Visit https://mediatecla.com/ for more information. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai and IISER Pune have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to develop joint programmes in teacher education in Science and Mathematics. This unique programme, which will be anchored by the TISS-Centre of Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE), will enable students entering into IISER Pune to select and specialise in science teaching. This MoA was signed on December 9, 2022 in the presence of Prof. Shalini Bharat, Director, TISS, Prof. Jayant B. Udgaonkar, Director, IISER Pune and Prof. Bino Paul, Deputy Director, TISS. In attendance were also Mr. Narendra Mishra, Acting & Deputy Registrar, TISS, Col. G. Raja Sekhar (Retd.), Registrar, IISER Pune, Prof. Bhas Bhapat, Professor, Physics, IISER Pune, and Prof. Padma Sarangapani, Chairperson, Centre of Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE), TISS. Prof. Shalini Bharat, Director, TISS, discussing this MoA said, “TISS has always addressed national development needs. This collaboration with IISER Pune enables us to work together to offer a game-changing multidisciplinary programme to students, in alignment with the vision of NEP 2020. The Centre of Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE) at TISS since its inception has been making inroads in teacher education in India and the global South. I am certain that the proposed joint programme will create a new generation of science educators and scholars.” Prof. Udgaonkar echoed these sentiments when he said, “TISS and IISER Pune are entering into an agreement to develop joint programmes in teacher education in Science and Mathematics. The Agreement will help strengthen the quality of science education in India through collaboration in teaching and research. With this the two institutes will be able to pool together expertise in very diverse areas -- social sciences and the natural sciences -- which are complementary for teacher education. The envisioned joint programmes align with the NEP 2020 recommendations concerning the importance of interdisciplinary education. The joint programmes will aim to provide students concomitant exposure to teaching as well as research in the natural sciences and science education.” Prof. Padma Sarangapani discussed the relevance of this MoA for budding science educators and opined, “One of the goals of the Centre of Excellence in Teacher Education is to raise standards of teacher education in the country. This new joint programme is a step in that direction. Our collaboration with IISER shows how institutions can come together to complement each other's strengths.”