Talks on to borrow Nuals/Cusat faculties for IMU

KOCHI: The Indian Maritime University will  soon reach an understanding with either the National University of Advanced Legal Studies or the Cochin University of Science and Technology for faculty-sharing to offer LLM course in Maritime Law.The IMU Kochi regional campus will start functioning in its new building with the inauguration of the building complexes in Willingdon Island by Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan on September 18.“We are holding discussions with the NUALS and Cusat authorities. IMU Kochi campus and the central campus in Chennai are the only two  centres in the country that offer LLM in Maritime Law,” said P Vijayan, IMU Vice Chancellor.Though the Kochi regional campus began in August 2010, it is currently functioning in the training centre of the Cochin Port Trust.The new campus is coming up at the southern end of Willingdon Island on the reclaimed land near Alexander Parambithara Bridge, where two complexes have been constructed.The land for the campus was provided by the CPT.The Kochi campus offers Diploma in Nautical Sciences, BSc in Nautical Sciences, BSc in Ship-building and Ship Repair; PG diploma in Marine Engineering and MBA in Shipping and Port Management.“The building is ready. The Union Shipping Minister and the Kerala Chief Minister will attend the function,” Vijayan said.The Indian Maritime University Chennai campus already has a visiting faculties from the International Maritime Law Institute, Malta.“We need more faculty for the Kochi campus where the LLM in Maritime Law is scheduled to begin in January 2012,” Vijayan said.The IMU was established as a Central University under an Act of Parliament, the Indian Maritime University Act 2008.The university will integrate into its fold the existing seven maritime academic institutions - the National Maritime Academy, Chennai, T S Chanakya, Mumbai, Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Advanced Maritime Studies and Research, Mumbai, Marine Engineering Research Institute, Mumbai, Marine Engineering Research Institute, Kolkata, Indian Institute of Port Management, Kolkata, and National Ship Design and Research Centre, Visakhapatnam.