The India-Initiative

As a part of a global initiative, Vaughn College has entered into a collaboration agreement with Sree Educational Society (SES), an educational trust that has established Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology (SNIST) in Hyderabad, India. The National Board of Accreditation (AICTE), an accreditation body recognized by the government of India, accredits SNIST. SNIST is a recipient of World Bank assistance under the Technical Education Quality Improvement program. It is the sole institution among 120 engineering colleges in the Telangana region of south India. Currently SNIST offers undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering and technology.

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology is a 76-year old institution established in1932, offering graduate, undergraduate and certificate programs in the fields of aviation, engineering, technology, and management. The Commission of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the US accredits the College. The Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) accredits Vaughn’s associate and bachelor degree programs in engineering technology. Vaughn’s management programs have received specialized accreditation from the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

The Commission of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the US, and the National Board of Accreditation (AICTE) in India have approved this collaboration.

 Objectives

• Provide affordable and cutting-edge aviation and technology education to Indian students.
• Encourage faculty exchange.
• Address the growing need of well-trained aviation workforce in India.

This arrangement provides Indian students with an opportunity to take Vaughn College’s Bachelor of Science programs at the SNIST campus in Hyderabad at an affordable cost (Rs 1.5 Lakhs per year). SNIST is responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure, library and qualified core faculty and staff for three fourths of the credits required for the award of BS degree by Vaughn College. Vaughn College’s faculty will teach one fourth of the credits (specialized core courses). Students will have an option to take one fourth of the credits at Vaughn College’s campus in New York or at SNIST’s campus.

Present Status

Vaughn-SNIST have been initially approved to offer three Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in collaboration which began during the Fall 2007 semester:

• BS in airline management
• BS in airport management
• BS in electronics engineering technology (avionics)

Vaughn-SNIST began offering these programs in October 2007 with 60 students. There are currently 183 students enrolled in the programs. All of these programs are replicated and offered at SNIST in a manner that is consistent with Vaughn’s accredited degree programs, including Vaughn’s educational purposes and objectives, admission criteria, academic standards, curriculum, content of courses and programs, academic support services, outcomes assessment criteria and procedures and instructional methods. Vaughn works with SNIST to identify the qualifications necessary for faculty who teach the Vaughn-developed courses.

Vaughn College is solely responsible for determining whether students have successfully completed the required courses of study offered at SNIST, and are eligible to be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Vaughn.