Mumbai: S. Parasuraman, Director of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has announced the establishment of a new school, named the Habitat School, in collaboration with the elite Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B).

The new school will consist of three academic groups on urban planning & governance, water policy & governance and science, technology & society. It will also play a leading role in teaching, training, research, advocacy and field intervention in these areas.

Recently, the TISS also became a member of the seven-institution consortium for building spaces for over 40 institutions to train HIV/AIDS counsellors across India. Elaborating the move, Mr. Parasuraman said, "The consortium has also won a $18.2 million project which falls under the UNAIDS-GFATM Round seven".

TISS will also launch a certificate course in Social Work programme in the tribal regions of North-East and Central India later this September. It's objective lies into making capacities of community and grassroots government workers.

Moreover, TISS also plans to build a knowledge base on the status of tribals, the determinants and effect of change processes. The school will provide a child right diploma by the TISS and National Law School of India.