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Online search: Calicut varsity beats Ivy League [News] [Times of India](Times of India Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) KOZHIKODE: University of Calicut, which was declared a fully digital varsity in 2013, has emerged the fourth most searched-for-university in the world, according to rankings by Google based on popular searches. Interestingly, the university doesn't offer a single course online and has been in the news recently for the virulent standoff between its VC and Syndicate and, not least, for an undergrad English textbook that, in-house critics claimed, was better suited as an editing exercise. University of Phoenix, a US-based university which offers several online courses, is no.1 in the Google ratings. It is followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and UK's distance learning pioneer, Open University. Calicut University has come ahead of elite institutions like University of California, Los Angeles (5th), Stanford University (7th), London School of Economics (8th), Oxford (13th) and Harvard (15th). Calicut University Vice Chancellor Prof M Abdul Salam highlighted the strong digital push made by the varsity during the last two years. "Calicut University has been offering almost all student services online through its website starting from single-window admission process to registration for exams, payment of fees, issuance of hall tickets, publication of results and online verification of certificates. We have been the first university in the state to go fully digital and also enable Instant Web Payment System, M-governance and digital document filing system," he said. Four other varsities from India have also made it to the top 20 with Anna University ranked sixth, University of Mumbai in 11th place and University of Rajasthan and Annamalai University placed at 18th and 20th positions, respectively. Prof Salam said that to overcome its lack of online courses Calicut University is working on a plan to provide digital and interactive e-learning content online using the services of Educational Multimedia Research Centre and is also planning to introduce online exams. Top 20 most searched universities by Google users worldwide in 2014: 1. University of Phoenix 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3. Open University 4. University of Calicut 5. University of California, Los Angeles 6. Anna University 7. Stanford University 8. London School of Economics 9. Columbia University 10. New York University 11. University of Mumbai 12. University College London 13. University of Oxford 14. Florida State University 15. Harvard University 16. University of Cambridge 17. Liberty University 18. University of Rajasthan 19. University of Michigan 20. Annamalai University (c) 2014 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited |