The courses include Master's, Bachelor's, Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma programs. Twinning programs have also been launched, in collaboration with IT organisations. The main advantage that distance education offers students is in providing requirement-based and career oriented programs while offering flexible course offerings, delivery systems and processes. The University uses 500 plus strong nationwide network of learning centers to deliver its programs. This enables a student to choose a learning center that is easily accessible to him/her.

The University learning centers of SMU-DE will be permitted to offer all courses leading to the Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. To improve the quality of lecture and faculty presentations, all the University learning centers have been equipped with an effective interactive distance learning system, making use of VSAT technology. These presentations broadcast from the studio at Manipal can be seen and heard live by the students in their centers.

The study centers are linked by a robust V-SAT network providing a unique amalgam of instructor-led courses supplemented by online delivery.

The programmers have been well received and range from diploma to bachelor and postgraduate degrees. Manipal University also provides additional courseware for select markets including Sri Lanka, the Middle East and select African partner countries. These courses are offered jointly with well established channel partners who have a strong network in these locations.

Manipal University also delivers an MBA programmer on the Hughes Direct Way platform for MAHE. The programmer is designed specifically for working professionals who wish to enhance their business management skills and keep abreast with the latest tools and techniques of today's corporate world. The most important aspect of the EMBA Program is that it allows the participants to earn a MBA degree from MAHE, without interrupting their career or having to leave their current location.

As a Learning Resource Centre for SMU-DE and MAHE, Manipal University provides infrastructure, processes, delivery and audit support. Manipal University also engages with the industry to ensure that curriculum and syllabus are in sync with emerging industry requirements.

SMU-DE Features:

• Caters to the needs of students and working professionals
• Allows lateral entry of students
• Provides opportunity to continuing education
• Lab work and additional support is Industry oriented
• Confirms to UGC standards
• Quality courseware, Strong faculty
• Reasonable fees provided by study centers

CME
Given the strength of the Group in the area of Medical Education; Manipal University has established a separate Continuing Medical Education (CME) division. Changes in medical technology, the need to maintain standards are clearly drivers. In addition, if India is to be positioned as a hub for medical tourism, customers will demand a robust CME programmer. Manipal University therefore have begun its initial efforts to position it for this segment. Initial programmers have been developed and rolled out in the area of allied health and nursing training. Additional modules to address the GP and healthcare segment are expected to roll out shortly

Corporate Training
Employee retention, continuing learning and enhancing human capital are the emerging as one of the key challenges for the corporate sectors. Knowledge, skill up-gradation and ongoing learning remain critical factors for growth and competitiveness as corporate are willing to invest a part of their budgets for in-house and external training. The emerging sectors in India such as insurance and the BPO segment are also embracing this trend. A separate division to address this market has been created.

Continuing Learning
In addition to the foregoing, Manipal University is also focusing on the continuing learning and vocational training segment. These typically relate to short term and certification modules with an emphasis on enhancing competencies in given areas.

Learning Technologies
New technologies are making available cost effective other methods for anywhere, anytime, anyhow learning as also for enhancing productive and effective corporate training.

Areas of interest will include inter-alia:

• Content conversion and content development
• Deployment of LMS & LCMS including integration services
• Deployment of digital libraries, new systems and administrative tools for education institutions
• E-learning solutions

Accreditation
Manipal University is also seeking to build strategic partnership to add to its quality and to its accreditation standards. Such partnerships will also include focused initiatives with institutions both domestic and international in improving quality, adding value through additional accreditation as well as in incorporating international best practices in ODL

Summary
Manipal University today is possibly one of the largest private sector players in the distance education segment in India. To ensure it's positioning as a pure-player in distance education and learning services company.