JNU mulls school for undergraduate studies

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), one of India’s highly prestigious and reputed varsities, may soon open a school of undergraduate studies. The university has sent a proposal to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to start undergraduate courses under the innovation universities scheme started by the commission to “identify institutions and support them to develop specialized courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in emerging areas and accommodate original ideas and innovative proposals to influence teaching, research, academic excellence and societal development of relevance.”

According to SK Sopory, Vice-Chancellor of JNU, the proposal has been sent to the UGC and they are currently waiting for a response from them. “We are yet to decide on the exact courses that will be offered. If we get a positive response, we will start working on the courses and their structures. This will take some time,” he said.

However, what is certain is that the courses will have a component of research and innovation, as this is what the brief for innovative universities demands. “The proposal is for starting a school of undergraduate studies that will have courses in sciences and humanities. These will be feeders for the postgraduate courses that we are running already,” Sopory added.

If the proposal is accepted, the UGC will fund it completely for five years, after which the university will have to support it on its own. The grant will range between Rs. 100 crore (Rs. 1 billion) to Rs. 300 crore (Rs. 3 billion).

The invitation letter that was sent to various universities stated that they can send entries for new types of degrees and courses, innovation in curricula including evaluation, pedagogic innovation, interdisciplinary and cross border research or creation of research facility that may be shared by a number of universities and research institutions.

Source: Hindustan Times, May 23,2013

Number of "innovation universities" reduced

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has watered down its ambitious plans of setting up 14 new “innovation universities”. Not only has it dropped the numerical target, it has now reworked its concept to allow existing universities to be classified as innovation universities after a change in their governance structure. The reworked proposal is likely to be taken up by the Cabinet at its next meeting. Universities will not only have knowledge clusters, but also build linkages with research institutions and industry. These universities will focus on research-oriented innovations in design, development and delivery.

The Planning Commission, which is also working on some restructuring of the higher education sector as part of the 12th Five Year Plan process, suggested the change in the proposal. It now allows for existing universities and institutes to be upgraded to the status of universities for research and innovation after changes in governance structure. The Plan panel had raised objections to the idea of thematic universities, arguing that there are almost no world-class universities set up on a thematic basis. The MHRD has made it clear that even the theme-based universities will need to promote inter-disciplinary learning and research.

Over the last two years, there had been talk of setting up innovation universities focused on environment and ecology, culture and sports. However, none of these discussions progressed, even though several universities in the US and the UK expressed an interest in setting up innovation universities. There were apprehensions that resources would flow to the proposed innovation universities while the existing ones would not be helped to perform better. These apprehensions prompted the change in the concept of innovation universities.

The Sam Pitroda-headed National Knowledge Commission (NKC) had suggested that each of the 14 varsities be earmarked Rs. 200 crore (Rs. 2 billion) annually.

Source: The Economic Times, April 23, 2012

Liberal Arts varsity coming up in Pune, sans ‘innovation’ tag

The Tagore University for the Liberal Arts, first institution to be established under the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s (MHRD’s) once ambitious Universities for Innovation programme, will be set up in Pune. But, ironically, the word ‘innovation’ will be missing from the nomenclature of the institution. For, the group of experts, which was asked to draft a concept for such institutions, fears that such an emphasis is likely to inhibit its creative potential.

The task of such an “institution should be, not to presume an elite status for itself, but to create excellence by drawing freely upon the best talent from all sections of the populace, and fostering it to the furthest extent possible in a climate of international exchange and awareness. Ultimately, such an institution might be the first of many, and it might also provide a model for other existing universities,” the group said in its report submitted to the Ministry.

On its part, the Ministry is finalising the concept paper so that it can send the toned down version of the Universities for Innovation Bill, 2011 for Cabinet clearance. The proposal to set up 14 such world-class universities was made during the tenure of the former HRD Minister, Arjun Singh, and even the locations were finalised with the Planning Commission. Under the new regime, it was decided to convert these universities into institutions of innovation in different areas of societal concerns. They were then named Universities for Innovation, each expected to focus on its theme in an interdisciplinary manner. However, the revised draft Bill does not give any number for such universities.

The experts group says that instead of using the epithet ‘world-class’, which is meaningless in the absence of any concrete embodiment, it would be best to think of such an institution, a public university set up by the Indian state, as offering an experimental model of what higher education in the country could be. Ideally, it should be free of the infrastructural and systemic problems that beset the country. The experts include theatre personality Girish Karnad, academics Supriya Chaudhuri and Sunil Khilnani, and writer Ramachandra Guha.

According to the group’s note, the task of the Tagore University for the Liberal Arts should be to promote both arts and science under the rubric of liberal arts, in an interdisciplinary environment which allows creative interchange of scholars from different fields. The university will have five schools: School of Humanities for teaching languages, literature, philosophy, cultural studies and creative writing; School of Social Sciences for teaching history, politics, sociology, economics and human sciences; School of Sciences for mathematical studies, biological sciences, physical sciences and environmental science; School of Performing Arts for dance, theatre, music, film and sports; and School of Visual and Applied Arts for painting, sculpture, graphic, arts, textile arts, crafts, design and photography.

The experts group has recommended that the university should have a Research Fund with an annual corpus of Rs. 00 crore (Rs. 2 billion), administered by a Research Council with both internal and external members. The university will be founded as a non-affiliating unitary institution but once successfully established it may seek to replicate its model elsewhere in the country or overseas. It will have complete autonomy over academic, administrative and financial matters, though it is subject to the reasonable provisions laid down by the higher education regulatory authority in India and funding agencies.

