NEW DELHI : In a major initiative, the IIT-Kanpur and the IIM-Kozikhode on Thursday began a partnership with the Yale University for an academic leadership programme. The initiative will provide exposure to the vice-chancellors and deans to best practices of institutional management in the US.

The Union HRD minister, Mr Kapil Sibal, said the partnership was aimed at advancing the cause of  higher education in the country and addressing the problem of leadership vacuum in higher education sector. “The partnership is part of the knowledge initiative launched by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the US President, Mr Barack Obama, last year,” the minister said.

The partnership will take effect from January 2011, with provision for two new centres of excellence for academic leadership at IIMKozhikode and at IIT-Kanpur with an initial term of five years.