Digitizing Education: Deakin University Launches Cloud Campus in India

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NEW DELHIMarch 16, 2019Deakin University, Australia launched Deakin Cloud in India on Monday, March 11, 2019, an online system that facilitates working professionals to undertake online courses with the university. Since its inception, Deakin Cloud has built an online community of 60,000 students in Australia and a few other countries. The Cloud Campus connects students to a host of world class lecturers, and peers. In India, students of Deakin Cloud will be eligible for a bursary of AUD 2000.

Aimed at working professionals, Deakin Cloud in India offers a unique feature that gives students the opportunity to pursue a graduate certification shorter duration (12 months), which requires them to finish 4 credits, at almost 1/4th the cost of pursuing the course at Deakin University’s physical campus. A student who is enrolled under a part-time course at Cloud Campus is required to study only 2 units per trimester. Students are also provided with access to DeakinSync, a personalized online learning portal, wherein they can interact and collaborate with peers to share notes and other resources. DeakinSync provides students with high quality audio visual class material, and live streamed or downloadable classes or seminars.

At the launch of Deakin Cloud in India, Professor Jane den Hollander AO, Vice-Chancellor & President, Deakin University, stated: “Deakin Cloud is the university’s effort to provide education to people whose commitments keep them from pursuing a full-time degree. Indian professionals and students will have the flexibility to work while finishing their higher education. They can enrol into any one of the courses that are on offer, and study online with a convenient schedule shaped around their commitments. Online study at Deakin University’s Cloud Campus will enable students to take exams from locations throughout the world.”

Ms. Ravneet Pawha, CEO (South Asia) and Deputy Vice President (Global Engagement), Deakin University, shared, “Digital transformation in higher education has been a key topic of discussion in India in the past few years. Deakin Cloud provides students with the opportunity to study online, work together and collaborate with classmates on various platforms like Skype and Google Drive. Graduate certificate courses in Hospital Management Administration, Humanitarian Aid & Entrepreneurship will be the key highlights of the July intake. Admissions will also start for Graduate Certificate Program in Humanitarian Aid, and Entrepreneurship courses. Further, we also plan to add courses in Sports, IT and Cyber Security in the coming months.”

The highlight of Deakin Cloud is that the lecturers are regularly in touch with students and support them through class materials and feedbacks. In addition, Library and IT support are available around the clock for ease of studying. “Deakin Cloud has been designed in a way that helps students to access educational material for their course at any time from any location around the world. Students have also been provided with free access to various communication software through Deakin Software library. We have a Programming Help Hub that operates five days a week – with two evening sessions. Students can connect with someone at the hub via Deakin’s Blackboard Collaborate (online seminars) to ask technical questions,” Deakin University’s Chief Digital Officer, William D. Confalonieri added.

With highly engaging interactive and audio-visual content along with seamless collaboration with faculty members, mentors and peers, Deakin Cloud is giving students across the globe an opportunity to study at Deakin UniversityAustralia. Through Deakin Cloud, the University aims to lead the digital transformation of academic institutions in India.

The Deakin Cloud programs in India was announced at the inaugural of Deakin’s 25 years of Engagement in India celebrations at New Delhi. As part of the silver jubilee, the university hosted an array of events that will set the tone for the University’s Vision: 2025 from March 11 – 15, 2019. Events were held in New Delhi and Chennai in association with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission – Austrade, to advance key engagement activities in this week-long celebration.

For more information, visit: http://www.deakin.edu.au/