Edu-leaders

Social networking sites are today the coolest way for people to stay in touch, make new friends and reacquaint with old ones. And Delhi University (DU) has joined in on the action with Network DU, the networking website www.networkdu.com. At first glance it looks uncannily similar to Facebook yet offers content which is vastly different and meaningful for students. Apart from blogs, music, chat and even an online shopping link, Network DU offers students information on scholarships, internships and job openings, hostel and paying guest accommodation. An added plus is that even non-DU members can join and connect with DU students.

The website has had a great start with more than 2000 people registering within 4 weeks of its launch. There are over 500 DU Alumni also listed as members. While content like blogs, polls, videos and forums are freely accessible and do not need log ins, membership is required to listen to music or view profiles of other members, or connect with them. Drawing from the several instances where social networking websites have had issues with member’s privacy and content, networkdu. com has endeavored to provide a number of privacy tools for the comfort of members.

Honey Arora, an alumnus of Punjab Technical University, with help of others from IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore, started Network DU. The team felt that it was time for DU to have a networking website of its own, given the tech-savvy nature of students and the many common issues. According to Arora, in IITs and IIMs, the alumni really help their juniors in getting internships and job placements and Network DU attempts to do just that.

Arora is also hoping to rope in ministers, bureaucrats and other well-placed senior professionals from DU to get on to the website. The team also plans to launch similar sites for other universities. So, for heads of institutes looking to connect with students, this could be an easy way to make a connection.