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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL) will organize the third edition of its sixteen-week long joint post-graduate course on "Technology and Sustainable Development - Innovative and integrated approaches in emerging countries" at the IIT Madras, India from 2nd January through 22nd April 2008. The course is open to graduate students and professionals, with a university degree, in various occupations who are not necessarily specialists in the field.

The course is designed to provide an appreciation of the role of technology and how it may contribute most effectively to sustainable development in the context of developing and emerging countries.

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to expose students to the field of academic service learning which combines organized community service with course content and civic engagement. The course provides students with the unique opportunity to apply their studies in the classroom to their volunteer work at nonprofit organizations in the community and relate to these experiences through reflection activities. This fusion of scholarly research and civic engagement is at the heart of academic service learning which a mutually beneficial relationship is. Service, combined with learning, adds value to each and transforms both.