In a significant development for higher education in Maharashtra, students at Dr Homi Bhabha State University will now have the opportunity to pursue a dual degree through Mumbai University’s (MU) Centre for Distance and Online Education. This will enable students to simultaneously enrol in various undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered by the Centre for Distance and Online Education at Mumbai University.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between MU’s Centre for Distance and Online Education and Dr Homi Bhabha State University in the presence of Maharashtra’s Minister for Higher and Technical Education, Chandrakant Patil. The agreement was formalised in the presence of MU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ravindra Kulkarni, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Ajay Bhamare, Dr Homi Bhabha State University Vice-Chancellor Professor Rajnish Kamat, and Registrar Professor Vilas Padhye.
Under this agreement, Dr Homi Bhabha State University will act as the host institution, while Mumbai University’s Centre for Distance and Online Education will serve as the collaborating institution. Students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Dr Homi Bhabha State University can now enrol in dual-degree courses through Mumbai University’s Centre for Distance and Online Education. Eligible undergraduate students can opt for degrees such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), BCom in Accounting and Finance, and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Information Technology or Computer Science.
Postgraduate students will have options including Master of Arts (MA) in History, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Marathi, Hindi, English, Geography, Psychology, Communication and Journalism, Public Relations, and Education; Master of Commerce (MCom) in Advanced Accountancy and Business Management; Master of Science (MSc) in Mathematics, Information Technology, and Computer Science; Master of Management Studies (MMS); and Master of Computer Applications (MCA).
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Kulkarni highlighted the importance of the initiative in alignment with the National Education Policy. He stated, “The National Education Policy emphasises enabling individuals to gain expertise in one or more specialised fields while also enhancing their linguistic knowledge and communication skills. To cultivate thoughtful, excellent, and creative individuals, the policy provisions for access to a broad spectrum of subjects, including sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, languages, as well as professional and technical disciplines. This agreement aligns with that vision and will be instrumental in achieving those goals.”
Professor Kamat, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Homi Bhabha State University, outlined future plans for expanding course offerings under the collaboration. He stated, “As the host university, Dr Homi Bhabha State University will soon develop various courses in emerging advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning for the Centre for Distance and Online Education. This will provide immense benefits to students pursuing dual degrees.”
The dual degree programme is expected to provide students with greater academic flexibility, enhancing their career prospects and broadening their knowledge base across multiple disciplines.
