In a remarkable stride towards fostering international collaboration, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), together with the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai, has officially launched the American Corner on the CUSAT campus. The initiative, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding on February 16, came to fruition on December 3 with an inaugural ceremony.
Jeanne Briganti, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate General Chennai, inaugurated the American Corner alongside CUSAT Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr M. Junaid Bushiri, and Dr Rajan Varughese, Member Secretary of Kerala State Higher Education Council.
Dr Rajan, in his keynote address, heralded the partnership as a transformative step. “This opportunity represents a beacon of opportunity for a sustained academic collaboration between Kerala and the United States. The establishment of the American Corner is perfectly aligned with the vision of the State government and Kerala State Higher Education Council to promote the internationalisation of Kerala’s higher education sector.”
Ms Briganti highlighted the global impact of American Corners, stating, “No matter where you are, in any of the 600+ American Corners, in any of the 150 countries throughout the world, there are certain things that will have a very distinct common feature, and that is a commitment to the potential for excellence.”
“The American Centre Chennai, which will directly support the new American Corner, shares with CUSAT a commitment to empower girls and women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), promote hands-on-learning opportunities and STEAM for social good, improve access to science, and cultivate the next generation of change makers,” she added.
Dr Hareesh N. Ramamathan, Director of International Relations at CUSAT was the one who took the first step to establish the American Corner initiative in Kerala. In his vote of thanks, Dr Hareesh stated that he was proud that Kochi was able to house India's third American Corner, followed by the one in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Exploring the American Corner
The American Corner is part of the broader American Spaces initiative, which provides the public with free access to cultural and informational resources about the United States. There are over 600 American Corners established in 150 countries around the world.
The inaugural programs at the American Corner in Kochi will feature:
• Young Innovators’ Lab: A hands-on Robotics and 3D Printing workshop series for school students at CUSAT’s Centre for Science in Society (C-SIS)
• Business Communication Workshop: Tailored for entrepreneurs, organized in collaboration with the Government of Kerala through the Kerala Startup Mission
• E-Library USA Training: Designed for research scholars at CUSAT to maximize the use of digital resources.
Looking ahead, 2025 will see the addition of an AI and Machine Learning workshop, organised in partnership with IIT Madras.
Located at the Student Amenity Centre in CUSAT, the American Corner is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, excluding second Saturdays and public holidays.