While the university need not get government approval for academic projects, proposals and invitations unless the security of the nation is involved, its accounts will be subject to the Comptroller and Auditor-General’s audit. The university can invite applications for a proportion of its posts from non-Indian citizens who are outstanding scholars, artists, writers and scientists so as to promote international cooperation and exchange of ideas. The guests will be entitled to special salary provisions, in excess of the pay scales stipulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or other such regulatory body.

Tracing the history of universities in India founded during the colonial rule and after independence, the experts group’s proposal points out that these were an explicit effort to incorporate the lessons of ‘modernity’ and create institutions of higher education that would impart training in globally recognised disciplines of study. Historically, there was a break with both pre-colonial universities such as Nalanda and Vikramshila, great institutions of Buddhist learning in the medieval period, and more significantly with traditional, often religious centres of instruction where students (usually male) were trained in the scholarly disciplines as well as in the sacred doctrines of Hinduism and Islam.

The transition from traditional systems to new kinds of learning resulted in devaluation of the study of ancient languages such as Sanskrit, Tamil, Arabic and Persian and even ancient medicine, mathematics and science, the experts group said.

Source: The Hindu, March 12, 2012

Meta-university may start from next academic session: HRD Minister

HRD minister Kapil Sibal announced on Friday that a network of universities, forming a meta-university, will allow students to pick courses from across disciplines from different institutions from the coming academic session (2012-13). He explained that this would reinterpret the concept of a university as not just a traditional, physical space of learning, but as a repository of knowledge and information that can be delivered in multiple ways and can be accessed from anywhere and anytime.

Addressing a conference on ‘One Globe 2012: Uniting Knowledge Communities’ organized by US-India Business Council, Sibal said: “The 21st century meta-university would be a network and an ecosystem rather than a single brick and mortar space. Though the internet and technology are fundamental to this conception of the meta-university, at the crux is not a new technology but a ‘new pedagogy’ that is more in tune with the requirements of the knowledge society of the 21st century.” Ten foreign universities that the Institute of International Education (IIE) is bringing from the US are participating in the two-day conference.

Referring to the announcement made by the PM two months ago on the formation of a meta-university with the broadband backbone linking institutions of excellence in specific fields of knowledge, Sibal added: “To give this idea a shape we have mounted a National Mission on Education through ICT to link in 25,000 colleges and 2,000 polytechnics for enabling e-learning and content sharing.”

The minister said that there is a need to open the doors to reputed foreign education institutions to usher in global competition in the higher education sector as well as to expand its base. He said that the government is seeking to open up establishment of foreign educational institutions in India through enactment of a Foreign Education Providers Act, which will allow for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in higher education.

Stressing on the need for the participation of the private sector to give a boost to the gross enrolment ratio, Sibal urged to increase it from existing 15% to 30% by next eight years. Hence, the aim is to raise the present 16 million enrolment in higher education to 42 million by 2020. “A second wave of creating institution of excellence has been initiated by starting eight Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs), five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), 16 central universities, two schools of Planning and Architecture, three Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and 10 National Institutes of Technologies (NITs). The 14 innovation universities are also on anvil for setting up benchmarks in education and research. We are also aiming to establish at least 50 research parks for quality research programs. But, we are depending heavily on the private sector to come forward and participate in this endeavour,” Sibal added.

Source: The Times of India, February 4, 2012

‘We want more Indian students in Scotland’

Michael Russell, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, is visiting India at a time when Europe is going through an economic crisis and, on the other hand, strict student visa rules are threatening UK universities. However, Russell’s agenda is clear — he wants more Indian students in Scottish universities. In a chat with FE’s Kirtika Suneja, he explains the reasons for doing so. Edited excerpts:

Scottish institutes have been partnering with Indian varsities very aggressively for the last few years. What is fuelling these collaborations?
Almost 95% of Scottish universities have collaborated with Indian institutes and we are focusing on India and China for higher education and, hence, encouraging Scottish institutions for partnerships. With globalisation of education, business education has become important in the global economy. In fact, the Scottish delegation to FICCI this year is the strongest ever. Of the total of 230,000 students in our universities, 3,185 are Indian students; thus, they make up just over 1%. However, it is worth noting that they make up 8% of international students and 14% of non-EU students. We want to increase the number of Indian students in Scotland.

How do you plan to achieve this?
There are three parts of education — drawing Indian students to Scotland, developing partnerships between institutions and producing different models in higher education by promoting high-level research. In fact, we have set up University of Strathclyde’s first overseas campus in Greater Noida near Delhi in partnership with infrastructure company SKIL. We will have more such long-term partnerships.

But constantly changing student visa rules in UK universities maybe a deterrent in achieving this …
We have opposed the visa regulations and are openly welcoming international students. We want internationalisation of Scottish education and, as a matter of fact, international students get us good business.

Besides partnerships, are Scottish universities also interested in setting up campuses in India, as is proposed in the Foreign Education Bill, or are mentoring the upcoming Innovation Universities?
We are interested in setting up new campuses — not only in India but elsewhere also. Mentoring the Innovation Universities is a good idea, especially in the areas of energy, liberal arts, creativity and teacher training.

Scotland has invested in research pools to encourage research. Where does India figure in the scheme of things?
Scotland and India have the potential to create research polls and over 150 million pounds have been invested in 11 research pooling investments. India is good for mechanical engineering and energy research.

What about promoting skills and training …
I am also looking after further education in Scotland that is developing the skills potential and encouraging the skills providers. We have a strong system of validation and credit framework. We are reforming the system of further education in Scotland by reducing the number of non-departmental public bodies.

Source: The Financial Express, November 14, 2011