vulnerable families w h o c a n n o t secure a student l oan , p rov ided t h e y q u a l i f y through the Social R e g i s t e r o f Mauritius.

Visually impaired students will also be provided with Braille personal computers, free of charge.

One Employable Graduate per FamilyA tertiary education system that is responsive to industry changes is primordial to boost the employment rate of graduates. In this respect, it has been announced that the statutory provisions of the Education Act will be used to ensure consultations between industry partners, Government and educational institutions regarding trends in the labour market as well as the design and delivery of higher education in Mauritius. Similar provisions will be inserted in the University of Mauritius Act, University of Technology Mauritius Act, Fashion Design Institute Act, Université des Mascareignes Act and Open University of Mauritius Act. Besides, “Les Assises de L’Education” will be held every year and will develop sector priorities with the participation of stakeholders involved in education. To better equip graduates for

employment at the end of their studies, i t has a l s o b e e n announced that the Ministry of Tertiary Education will work with both tertiary institutions and industry to p r o m o t e s a n d w i c h courses.

Graduate EmploymentTo counter unemployment among graduates, a number of measures have been announced in the Budget 2013. The Youth Employment Programme will cater for the job placement of young men and women of up to the age of 25 for a period of up to 1 year, and the Government will contribute Rs. 7,500 per month towards the salary of graduates. A Skills Working Group is also being established within the National Resilience Fund to provide tailor made and practical solutions, especially for unemployed

graduates who have not found a job within one y e a r o f g raduat ion . In a d d i t i o n , t h e Government will also recruit 300 new graduates under the Service t o M a u r i t i u s Programme.

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✓ Funds for 3 new campuses across Mauritius in Réduit Triangle, Pamplemousses, and Montagne Blanche✓ Government-backed Student Loan Scheme of up to Rs. 100,000 per annum✓ Scholarship for students from vulnerable families who cannot secure a student loan✓ Free braille personal computers to visually impaired students

✓ Youth Employment Programme for job placement of youth up to the age of 25✓ Skills Working Group to provide tailor made and practical solutions to put youth to work✓ Recruitment of 300 new graduates under the Service to Mauritius Programme

✓ Promotion of consultation between industry partners, Government and Tertiary Education Institutions in the design and delivery of higher education✓ “Les Assises de l’Education” to be held every year✓ Promotion of sandwich courses

Study Mauritius Office, Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research & Technology

Level 11, Wing B, Cyber Tower 1,Ebene, Republic of Mauritius

T: (230) 454 1450 | F: (230) 468 1440 | studymauritius@mail.gov.mu | www.studymauritius.infowww.facebook.com/studymru | www.twitter.com/studymru

Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research & TechnologyLevel 11, Wing B, Cyber Tower 1,

Ebene, Republic of MauritiusT: (230) 454 1450 | F: (230) 468 1440 | tertiary@mail.gov.mu | tertiary.gov.mu

MINISTRY OF TERTIARY EDUCATION,SCIENCE, RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY