NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi, and Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia have agreed to collaborate in academic programmes and in frontier areas of research in Media and Communication.

An International Cooperation Agreement to this effect was signed by Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary and IIMC chairman Bimal Julka and Professor Peter Coaldrake, Vice Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The agreement envisages bringing ICT in academic programmes in a significant way. Both the institutes have agreed for the development of joint venture projects and also for opening avenues for developing a collaborative doctoral programme to benefit students and faculty. The bilateral cooperation agreement also envisages organization of joint academic and scientific activities, such as courses, conferences, seminars, symposia or lectures, exchange of staff and students and exchange of materials and publications of common interest.

One of the core areas of the agreement is to facilitate training of senior and mid-level Indian Information Service officers at the QUT, especially in use of modern technology and social media for providing information about government policies to stakeholders. The objective is to ensure skill development of IIS officers in critical areas of the changing media landscape.

This is the first agreement signed by IIMC seeking international collaboration and partnership with a foreign university. The agreement aims to facilitate a two-way value added training and capacity building programme in the field of Mass Media and Communication.

This cooperation agreement will be valid for five years and will be reviewed six months prior to expiry and may be renewed for a further term by mutual agreement.