Puducherry: The Pondicherry University will offer two new courses including M.Sc in Food Technology and M.A. in Disaster Management from the next academic year.

This was announced by Prof. J.A.K. Tareen, Vice-Chancellor of the varsity after a meeting held recently at the campus.

"The University Grants Commission (UGC) has promised to provide grant to 10 university departments including, history, tourism management, commerce, earth sciences, mathematics, ecology, physics, bio-technology and French under special assistance programme of the UGC," said Prof. Tareen.

"We are intending to create an ambience for growth and development of the university to reach the goal of becoming a world-class university," added Prof. Tareen.

The Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asian Regional Cooperation will be established by the South Asia Foundation at the varsity campus this year, which will serve as a hub for activities of South Asian Regional Cooperation.

"We have decided to start 12 journals this year and an Educational Multimedia Research Centre will also be set up with video conferencing facility to reach the university's centres at Karaikal and Port Blair," said A. Balasubramanian, Director for Culture and Cultural Relations at the varsity.