The first programme available to students will be a three-year honours diploma in information technology designed by Edutech Informatics. The company would charge about Rs 50,000 per student for this course in Bangalore. At the end of the three-year course, students will receive joint certificates from these institutes.

Announcing this here, University of Mysore vice-chancellor SN Hegde told mediapersons that the university has tied up with Aptech, C-DAC and CMC to offer similar courses. In addition to this, it has set up a centre for information and technology studies, a self-financing centre, in Mysore. The new partnerships will be a part of the autonomous body.

Spreading its wings globally, Mysore University is also entering into partnerships with Indian School of Abudabi and the Dubai-based Everest Education Institution to offer infotech and business management courses shortly.

Hegde said Mysore University would prepare the course details for the proposed management programme and the set the eligibility criteria for students. "We are also planning such alliances in other countries for other courses," he added.

The Mysore University is also closely working with Edutech Informatics to develop a short-bridge course that would help students upgrade the diploma into a degree in information technology.

Edutech Informatics has drawn up a plan to spread its operations in the state. Besides opening new 25 training centres, the company is planning to set up a network to assist secondary and higher secondary school students with IT education and training.

The company would provide faculty and courseware to 25 selected schools by the end of next year. It is estimated that 10,000 students would avail this training during the first year.

More than 40 leading universities across the US, Australia and the UK have granted recognition to the IT education courses designed and run by the Informatics group. Besides, its diploma and advanced diploma courses in computer sciences are accredited by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, according to company officials.