Rev. Dr. Abraham Mulamoottil

College Profile Video

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MACFAST (Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies Tiruvalla) , Kerala, India, a post graduate and research institution, was started in 2001, with the objective of offering specially designed courses in Business Management, Information Technology and Biosciences. MACFAST is owned and managed by the Corporate Educational Agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tiruvalla, with His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Koorilos as the President and Patron. In the past 76 years this agency has contributed to the establishment of a large number of schools, colleges, hospitals, medical and paramedical institutions throughout the country.
MACFAST is located in the commercially active town of Tiruvalla, Kerala. Amidst the lush green, stands this multi-storeyed building with a built-up area of 3,00,000 sq. ft.
MACFAST strives to raise its students to meet the challenging demands of the Corporate and Scientific world. In such a mission, research pursuits and technology initiatives gain significance. This had led to the recent establishment of the MACFAST Centre for Research and Development (MCRD). The MCRD offers Ph.D programmes in the Biosciences and is poised to enhance student creativity and produce high quality research.
A research journal titled Journal of Science, Technology and Management (JSTM), has also been initiated in 2008. JSTM is dedicated to bring together research in these three fields from around the world and also publish original work from the MCRD.
MACFAST owns an on campus Community Radio Station. Radio MACFAST 90.4 is the first on campus Community radio in the State and 46th in the Country.
MACFAST Industry Interface (MII), which began in 2010, initiated an era of exalting the College from a self-financing to self-sustaining one

ST. JOHN’S Metropolitan Cathedral Tiruvalla, Kerala, India

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Foreign Trips

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:01:43 +0000

Radiomacfast 90.4 Inauguration

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:14:45 +0000

Radiomacfast 90.4 Inaugration : 30/10/2009

46th Community Radio of India: Radiomacfast 90.4

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:21:14 +0000

Radio Macfast 90.4: Travancore’s new voice

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

An MBA student speaks at the studio at Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies in Thiruvalla on Saturday, ahead of the launch of Radio Macfast-90.4 on Sunday. Fr Abraham Mulamoottil, college principal, looks on

Kerala’s first campus-based community radio service at Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies in Thiruvalla (MACFAST) will be on the air on Sunday.

‘Radio Macfast-90.4’ will be the first community radio service (CRS) in Central Travancore, the second in the State and the 46th in the country.

MACFAST has successfully conducted test broadcasts from its 50 watt power transmitter that almost covers an aerial distance of 20 kilometres, says Fr Abraham Mulamoottil, the college principal, who promoted the novel project. “Radio Macfast with its wide range of diverse and interesting programmes is going to be a trendsetter in the CRS segment,” said Fr Mulamoottil.

According to him, community radio focuses on low cost and low return pattern of operation, aimed at educating and entertaining the community using its own idiom and language, in contrast to the private FM Radio, which is primarily driven by entertainment and business considerations. “Ultimately it will strengthen democratic institutions and practices, giving common people access to information”.

The mainstream media is unable to cater to the information needs of the community as it is primarily market-driven and run with a profit motive, he says. The question of CRS as an alternative media becomes relevant here. It must have space in terms of localisation of content, participation and involvement of the community, narrowing the differences between the broadcaster and the audience.

The students at the college will also get a chance

MACFAST-McDANIEL Education Partnership

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:15:54 +0000

THE BALTIMORE SUN -MACFAST-McDANIEL : 01/12/2009

McDaniel to educate aspiring teachers from India

Math, science graduates would take version of education course

By Arin Gencer | arin.gencer@baltsun.com

December 1, 2009

A new McDaniel College partnership aims to give aspiring teachers in India a chance to earn a master’s in education, as well as their teaching certification, on the Westminster campus.

The partnership, with Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies in Kerala, India, would bring people who already have degrees in math or the sciences – and an interest in teaching – to McDaniel for “an accelerated and intensive” one-year version of its graduate education program, said Henry Reiff, dean of graduate and professional studies.

“We certainly have a lot of confidence that there is a real interest in India to take advantage of this program,” said Reiff, adding that the students’ training also would be in demand in India.

The program was also designed with American needs in mind. Math and science, particularly at the secondary level, are among critical shortage areas for teachers in Maryland and the nation, and the state brings in a greater number of new teachers in those subjects than it produces each year, Reiff said.

The ways in which school districts end up filling some positions – seeking career-changers from the professional world or teachers trained abroad – “leave some big gaps in terms of teacher preparation,” Reiff said. “That’s what we’re committed to doing.

“It’s clear that this need exists in Maryland and, again, in many states,” Reiff said, though he added that the program does not guarantee employment here. “The ramifications are not just about having teachers in high school, but preparing students to go to college and major in those areas,” ultimately filling jobs.

The idea for the program emerged late last year, when a consultant from India, Varghese Keerikatte, contacted the college to discuss several possible educational partnerships, Reiff said. It is unclear whether other colleges have a program like McDaniel’s. In 2004, Towson University launched a graduate program in secondary education for teachers in Shanghai, China, part of which involves faculty members traveling there to teach during summers, said Stuart Zang, a spokesman.

Applications for McDaniel’s program are still coming in, and the first group of students, who could come from various fully accredited Indian universities, is expected to start at the college in January, Reiff said. Earlier this month, accepted students began a program at Mar Athanasios College to help familiarize them with American English, and prepare them for the realities of working with U.S. students and for a standardized test teachers must take, called the PRAXIS, Reiff said.

