TISS to set up Institute of Higher Studies in Nagaland
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) will establish an Institute of Higher Studies at Chuchuyimlang in Mokokchung district of Nagaland in collaboration with the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram (NGA).

An MoU to this effect was signed between the two organisations on April 29 at the TISS campus in Mumbai, an NGA press release said on Wednesday.

The campus at Chuchuyimlang along with the active cooperation of the local village council envisages setting up of a series of centres of excellence in a phased manner, the release said.

The proposed centres are Institute of Social Work, Institute of Agriculture Development, Institute for Teachers'' Training, Institute for Vocational Studies and Training, Cultural Resource Centre for Naga Art and Crafts, besides a Gandhi Museum and Study Centre comprising Gandhian and Nagaland/North Eastern affairs.

The Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Social Work will offer a master of social work (MSW) course from the academic session 2014-15, while the rest of the institutes are proposed to be established in a phased manner, it said.

The campus will be developed on a sprawling 232 acres donated by Chuchuyimlang villagers.

The Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Social Work was established in collaboration with IGNOU in 2010 and had produced two batches of MSW graduates. It was. however, discontinued due to change in IGNOU''s policy, the release said.

TISS, recognised as a Deemed University by the University Grants Commission, is an institute of international repute and offers courses on social work, development, education, humanities, environment and other related disciplines, it added.