FLAME University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nuffield College, University of Oxford that creates a collaborative Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) at FLAME University. This will be the first social science research centre in India.

Nuffield College, University of Oxford, England, specialises in social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology.
Andrew Dilnot, Warden of Nuffield College and Raymond Duch, Director of Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Centre for Experimental Social Sciences, signed the MoU.

The signatories from Flame were Devi Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Krutarth Shah, Governing Body Member, Tejas Patani, Board of Management Member of Flame University.

Sharon Barnhardt, Director of CESS Nuffield-Flame  University and Pavan Mamidi, Director of International Research Collaborations at CESS Nuffield Flame  University were present.

About the collaboration Devi Singh said, “This will create a research centre unlike most in the country. Investment in social science research gives a platform to work across economics, sociology, political science and social psychology in addition to their applications in law, management and public policy.”

Sharon Barnhardt, Director of CESS-Nuffield Flame  University said, “This supports the university’s commitment to supporting an important element of liberal education. Its core will be experimental social sciences - a method-based unifier, rather than being focused on a theme or issue.”

There will be a lot of visiting researchers working with the Centre, from the UK, US and other countries. Other foreign faculty will spend time in Pune and the resulting interactions will enrich everyone’s research.

The MoU provides for intensive collaboration on the training of young experimental social scientists in India. Professor Duch said, “We are very pleased that Nuffield CESS will host annually, a large contingent of students from Flame University at our training facilities here in Nuffield College, University of Oxford. These students will get the opportunity to attend research training programmes at Nuffield CESS, while staff from our Centre will conduct training sessions at the new CESS Nuffield-FLAME University facilities on the Flame campus.”

(Source: http://sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5264644480377641955)