India has had a prolific history of quality education since ancient times. It was a global hub of education for centuries, may it be Taxila or Nalanda. Since antiquity, knowledge was handed down from one generation to another through memorization by word of mouth. But the worldwide prevalence of the European modern education system completely transformed the traditional ways of education and highlighted the need of learning with a scientific attitude. This led to the revolution in the Indian education sector and many universities were established after independence.
The SRM University-AP is one such university, which is known for its excellence in the education sector. SRM University-AP is a multi-stream research-intensive university with a focus on diverse fields. It was the first private university to be established in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, with a vision of providing quality education in India. This nascent university focuses on delivering next-generation leaders, visionaries, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to the country. Thus, the university adopts a multi-disciplinary approach with modernised curricula.
Aims and Objectives
As a leader in higher education, SRMAP has been challenging the traditions. The university thrives on bringing quality education within reach of its students. The university believes that their meritorious students can do wonders if they are given proper support and guidance. The university wants to emerge as a world-class university in creating and disseminating knowledge. The quality of education and service provided will be of the highest order. The university has the following motives:
- To develop an inter-disciplinary institute combining academic rigour, the excitement of discovery, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
- To deliver world-class research-based education, creating new knowledge and innovations.
- To provide an inspiring and stimulating environment for a diverse campus community of faculty and students.
Pillars of the University
Chancellor Dr T. R. Paarivendhar is an Indian politician and Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi MP in the 17th Lok Sabha from Perambalur Lok Sabha constituency, Tamil Nadu. He is well known as the Founder & Chancellor of the SRM Group of Educational Institutions.
Dr P. Sathyanarayanan is the President of SRM University. As a young and dynamic entrepreneur, he lives by his motto, “Think big, do big, achieve big”. True to his motto, Dr Sathyanarayanan has been instrumental in the expansion of SRM’s footprint in higher education in India. He is currently spearheading SRM University.
Professor V S Rao, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University-AP, is an eminent academician, who has been the vanguard of leading excellence in higher technical education in India.
Bonding Ties with International Universities
The SRM University-AP has partnered with the world’s best names for various educational purposes. The university has collaboration with the University of California-Berkeley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, North-eastern University-USA, Flinders University-Australia, Asia University-Taiwan and many more, to ensure global exposure for the students and the faculty.
The Undergraduate Research Opportunity is the paramount experience that students gain during their undergraduate studies. The curricula of various courses in the university are developed in collaboration with MITx (for collaboration in designing curricula) and Harvard Business School Online. The course structure followed in this university is unique and on par with global universities.
Peeping Inside the University
The faculty of SRM University-AP are best in class with a PhD from reputed national and international universities including IISc, IIT, IIM, IISER etc. In addition, SRM University-AP has research collaboration with 17 top institutes and laboratories in India and abroad, including Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (India), The University of Newcastle (Australia), Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research (Mainz, Germany), Weizmann Institute of Science, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), IIT Madras, etc.
The majestic campus of the university was designed by renowned American architecture firm Perkins & Will. The air-conditioned classrooms are equipped with smart boards, projectors, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Five hostels for boys and girls are also situated on the campus with a health centre, 24-hour water, electricity and Wi-Fi connectivity, refreshment corners, night canteens, gymnasium, common room, and every other amenity to help students have a conducive environment for their studies and campus stay.
Engraving a Road for the Pioneers
Being an educational institution, SRM University-AP aims to produce not only graduates but the icons of tomorrow. The university tries to bring out the best in the students and make them realise their true potential to come up with a career of their choice. Be it higher education, research, entrepreneurship, or jobs in a reputed company.
SRM University envisions delivering able Samaritans to the country, who will be competent enough to create a better and sustainable future. Apart from regular academic activities, the university offers Semester Abroad Programme to ensure global exposure to the students. E-cell and technology business incubator, hatch lab research centres are dedicated to producing the next generation entrepreneurs.
Highlighting Excellence
The nascent university began its journey only 4 years ago. The maiden batch of the university graduated this year with 100% placement. The highest salary of the maiden season was 50 LPA with twin foreign placements, and the average pay package was 7 LPA. The budding entrepreneurs of the university have founded a start-up OurEye.ai, with an angel investment of $120,000 to fuel their mission – Bringing Camera to Life.
In the last three years, the faculty and students of SRM University-AP have published over 500 papers in reputed journals and conferences. The university has published 22 patents so far and has been granted 36 projects with an outlay of 17.49 crores. Also, the university has been ranked second in ‘Top Emerging Engineering Institute – Telangana & AP’, in the Times Engineering Institute Ranking Survey 2021.
Braving the Pandemic
To fight the unprecedented crisis, SRM University-AP formed an internal COVID-19 SOP committee with renowned doctors, professors, biologists, and administrative personnel. Since the beginning of this pandemic, the committee has been supervising the situation and providing the necessary steps and measures. The university strictly follows the rules and regulations to maintain hygiene.
The medical team is also closely connected with government officials to provide institutionalised quarantine/hospitalisation. Helpline numbers are also introduced to help students, faculty, and staff at any moment. The SRM-AP’s students proved their mettle during the trying time. P Mohan Aditya, BTech mechanical engineering student, was granted design copyright for his cost-effective face shield.
Young researchers from mechanical engineering – S.K Hassan, M. Vijaya Bhargava, Jithin Peram, and Meghana Bonthu, have added one more laurel to SRM University-AP by publishing a patent on a comprehensive disinfection system during the pandemic for personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard people. Bitragunta Vivek Vardhan, a final year student from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, has filed design copyright for developing a ‘UV Ray Wooden Sanitizer Disinfection Box’.
Looking Ahead
From engineering to basic sciences and from liberal arts to management, SRMAP’s vision is to emerge as a world-class university. Envisioned to be a university of world-class standards, SRM University is looking to be a globally connected and regionally transformative centre, for research and education in the heart of Andhra Pradesh.
SRM University-AP has ambitious plans for the future. Schools for medicine and law have been proposed and will come into existence in near future. In line with National Education Policy-2020, a Centre for Education with undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in education will be established to train the teachers and educationists of tomorrow. The university further has elaborated plans to groom young minds to become entrepreneurs.