Bangalore: In a first in the country, the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysore in partnership with University18 Business School, will now offer virtual classroom-based online MBA programmes.

To offer the course a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between KSOU and University18 Business School.

The list of programmes includes a 1 year Executive MBA for Working Professionals, an MBA in IT for IT/ITESS Professionals, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management and Strategy.

To be launched from the academic year 2009-10, these programs will be taught using an Online Virtual Classroom Platform, letting students login to, attend and interact in live classes at convenient timings. The classes can be accessed from any PC using a broadband Internet connection.

The Virtual Classroom platform is highly scalable, capable of having up to 50 live hosted 'virtual classrooms' at one time, with each classroom having up to 250 students attending, giving it the capability of having a total of 12500 students logged in at the same time.

With the increasing usage of internet and broadband connectivity, this will enable students from distant places and smaller towns, to gain access to quality higher education. The facility to conduct the personal contact program classes online would also add to the acceptance and accessibility of such courses by working professionals.

Present on the occasion of the MoU signing were KSOU VC Prof B.A. Viveka Rai, UBS Director Raunak Singh, Ms. Shakti Raina, UBS, K.Jayaprakash Rao, Registrar, KSOU and KSOU Dean Prof Jagdeesha.

University18 Business School is a joint effort between the Sampuran Prakash Charitable Trust and e-education company University18 (http://www.university18.edu.in).