To be the convergence of science and policy", the words of Rajiv Seth, Registrar, TERI University was very emphatic, when I asked him what was the raison d'être of TERI University. Granted Deemed University status in 1998 by the UGC, it is an organic offshoot of its more famous research institute parent TERI. The Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) was set up in 1974, with seed funding from Darbari Seth of Tata Chemicals. The mandate was to focus on energy and pollution. The institute evolved as a fine research institution, which used science to influence policy making both at the national and international levels. One of the successful interventions was the CNG conversion of Delhi buses.

Initially launched as the TERI Institute of Advanced Studies, the TERI University began admitting students to its MSc Environmental Science and MSc Natural Resources Management from 2003. TERI began as a 22-member batch, with about nine students in public policy and the rest in environmental sciences. It now has grown into a specialty university with about 300 students in different PhD projects and ten Masters Programmes. Three of them are being launched in the current academic session. Dr. Seth, says that with all the new programmes they hope to reach a roll strength of 500.

What is on offer?
The university has built a solid foundation in energy, environment, natural resources and public policy. TERI's very active role in policy framing is reflected in its programmes. Dr.R K Pachuri, Director, TERI and Chancellor, TERI University has a long career in public policy. He is presently the chairman of Intergovernmental panel on climate change. As Nandini Kumar, Associate Professor, Climate Change suggests, the objective is to integrate science and policy within the same curriculum and help the student to identify how they interact with each other. We do not see disciplines as water tight compartments", she says. This compulsive need to move away from the disciplinary silos that conventional universities offer is reflected in the way programmes are structured.

The recent programmes TERI offers focus on water resources management, climate sciences and policy, business sustainability, where different disciplinary talents are brought to bear upon a particular problem. In that sense the programmes are unique experiments in themselves.

What is special?
Problem-solving is the prime focus of courses. All programmes are of two years' duration. Candidates with over five years' experience spend a year on campus, and the next year at their place of work, pursuing a guided research. At the end of the second year they return to campus to present their work and earn a master's degree. Fresh candidates continue pursuing additional courses in the second year, and round off with a major project in the last six months. As the institution diversifies in the coming years, maintaining academic parity between off campus and on campus students will be a challenge.

Prof. Bhojvaid, a from Indian Forest Service is Dean, Academics at TERI. He says, in an academic session on soil and micro-organisms the discussion would begin on microbes, but would move on to land usage patterns, use of GIS, biotech application, farmer's response, state policy and impact on global climate. It is this diversity by design which is TERI's strength. Raghav Saraswat, an MSc first year student disagrees. He prefers the depth that a disciplinary focus gives to the breadth that inter-disciplinarity bring. But he agrees it is useful, a view endorsed by Pallavi Singh, another student. Dr. Seth reports that TERI currently has two exchange programmes with Yale University, US and Frey University, Germany.

Practising what they preach
TERI takes sustainability very seriously. This is substantiated by the campus built on a rocky terrain in Delhi. Energy saving construction techniques are used. The aesthetically designed campus is laid out in an East-West direction preventing direct sunlight. Technologies for cooling systems, like the variable refrigerant volume systems (VRV), earth air tunnel (EAT), and thermal storage, reduces power and water consumption by about 40% and 25% respectively. The learning, computing and laboratory resources are very well endowed. However, students feel that recreational facilities need more attention.

Is the faculty mix appropriate?
There are two distinct groups of faculty, namely Faculty for Applied Sciences and Public Policy Faculty. The university has about 25 core faculty and about 60 adjunct faculties who are members of the TERI institute. Dr. Seth claims that they have about 85% of the faculty with doctoral degrees, and rest is absorbed as lecturers with an obligation to complete a PhD within five years of joining. For a university with the avowed objective of breaking disciplinary boundaries, a problem-based freely moving faculty grouping would have been ideal.

Getting on board
About three thousand students vie for the 500 seats. MSc in Environment Studies sees the highest demand. Entry to the different programmes is through a common admissions test, conducted in about 26 centres across India in May every year. For MBA degree, this is followed by a group discussion and interview. The cost is reasonable by private sector standards, but not cheap. An MSc would set you back by about Rs. 1.6 lakhs and MBA by about Rs. 4 lakhs .

Where does it all lead to?
TERI does not shout about 100% placements. Dr. Seth is modest when we quiz him on placements. He says, since students go to industry for extended projects, quite a few get absorbed in the same firms. The academically inclined students go for higher studies. Placements for the MBA (Sustainability programme) are yet to become clear since the course has just been launched  But Pallavi sums it up well. I came to TERI, because I am passionate about environment. Politics and polices are entwined with any environmental concern. TERI is the best place to study them as a single unit. Placements are bound to follow!" We wish that this faith is realized.