JU among four universities to build research capacity

The Department for International Development (DFID) of United Kingdom and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTD) have identified the university as a research institution on "Strategies and Preparedness for Trade and Globalisation in India".

Four universities in the country have been identified for conducting similar research. The three others are Allahabad University, Mizoram University and Centre for Development Study, Thiruvananthapuram.

The JU’s department of economics will take up the research on these issues.

Under the initiative, six professors and four researchers will be involved in research on the issue of international trade and globalisation.

Also, two doctoral researches are being done on 'Agreement and Agriculture' and 'Trade and Economic Growth'.

"The Ministry of Commerce feels that there is no strong research facility in the country. It has to be taken up through educational institutes," said Anand Singh Bahl, Economic Advisor, DFID, India.

The ministry will use the policy output of the research, said Bahl.

“We will have a two-week research exercise on International Trade Modeling and Data Analysis. About 25 professors would participate in the programme,” said Rajat Acharya, Joint Director of UNTACD- JUECON programme.

“By such an initiative, we can connect to other institutions as well,” said Acharya.

"The university link programme is aimed at building research capacity at the institute and with the facilities developed here, the institutes in the vicinity can take the advantage," said Rashmi Banga, Senior Economist, UNTACD. The educational institutions have been chosen on basis of merit and geographical location, said Banga.