New Delhi: In an endeavor to attract the best talent to teaching and research, a leading technology university here has initiated 25 teaching-cum-research fellowships (TRFs), including 20 at the doctoral level and five at the post-doctoral level.

The introduction of the TRFs was approved at the second board of management meeting here recently of the Delhi Technological University (DTU), formerly known as the Delhi College of Engineering.

Each teaching-cum-research fellow will be enrolled for a full-time Ph D. programme and will take 10 hours per week of teaching work at the B.Tech or M.Tech levels, a DTU statement said.

The incumbents will be initially appointed for two years, which will be further extended depending on academic and research performance.

The expenditure involved in the grant of TRFs has been estimated around Rs.60 lakh per annum, the statement said.

The first ordinance of the university relating to B.Tech. courses has already been approved by the government. The ordinance for M.Tech and MBA programmes was approved by the DTU board on Saturday.

Highlighting the achievements of the institution during the last three months, DTU Vice Chancellor P.B. Sharma told the board: "Apart from a major R&D tie-up with US aerospace major Lockheed Martin for developing a next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle, the university has entered into a collaboration with the Groupe Des Ecoles Des Mines of France to foster collaboration, provide opportunities for global experience and facilitate advancement of knowledge in the field of engineering."

Sharma also spoke of the students' achievements, including that of undergraduate students Shravanti Joshi and Anoop Ramakrishna who have been awarded the International Telecom Union Award and were invited to attend the World Youth Forum 2009 in Geneva in October.

The board also agreed to the signing of a MoU with the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Integrated Rural Energy Planning & Development that will facilitate the exchange of faculty and partnerships in R&D in areas relating to green energy technology and climate change management. IANS