Governance Reforms, Research and Innovation, Employability and Entrepreneurship,
Internationalisation of Higher Education and Teaching Learning Process, apart from a main
subsection on New Vision for Reimagining Indian Universities. Skill development for
employment and entrepreneurship; creating technology-enabled learning ecosystem in our
universities for upscaling our universities to global standards; and improvement in research and
innovations – the all-pervasive concerns towards higher education, were the key areas projected
by most of the authors in the book.
At the same time, India needs to focus not only on internationalization abroad, but also
internationalisation at home, and even within the campus, by improving academic and
infrastructural resources; achieving standardisation with international comparability; and
initiating pedagogical reforms with special focus on technological advancement of instructional
delivery. It also needs to take a number of steps including building world class infrastructure,
simplifying visa rules, easy entry and exit provisions, international hostels, curricular revision
with international orientation, etc. to attract international students.
outdated and rigid curricula; large numbers of vacant faculty positions; poor quality of faculty in
terms of both commitment and competence, poor systemic enablers for student mobility; near
absence of a culture of research; minimal and poor research work; a flawed and rigid system of
examination; poor methods of teaching and learning; low levels of skill development among
students resulting in low employability; dominance of vested interests; inadequate provision and
poor management of educational services; and problems in governance. These issues and a lack
of
accountability have taken a great toll on the quality of higher education and research in India.
This is notwithstanding the fact that the problem is not as much about resources as it is about the
absence of effective governance.
Autonomy and accountability are critical building blocks for ensuring good governance in higher
education institutions. To bring excellence in higher education through professional
management,
we need new governance models incorporating transparency, equity, accountability and
inclusiveness in the plans and policies. It is refreshing to see an overwhelming agreement of the
authors, with the view that universities and other higher education institutions should be led by
academicians and those with academic background, besides their general leadership skills and
managerial competence.
Creating a technology-enabled learning ecosystem in our universities is a must for upscaling our
universities to global standards.
Concerted efforts need to be made by universities, ministries, and other apex bodies of higher
education towards this. The learning system needs to be made students centric to enhance
learning
experience. The methods of teaching and learning must change for the 21 century learners
through adaptation of technology, training of teachers on technology enabled teaching-learning,
institutional support, investment of resources, etc. to alter the prevailing teaching practices.
Through technologies, we can improve, supplement, reinvent and transform the teaching-
learning process.
Global forces of change are disrupting the ways of learning and working. The advent of the
fourth industrial revolution has ushered in an impending skills gap. There would be a shift in the
way students
would consume higher education: instead of attending a single institution, students will receive
credit in multiple ways, including from early college/dual degree programmes, online providers,
and multiple universities. Building a credit system in e-learning will be important to encourage
students to draw benefit from these courses as part of their overall education. Industry 4.0 will
be/mark a major shift in the future of jobs with human skills and Emotional Quotient as key
attributes. Future of learning in education will incorporate Industry 4.0: The Digital Revolution.
Digital libraries, simulation software and accessibility to the latest digital technology have
enhanced the quality of existing curricula, academic freedom in curriculum for dynamic
teaching pedagogy, and practical approach. There is a strong case for the shift from teacher-
centric teaching paradigm to a student-centric learning paradigm. This blended approach covers
both the online learning approach closely aided by the smart phones, and also the collaborative
and cooperative learning-based constructivism approach.
To survive in the competition with other top institutions of the world and to enhance quality,
adoption of blended learning will be a good option. The measures to enhance research and
promote research quality at our higher education institutes should include: increase in funding
for research from our national agencies, industries, NGOs, PPPs, etc.; developing our research
infrastructure drastically for enhancing our research and improving its quality; focused research
policies at institutions, regional/state and national levels for enhancing research and its quality;
and incentivising researchers with fellowships and funds for research, etc.
The best Teaching-Learning Process are those that use participatory and personalised approach,
along with collective wisdom through reflective dialogue. There is also a need to shift
progressively from teacher-designed and teacher-driven pedagogy to teacher-designed and
learner-driven pedagogy and ultimately to learner-designed and learner-driven pedagogy.
Today, in the technology-driven, higher education space, abundant resources are available in the
form of Open Education Resources (OERs) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) with
Quick Response Codes (QRCs) providing pointers to many a learning resource. The use of
online resources using remote learning tools has gained all the more relevance.
pofessional management. Institutions need to practice the key characteristics of good
governance, which includes transparency, equity, accountability, and inclusiveness. They must
act strategically
in formulating plans and policies needed for good governance. Autonomy, accountability,
flexibility, effective communication, trust,and transparency within the system at different levels
of operation must be ensured to progress towards decentralised governance.
