Swiss experts to train Indians in Himalayan glaciology

India and Switzerland Thursday announced they would conduct a capacity building programme in Himalayan glaciology for PhD students and researchers working in glaciology in the country.

The training programme, which aims to provide a comprehensive coverage of basics in the field of glaciology, will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here April 1-26.

"In response to a call for applications, a total of 61 responses were received by JNU for training programme and 26 candidates have been shortlisted based on approved criteria developed jointly between Indian and Swiss course coordinators," said an official statement from the Swiss embassy here.

Switzerland is the first country with which India has collaborated for the institutional and human capacity building programme on glaciology.

The collaborative programme is part of the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP), which is conceptualised and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The programme is coordinated by the climate change programme of India's department of science and technology.

The training programme covers essentials of atmospheric processes, climatic phenomenon, precipitation, glacial dynamics, mass balance of glaciers, avalanches and snow melt and runoff in the Indian Himalayas. - IANS