- CEPT University, SOUADTGA forge three-year academic partnership
- Statue of Unity to become a ‘living lab’ for planning, tourism and public administration
- Students and faculty to get guided site access, official interactions and research opportunities
- MoU seeks fresh academic ideas to enhance visitor experience while preserving rural landscape
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 25
What happens when one of India’s most ambitious tourism and infrastructure destinations turns into a classroom without walls? The Statue of Unity is set to become a living laboratory for CEPT University students, who will now get an opportunity to study first-hand how a mega destination is planned, developed, managed and governed—while grappling with the realities of tourism, sustainability and rural landscapes.
CEPT Professional Programs (CPP), the executive education arm of CEPT University, and the Statue of Unity Area Development & Tourism Governance Authority (SOUADTGA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen academic collaboration through experiential learning, educational visits and specialised programmes at the Statue of Unity.
The three-year partnership will give students and faculty across CEPT University, including learners enrolled in CEPT Professional Programs, direct exposure to the planning, development, management and administration of the Statue of Unity area.
A classroom unlike any other
The collaboration will open up opportunities to explore a diverse range of subjects, including heritage conservation, tourism management, urban planning and public administration, through direct engagement with the site and its stakeholders.
Rather than limiting learning to lectures and case studies, students will be able to observe and understand how planning and governance decisions unfold on the ground at one of Gujarat’s most prominent tourism destinations.
The MoU will facilitate guided site visits, interactions with officials, joint academic programmes, workshops and research initiatives, catering to both regular degree students and professional learners.
‘A living lab for us’
Prof. Saswat Bandopadhyay, Professor, CEPT University, described the Statue of Unity as an unusually rich academic setting where multiple disciplines converge.
“The Statue of Unity is a living lab for us, a place where tourism management and public administration are unfolding at a scale rarely seen elsewhere, and yet remains, at its core, a rural landscape. We feel fortunate that our students get to learn at a site of this stature, working with realities no classroom could ever fully capture.”
The partnership, therefore, is designed not merely as a series of study tours but as a platform for students to engage with the complexities of destination development, public administration and sustainable growth.
Fresh ideas to shape visitor experience
Mukesh Puri, IAS, Chairman and Managing Director, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL), said the partnership could bring academic expertise directly into the continuing development of the Statue of Unity destination.
“From the outset, unity and sustainability have guided how we have developed the site of the Statue of Unity. Through this MoU, we intend to involve CEPT students, trained as they are in sustainable planning and design, to bring in fresh ideas that can further elevate visitor experiences at a site of this scale and significance.”
The emphasis on sustainability assumes particular significance as the Statue of Unity continues to evolve as a major tourism and development destination while remaining embedded in a rural landscape.
Following the signing ceremony, Puri interacted with CEPT students and faculty members and outlined the opportunities the new partnership could create for academic engagement at the site.
The MoU exchange was attended by Mukesh Puri, IAS, Chairman and Managing Director, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited; Narayan Madhu, Additional Collector, SOUADTGA; Prof. Barjor Mehta, President, CEPT University; Anita Hiranandani, Registrar, CEPT University; Prof. Saswat Bandopadhyay, Professor, CEPT University; and Prof. Subhrangsu Goswami, Dean, CEPT Professional Programs (CPP).
