The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) have signed an MoU that aims to start a post-graduate programme in automotive education.

As part of the course, students will be inducted into the COEP in the first year where classes will be conducted as well as at ARAI in the first two semesters. In the second year, students may opt to go to University of Alabama, at Birmingham, US.

The course is expected to start in July 2010. Shrikant Marathe, director, ARAI, says, “As per the Automotive Mission Plan, ARAI has taken up the task to help develop the human resources skills of the automotive sector.” Dr Anil Sahasrabudhe, director, COEP, said: “With our academic background and ARAI's testing and research facilities, we can play a key role in meeting the challenges of the automotive sector."