Students of Jadavpur University (JU) will no longer have to lose a year to pursue academic programmes abroad in the middle of a course.

Inward transfer of credit will enable undergraduate and postgraduate students in the university’s three faculties — science, arts and engineering — to study in foreign universities without interrupting their JU courses. The credits awarded to students by the foreign universities will be added to their credits here.

For example, an undergraduate student who spends the second year of the course studying abroad can rejoin in the third year. The final result will be prepared taking into account the credits awarded to him or her at the foreign university.

“With globalisation of higher education, credit transfer between universities has become extremely important,” said Parthapratim Biswas, a senior teacher and a member of JU’s executive council.

Once the proposal is implemented, JU will be the first institution in the state to introduce the system, he claimed.

The matter will soon be placed before the university’s executive council. The members discussed the issue in the last meeting of the council.

The university, in an attempt to attract foreign students, has introduced outward transfer of credit.

The process of introducing inward transfer of credit is complicated and the university will have to modify its rules for the purpose, said an official.

The proposal to amend the university act will be sent to the state government after the executive council finalises the procedure for implementing the decision. “We must ensure that the facility is not misused. The executive council will examine all aspects of the system before taking the final decision,” added the official.

Eight undergraduate and postgraduate students in the university’s economics and international relations department will be attending academic programmes in Japan next year.

“These students will not be able to avail themselves of the inward transfer of credit as the rule changes cannot be effected in time. We are proud that they have been chosen to attend academic programmes in Japan, but they will have to lose a year,” said the official.