Education has changed from teacher centered to student centered. It is an established fact that education is the most important input for socio economic development of a nation. Education strengthens people to adapt to changing environments. Education enables the society to cause and to contribute to overall societal development. Education has the responsibility to transfer human into human resources. Human resources development is the prime function of education. Directorate of Correspondence Courses of Kuvempu University is the first step towards this transfer.

Reasons are many for greater number of students for not to pursue their academic carrier continuously. Distance Education is a boon for them to pursue their education and become more resourceful.

Kuvempu University - a young dynamic, fast developing University established by the Karnataka State in 1987, is an affiliating - cum - teaching University to promote and facilitate studies and research in various branches of Higher Education. It has jurisdiction over four revenue districts of Karnataka State and has in its ambit 50 Postgraduate departments, 4 Constituent Colleges and 133 affiliated colleges offering graduate-level courses in various disciplines catering to the educational needs of more than 50,000 students.

Kuvempu University is one of the very few universities in India with a totally rural and green profile. It is situated in the picturesque Malnad region, literally on the Lap of the Sahyadri Western Ghats. The main University campus is adjacent to Bhadra Wild-Life Sanctuary which has been declared as a tiger reserve. The Bhadra reservoir is adjacent to the Campus which provides the much-needed water to the campus. The Kudremukha National Park and Mookambika Wild-life sanctuaries are so near that the University has a distinct forest and rural profile. The location is indeed serene, covering 230 acres of forest land, almost totally uncontaminated by any kind of pollution.

Kuvempu University introduced Distance Education Programme at the PG level from the academic year 2002. Now, the Directorate of Distance Education is catering to more than fifteen thousand students in 40 courses in U.G. and P.G. levels.

The DCC of Kuvempu University is one of the first to provide P.G. Science courses from 2003-04, in 5 different subjects. It is also offering a number of need based P.G. Diploma courses and under graduate courses such as B.A., B.Com. B.B.M.

It has also introduced L.L.M., B.L.I.Sc, M.L.I.Sc. Courses. Some of the entirely new specialized courses at the PG and Diploma levels, such as B.Sc. & M.Sc. (IT), in collaboration with UET, Bangalore and NUT, Fashion Technology & Interior Designs in collaboration with the JD Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi & UAE, M.Sc. in Quality Management in collaboration with the DQM, New Delhi, Mental Health & Counseling courses in collaboration with Manasa Education Trust, Shimoga, are also being offered.

In the current year 2006-07, it is introducing M.Phil, PhDs. M.B.A, M.Sc. (Applied Chemistry), M.A. (Education), P.G.Diplomas in Financial Institutions and Markets & Chemical Quality Control. Further, PGD in Organic Farming, Agro Managements and Informatics in collaboration with the Monarch Bio-fertilizers Chennai are being introduced.

I wish you a bright academic future, a successful career, and a happy life.

Yours affectionately,

Prof. B.S. Sherigara