The college could have two or more cohorts of 15 to 25 people each year, he added, but could start with about 10 or possibly fewer participants for the first round.

Donald A. Peccia, assistant superintendent for human resources for Baltimore County schools, said he thinks the program is “an admirable effort.” While Baltimore County hasn’t had trouble filling positions in areas such as math or science, it is an exception among districts, he added. And although the recent drop in departures among current teachers, likely because of the troubled economy, could mean fewer jobs for new graduates in the short term, Peccia said, “the more people who can get degrees in those particular areas, I think the long-term effect will be a plus.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ca.india01dec01,0,2582492.story

Radiomacfast 90.4

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:13:23 +0000

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU : 22/06/2009

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

COMMUNITY RADIO STATION TO START AT TIRUVALLA, KERALA

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India has signed a Grant of Permission Agreement for establishing, maintaining and operating a Community Radio Station at Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Tiruvalla (MACFAST) Kerala. Letter of Intent had been issued to the Institute after recommendations of Inter Ministerial Committee and seeking requisite clearances from various Ministries. The Community Radio Station is expected to be operational within three months as per the agreement. With this, the number of CRS will increase to 46 in the country.
The Ministry encourages setting up the Community Radio Station as it promises to provide an opportunity to the local communities to be actively involved in welfare activities. The Tiruvalla College has several innovative programs, such as CAP (Community awareness program), SALT (Social Awareness and Leadership Training) programs which are aimed at sensitizing the student community about the needs and requirements of the society. The college also has an active forum called MSS (Macfast Service Scheme) which has conducted several programs like, clean and green campus drive, campaign to eradicate breeding areas of mosquitoes to prevent contagious disease like chikengunias and disseminating information regarding importance of water harvesting etc.
As a step forward in its mission to serve the society more effectively, the Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies is looking forward to setting up a community radio station with the objective of focusing on issues relating to education, health, environment, agriculture and rural community development and also to transform young people and mould them into value driven, culturally enriched and professionally competent change agents who would significantly contribute to improving their immediate community, the state, the country and the world at large.

MACFAST – A Campus With a Difference

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:11:26 +0000

MACFAST – A Campus With a Difference

February 1st, 2008 | Education, Experiences

Recently I got a chance to visit the MACFAST campus in Tiruvalla. I was expecting it to be yet another self financing college. But I was very much surprised when I saw the facilities in the campus.

The college only has got PG courses and every student is treated as a professional. Students are always in executive uniform (even though I dont agree to being formal always), the sight is very impressive.

The entire campus is wifi and there are students sitting here and there casually using their laptops. Unlimited internet access is guaranteed with fail over connections via RF and cable from different service providers.

The principal is a true visionary. Rev Dr Abraham Mulamoottil came to Tiruvalla to start this institution after having taken a PHD from abroad. All the infra was setup using the unused NRI money flowing to Tiruvalla. He plans to make this into a deemed university in the near future. He even has got plans to setup an IT park and a mini airport in Tiruvalla.

The college has got some of the best people from the academic scenario in Kerala. Prof Ignatious Kunjumon, a well known figure in the open source and free software movement in kerala is the HOD of Bio informatics and MCA departments.

The college has started a company, MACFAST Technologies which is providing jobs to students. Its not about the money, but the experience of working in a company atmosphere and getting paid for it really counts.

And before I left the college the principal revealed another plan of his to me. He plans to buy Tata Nano cars for his students. He wants his students to live like a professional even while they are studying.

University recognition to Research in MACFAST : 01/03/2008

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:09:59 +0000

University recognition to Research in MACFAST : 01/03/2008

Kerala – Pathanamthitta

Research status

PATHANAMTHITTA: The School of Bio-sciences of Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Thiruvalla, (MACFAST), has received research status from Mahatma Gandhi University, the college authorities have said. In a statement here on Thursday, Abraham Mulamoottil, Principal, and C. Balagopalan, Resident Dean and Director of Research, said the School of Bio-sciences had already established an advanced research laboratory for molecular biology and genetic engineering.

Biocampus

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:07:06 +0000

Biocampus & Food Science Pilot Plant : 16/03/2007

Kerala – Pathanamthitta

Union Minister to inaugurate Biocampus

Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA: Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Subobodh Kant Sahai will inaugurate the Biocampus with Food Science and Technology Pilot Plant and Incubation Centre at the Mar Athanasios College For Applied Sciences in Thiruvalla (MACFAST) on Saturday afternoon. MACFAST director P.K. Abraham and Principal Abraham Mulamoottil said the Industries Minister Elamaram Karim will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural function. Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church Baselios Cleemis will preside over the meeting.

Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas, will distribute prizes to the university rank-holders from the MACFAST on the occasion.

Fr. Mulamoottil said the Food Technology Department at the college established the Biocampus at a total cost of Rs.1.25 crore with a Central grant worth Rs.28 lakh for setting up a library-cum-documentation centre, food analytical laboratory and pilot plant. The 50,000 sq.ft. Biocampus provides a conducive ambience for creative, innovative and research initiatives.

It houses a food analytical laboratory, food microbiology laboratory, food biochemistry laboratory and digital library and documentation centre. The facilities at the pilot plant include product and process lines, design and development of new product and improvement of existing products, design of equipment for manufacture of processed products on a commercial scale, rural entrepreneurship development and technology transfer in food processing.