Press Releases

VIRGINIA TECH COMES TO MARG SWARNABHOOMI

~ MARG signs MoU with Virginia Tech ~

Blacksburg Virginia 8th March 2010: MARG Limited, India's leading diversified infrastructure development company, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US based Virginia Tech, to establish a university campus, 'Virginia Tech MARG Swarnabhoomi, India' at Marg Swarnabhoomi Chennai.

MARG Swarnabhoomi – the new paradigm for business, living and learning is an ideal habitat being developed on the principles of new urbanism. Outfitted with handy growth drivers for business sustenance, comfortable, cost effective living and progressive knowledge enrichment through stable learning, MARG Swarnabhoomi is a new eco-system which embodies the spirit of life and brings inclusivity, hope and the promise of the future.

Its unique tranquillity, pollution free and ultra modern settings have already attracted a host of international, world leaders including Grundfos of Denmark and Vanspall of UK to set up their own industrial clusters within Swarnabhoomi.

The Virginia Tech University at MARG Swarnabhoomi campus will offer advanced education and research in the fields of - Nanoscale science and engineering, Nano Biotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology, Automotive engineering. VIRGINIA TECH will also set up a library, provide study materials and offer supervision and management at the campus. The campus will feature innovation centers which will draw upon Virginia Tech research resources such as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech. The centers will work with industry to capitalize upon innovation research and emerging market opportunities in India and the region.

The campus will be managed and operated by a joint Trust in the Knowledge Hub of MARG Swarnabhoomi. MARG proposes to develop the required infrastructure for the Trust to establish the university.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. GRK Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director, MARG Ltd. said "The MoU with Virginia Tech is a proud moment for us, as we will be a part of promoting world class education through the university, which will help address the global opportunities at large. MARG Swarnabhoomi has been designed to be an aspirational habitat based on the principles of new urbanism, where Business, Living & Learning will coexist in a stress free atmosphere. At MARG, we strongly believe in inclusive living, and are confident that this initiative will help in enhancing and enriching the lives of the future generations."

The university campus is being designed on the lines of Virginia Tech USA, with the objective to deliver programs in India to foster graduate education as well as scientific and technological engagement through a model of collaborative research, education, and outreach that will address current and future global issues and opportunities.

Says Dr. Charles W. Steger, President of Virginia Tech, ""This is a historic moment for Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech, India will create a place in India where engineers, students, and high tech science professionals from the United States and India will work together and learn from each other. Together, they will create things that none of them could do alone. Equally important, I envision this campus as a springboard to further partnerships with the private sector as well as research institutes throughout India and south Asia. We are excited to be at MARG Swarnabhoomi in creating a unique platform for our endeavour in providing knowledge and instilling self-confidence among tomorrow's youth. Besides aiming to achieve a high standard of academic proficiency, we will strive towards holistic growth for every student of Virginia Tech MARG Swarnabhoomi to create the new innovation leaders of tomorrow."

"Learning, discovery and engagement – the three pillars of scholarship at the Blacksburg campus – will be in force at Virginia Tech, India," says university Vice President John Dooley. "This significant milestone is the outcome of nearly four years of planning which has involved broad based input from leaders in industry, academia, and government across India."

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