Activities within the grant and expected impact:
The grant supports the development and implementation of two Masters in Professional Studies (MPS) programmes in Food Processing and Plant Breeding (Agricultural Biotechnology) respectively. The degree will be offered as a dual degree from Cornell University, and either the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), or the Andhra Pradesh Acharya Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), both of which are state agricultural universities (SAUs).

The MPS programme fits well with the Indian government’s national priority to enhance agricultural productivity, and with addressing the growing needs of the private sector. The MPS courses in food processing and plant breeding directly address these priorities. Development and implementation of the two MPS programmes are the central activities.

Indian SAU students and select faculty spend a semester at Cornell University taking courses, and upgrading their research and teaching skills respectively. They follow this with course completion at their parent institution assisted by Cornell-trained faculty. The programme’s focus will benefit Indian agriculture training in the following ways:

	In the area of food processing (value addition and markets), the MPS dual degree will expose students to new curricula designed to address needs of local and international industry and markets
	In the area of plant breeding/agricultural biotechnology, the MPS will provide curricula with a focus on appropriate trait validation, regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection and licensing, environmental risk assessment and market dissemination through outreach efforts

Additionally, a Cornell University degree, combined with a SAU degree, will greatly enhance both the competency and credibility of the student. The 154 students that benefit from the first phase of the programme will be the first internationally exposed graduates with comprehensive capability to meet the needs of the private and public sectors.