Hyderabad, Concordia University of Canada has decided to set up an aviation-focussed university in India's first aerospace special economic zone, coming up in Andhra Pradesh.

Officials hope that the university would start offering programmes next year while the campus would come up in 2010.

The proposed International Civil Aviation University (ICAU) will be developed as a centre of excellence with sister campuses in Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France).

Dale Doreen, executive director of the International Centre for Aviation Management Education and Research at John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, told IANS they were looking for Indian partners for the university.

The university, which is looking for local investors for this $40-50 million project, expects that 10,000 students would enroll for its various programmes after a few years.

The foundation stone for the aerospace SEZ was laid Wednesday at India Aviation-2008, India's first conference and exhibition on civil aviation.

The university plans to offer undergraduate and graduate training programmes in engineering and management. Initial programmes proposed include BSc Mechanical Engineering, MSc Aeronautical Engineering, BSc Aviation Management, Msc Air Transport Management and Aviation MBA.

The university will span across three campus locations - Hyderabad, Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France) - bringing together significant industry players in the aerospace market.

"State-of-the-art electronic communications will link ICAU with its sister campuses to foster exchange and attract international students. There will be training programmes and joint classes to give Indian aviation industry a global perspective," Doreen said.

"South Asia represents the most important growth sector, which offers one of the most cost-effective operation environments in the world," Doreen said while elaborating on the decision to set up a university in the region.

He said as the aviation industry in India and the region was growing rapidly, it was facing the challenge of human resources development.

"The university will serve as a first class centre for training, research, and hosting of international events. It will empower industry players to participate in the design of specialised curriculum which meets their needs and finance education programmes relevant for the general aviation industry," Doreen said.

"Industry stakeholders will consequently have a vested interest in ensuring an adequate availability of skilled labour to pursue expansion and growth while securing opportunities to penetrate into the regional and emerging markets in the South Asia," he added.

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