CHENNAI: A campus with international students, faculty, multidisciplinary courses, sustainable buildings. This is how IIT Madras has planned its Zanzibar campus over 215 acres. It will start functioning from a temporary campus from October 24.

The first batches are enrolling for BS (50 students) and MTech (15 to 20 students) in data science and AI programmes. IIT-M is planning to introduce masters in ocean structures and courses such as internet of things (IoT) and robotics. An interdisciplinary degree in medicine and masters degree in humanities are also in the pipeline.

"The temporary campus is fully built, meant for a college. It has everything including faculty offices, classrooms, student hostels, dispensary. We wanted a few modifications and additions to reflect IIT Madras better. Those are underway," said
Preeti Aghalayam, director in-charge, IIT Madras Zanzibar campus.

When asked about the vision for the campus, Preeti Aghalayam said: "It would be a vibrant, international and diverse campus. Research will be our core strength. We want to carve our own path."

More Tanzanian girls are interested in pursuing engineering courses, the director said. A big chunk of students will be from India, Tanzania. Kenyan and Ethiopian students are also expected in good numbers. Furniture, computers will be in place by the time students come to the campus. Fifteen faculty members from IIT Madras will shift to the new campus in the first year.

The weather is similar to Chennai. "It's hot, but it's comfortable. It's like Chennai with less humidity and no cyclones," she said.

Zanzibar is famous for its seafood. Vegetarian fare is also available in restaurants and hostels. IIT Madras campus is known for its greenery and wildlife. Likewise, the 215-acre IIT-M Zanzibar campus will have a theme of sustainability. "The campus will use renewable energy, recycle waste water, and use sustainable construction materials.

We want it to be a model campus on sustainability in all aspects," said Ligy Philip, professor (in charge), infrastructure. "Architecture will be a mix of Indian and Zanzibar architecture. The construction will start in six months," she added.