HYDERABAD: The NAAC accredited Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology (SNIST) in association with the US-based Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology (VCAT) will offer aviation and engineering technology courses from August this year.

K.T. Mahi, secretary of SNIST, told a press conference here on Monday that courses in aviation were in high demand given the growing job opportunities in the sector. The tie-up with VCAT would open up opportunities for students. As per the agreement, students can study the programme completely in India or in the US or can choose to do part of the course in the US and the remaining at SNIST. The course fee would be $60,000 if done completely in the US, while it would cost just $8,000 in India.

What's on offer

He said the four-year BS programme would cover aircraft operations, airline management, aviation maintenance, aircraft operations and avionics, while certificate programmes would cover all disciplines of aviation engineering. The VCAT, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology of the US, would award the degrees. Mr. Mahi said SNIST was putting in place necessary facilities in Hyderabad, including a flying school in a year or two. The courses would commence once the necessary permission comes from the Union Government and it was likely to come within a few weeks. John. C. Fitzpartric, president of Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, LaGuardia Airport, USA, said the tie-up comes in the backdrop of proliferation of private airlines in India and the Government's policy to develop new international airports besides modernising the present ones. He said SNIST was the first centre outside the US for the college to have a tie-up. SNIST principal P Narasimha Reddy was also present.

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