Courses in Forensic Sciences, Criminology, Social Studies and IT in the offing

Mysore/Mysuru: The University of Mysore (UoM) and Karnataka Police Academy (KPA), Mysuru, have joined hands to educate and train Police personnel and allied staff. UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar and outgoing KPA Director Vipul Kumar signed an agreement yesterday at Crawford Hall to offer blended courses to Police personnel who undergo training at the KPA.

Though the University has signed more than 100 MoUs with national and international organisations, this is the first time that UoM is signing an MoU with a Police training institute. 

The MoU aims to explore accreditation and joint certification of academic and training programmes including design, development and delivery of offline and online courses of mutual interest. The training will be provided as part of certificate, PG diploma and PG courses.

In short, the courses will equip the Police personnel undergoing training at KPA to be better educated and also equipped with latest technological advances in the field of cyber crime that will also help them crack cases. The training will equip Police officers with knowledge in areas like Forensic Sciences, Criminology, Social Studies and IT.

Both the UoM and the KPA will develop and organise thematic short-term online or offline training programmes which will be held in association with national and international Universities and industry partners. As part of the curriculum, seminars, conferences and workshops will be held on the subjects on which the training is provided.

The MoU will be for 10 years and both the institutions will share expertise, trainers, learners as well as course materials for the programmes. Personnel who are a part of mutual training will also get access to each other’s libraries and academic publications. This apart, the MoU will facilitate faculty and student exchange programmes, research projects and also will pave the way for many internship and scholarship programmes.

Expressing happiness over the MoU, Prof. Hemantha Kumar said that the Board of Studies of the University will discuss and finalise the courses to be studied by the trainee Police Officers that can help in their profession. Certificate courses and PG diploma courses can be introduced that are tailored to the requirements and the interest of the Police Officers, he said.

Vipul Kumar too described the MoU as a historic step and the KPA too had signed such MoU with a premier academic institution for the first time. “We are so busy with our 24X7 Police duties that we find it difficult to focus on academics and learn new things. Only learning can help Police personnel ideate and efficiently function in the Department. This MoU will bridge the gap between the Police profession and learning,” he said. UoM Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa, KPA Assistant Director Kumar, UoM Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Board (PMEB) Director Prof. N.K. Lokanath, VC’s Special Officer Chethan and other officers from the UoM and KPA were present.