Bengaluru: A high level delegation from EMORY UNIVERSITY, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, visited Bangalore on May 17-18.

The delegation was led by:

Dr. Earl Lewis Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs accompanied by

Dr. Robin Forman -Dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Stephen H. Bowen- Dean of Oxford College

Dr. Holli A Semetko – Vice Provost for International Affairs

Former US Ambassador Marion V. Creekmore Jr. and his wife Mrs. Linda R Creekmore

Mrs. Susan B. Whitlock ( wife of Dr. Earl Lewis )

Mr. Evan M. Goldberg – International Relations Coordinator

Their visit was facilitated by Mr. Jay Shah – Director-Business, Academy of Indian Marketing

The delegation visited several prominent institutions in education, technology and healthcare like Alliance University, Azim Premji Foundation, Infosys and Narayana Hrudayalaya. The purpose of their visit was to understand Indian Higher Education and Healthcare System and to explore India and feel the ground realities which can help improve US–India student and faculty exchange programs and related activities.

Dr. Madhukar Angur, Chancellor, Alliance University explained to the delegation about India’s Educational System and the future plans of Alliance University expanding beyond its professional school such as its highly acclaimed Alliance Business School into other colleges including a strong college of liberal arts, sciences and the humanities. Dr. Angur expressed Alliance University’s drive to become one of the best universities in the country with active collaborative efforts with world-class universities and especially universities from the USA. The delegation visited the campus of Alliance University at Anekal and was impressed with the infrastructure and the state of the art facilities provided to the students and the various other initiatives undertaken by the university.

Mr. Anurag Behar – C.E.O of Azim Premji Foundation apprised them about the philosophy of the foundation and their work in the areas of teachers training programs and working with Government as enablers and how best teachers training methodology can be adapted to Indian culture and ethnic community with linguistic challenges.

Mr. K. Dinesh – one of the founders of Infosys apprised the delegation with the work Infosys is doing in the areas of educational training at Mysore for the young and fresh recruits within Infosys community and the need to have practically trained people for best of class client delivery system. He also explained about their work in Medical and healthcare programs through data analytic techniques. They were taken to the campus tour at electronic city.

Dr.Devi Shetty also met with the delegation and explained the need for low cost health care facility to the masses and how US healthcare system could improve their cost benefit ratio by investing in healthcare in emerging economies in Asia and Africa. He explained how at just 11 cents per person medical insurance for the masses can be cost neutral. Dr. Devi Shetty also emphasized the need for preventive medicine and innovation to offset the scarcity in medical facility.

The delegation was bemused at the diversity of India’s culture and depth of knowledge. On May 18th they hosted a dinner for Alumni of Emory University at the Taj West End.