CII launched the first edition of Trends in Internationalization of Indian Higher Education report during the 4th AICTE-CII Global University-Industry Congress held on the sidelines of the knowledgexpo at the India Expo Center in Greater Noida. Brought out in partnership with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), the report provides insights and trends such as number of Indian students studying abroad and source countries, the gender ratio, levels of education and popular choices made in terms of disciplines.
The report launch was followed by a panel discussion to discuss the trends and scope of ‘Global Partnerships in the Indian Context’.Drawing inspiration from the ‘Make in India’ mantra, session moderator, Prof. Furqan Qamar,Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities & Former Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, raised certain pertinent questions, which need to be addressed by the Indian authorities and academia to form effective partnerships with their global counterparts. Concentrated efforts must be made to build the confidence of the global community in capability of Indian human resources so that we can benefit from each other and India can emerge as a global academic hub, said Prof. Qamar.
Addressing the question whether India has what it takes to become a sought-after destination for the global student community, Prof. U. B. Desai, Director, IIT Hyderabad, pointed out that partnerships with global institutions need to be mutually beneficial. The idea of internationalization should not be confined to simply a student or faculty exchange program – there must be a definite focus on co-creation and co-design, he added.
Further setting the context of various aspects that need to be addressed to realize the vision of generating globally competent manpower and making India an internationally acclaimed academic destination, Prof. Biju Paul Abraham, President, Shastri Indo Canadian Institute & Professor of Public Policy Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, pointed out three critical arenas. Firstly, institutes need to create champions within the system to develop and sustain partnerships; collaboration must hold benefits for both sides to ensure longevity and one needs to be persistent by continuously revisit and reform the pedagogy to nurture evolved and mature associations.
Bringing a global perspective to the exchange of thoughts, Prof. M.S. Krishnan, Associate Dean, Global Initiatives, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, said that while students form the core of most global partnerships, we must concentrate on capability building to create a great experience for both global and local faculties too. In an attempt to create qualitative, cost-effective and scalable solutions, there is a need to focus on the bottom of the pyramid, which is bustling with huge opportunities.
Prof. (Dr.) Gurinder Singh, Additional Vice Chancellor, Amity Group, further added that Indian universities need to revisit our pedagogy to make it attractive enough to draw international students. Integration of industry and academia is also a must to create and offer a great learning experience, he noted.
Sharing his thoughts on the recent trend of Indian institutions cashing in on their global partnerships to carve a differentiating edge, Dr. R. C. Natarajan, Director, T. A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal, said that instead of forming short-term MoUs, Indian Universities must lay emphasis of long-term Research & Development (R&D) partnerships. He further pointed out that both students and faculty must understand the fact that global partnerships should be formed to compliment Indian institutes and universities and not to substitute them.
The panel discussion was also attended by Prof. Rajat Gupta, Director, NIT Srinagar, who said that we need to revisit our regulatory environment and address compelling issues like the student-teacher ratio, access and affordability to create a globalized yet inclusive academic model.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A session, which witnessed active participation of the audience comprising industry and academia.
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