IGNOU to offer courses on traditional knowledge

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the NGO Shruti Foundation inked a pact Tuesday to develop modules for the study of traditional knowledge systems and indigenous wellness therapies. The collaboration seeks to empower masses with the knowledge of Indian traditional cultures to generate employment and make ancient knowledge more business friendly.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the India International Centre in an open house where Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) president Karan Singh were present.

Under the MoU, a joint coordination committee will oversee the implementation of the programmes. The committee will include the vice-chancellor of IGNOU, chairperson and founder trustee of Shruti Foundation, co-chairperson of the foundation, three experts, a professor in-charge and a convenor.

The committee will design and develop certificate, diploma and degree programmes.

The curriculum will draw from Shruti Foundation's study courses in indigenous medicines, systems of healthcare, wellness, Indian psychology and consciousness studies.

The study programmes will be anchored by the IGNOU's Centre for Traditional Knowledge, set up recently to promote cultural studies and skill-based non-formal and vocational education.

Professor Debjani Roy, who heads the traditional knowledge centre, said the study programmes include arts, culture, museology, conservation, architecture, traditional wellness, agriculture and natural resource management.

"We started our Traditional Knowledge Centre with the northeastern region. We are collaborating with several institutions in the region to develop traditional knowledge base," IGNOU vice-chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai told IANS.

The centre is also working extensively in Kashmir.

"The objective of the partnership is to help generate employment, make practitioners of traditional knowledge systems self-employed and package traditional wellness with modern technology for commercial viability," Shruti Rana, of the Shruti Foundation, told IANS.







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