Cusat signs MoU for digitisation of theses KOCHI: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) and Information Library Network (INFLIBNET), Ahmedabad, to electronically upload doctoral theses awarded by the university through the national digital repository Shodhganga.
By signing the MoU with INFLIBNET, an autonomous Inter-University Centre (ICU) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the theses will become available in Shodhganga along with the theses from all other universities. The document was signed between Cusat Vice-Chancellor Ramachandran Thekkedath and INFLIBNET director Jagadish Arora at a function on the university campus on Thursday.
INFLIBNET has set up a repository called Shodhganga to upload the theses and dissertations submitted to the universities in India in response to the UGC notification (Minimum Standard and Procedure for award of MPhil/PhD Degree, Regulation 2009) .
Cusat has already started digitising the theses through various funded projects to make them available to the public for more visibility and for promoting interdisciplinary research.
The process was started in 2007 with the financial support of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), New Delhi, and the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Shodhganga uses D-Space, an open-source digital repository software developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in partnership with HewlettPackard.
DSpace uses internationally-recognised protocols and interoperability standards. Shodhganga at INFLIBNET provides a platform for research students to deposit their PhD theses and make them available to the entire scholar community.
The repository has the ability to capture, index, store, disseminate and preserve ETDs submitted by researchers.
Among those who were present at the function were Cusat Pro-ViceChancellor Godfrey Louis and Registrar N Chandramohanakumar.