The effective teaching-learning process is critical for ensuring that all students attain the defined
learning outcomes and the expected graduate attributes that make a sustained, substantial and
positive influence on their thinking, conduct and attitude.
Teaching- learning processes lie at the core of the education system and are critical for fostering
quality higher education. The methods of teaching and learning must change for the 21 century
learners through adaptation of technology, training of teachers on technology-enabled teaching
learning, institutional support, investment of resources, etc., to alter the prevailing teaching
practices. It is also essential to ensure that the. Over-emphasis on the external assessment of
students with inadequate formative assessments is an issue which prominently figured during the
COVID-19 crisis. There is a mismatch between degrees and the competencies assessed, leading
to a crisis of legitimacy of the examination/qualification systems. The ‘assessment of learning’
must shift to ‘assessment for learning’. We must appreciate that the human brain has a self-
organised learning system and every student learns in a different way. Teachers’ role in this
context is to facilitate each student to have their own style of learning. Learning will happen
when learning opportunities will be created for the students with clear goals with involvement of
teachers and taught with the subject.
Individuals need to be assessed about their innate qualities based on their interest, skill,
personality, competence and capability for achieving excellence.
There is need for starting interdisciplinary and integrated courses at undergraduate and post
graduate levels with flexibility in criteria of a course and a system of credit that enables
horizontal and vertical mobility. The curriculum should be revamped to reflect the need for
national development with international benchmark.
Offer flexible curriculum as per the needs and interests of the students. Following a rigid
curriculum does not help the students to improve the learning outcome nor the management of
the institution. It is observed that student enrollment is overwhelmingly large in the market
driven disciplines.
Universities should primarily focus on academic work – visioning and planning for the
development of students and the institution’s brand image.
Curriculum should be socially, economically and academically relevant and the faculty should be
trained adequately on a continuous basis.
There should be a think tank consisting of senior academicians,industry experts, researchers who
can deal with the key issues and emerging ideas. They should be able to develop innovative yet
practical ways by which the management can transform the way they deliver their services.
Bureaucratic way of functioning of Academic Council and Boards of Studies should change. To
close the skill gap, higher education institutions need to work more closely with the industry and
other social, economic and research organisations to promote job-skill alignment, combining
labour market data with industry input to define the skills likely to be needed for tomorrow’s
jobs.
Exponential changes in technology, industry demands, fresh workforce skills, incompetent
faculty, and inadequate government funding are fresh challenges to universities and higher
education institutions.
Students must become entrepreneurial, lifelong learners, designing their own educational path
based on their career interests, objectives and schedules.
A ‘University of the Future’ should be able to provide a variety of degrees and shorter
qualifications like postgraduate diplomas and certificates. One needs to top up the skills from
time to time according to the career needs and personal development.
Teaching-Learning and Evaluation
• One should be able to study in multiple modes between on-campus, blended or wholly online to
suit the students’ needs.
Staff development should be institution specific as per the needs of the individuals and the
institution, which should include the lifestyle, work and other activities.
• Refresher courses and orientation programs should be need based and should be offered by the
institution itself or through an academic staff college of repute.
• Staff development should be institution specific as per the needs of the individuals and the
institution.
• Integrate with online instructions like Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) should be
effectively utilised.
• Talent and screening processes should be refigured.
• Emerging educational technology solutions provide new ways for assessing the rigour of a
candidate’s educational track record.
• Introduction of college score card rating system that evaluates affordability, access and student
outcomes should be initiated.
• Classroom environment should be learner-friendly with flexible arrangements for discussions
and interactions.
• Setting up of departments for differently-abled students in universities, which will evolve
through its center for studies and research on inclusive processes, and special schemes for
persons with different abilities.
Research and Development
Current issues facing the research in higher education institutions include quality, relevance,
ownership, funding, international networking, etc. An ever growing number of nations have now
given priority to developing their knowledge base through higher education, research and
innovation and commit the necessary resources to this goal. In India too we need to focus on:
• developing conducive policies and procedures for research in universities;
• providing the necessary infrastructure;
• training, retaining and attracting highly-skilled human capital; 116 Reimagining Indian
Universities
• increase investment in research and higher education;
• encouraging industry-institution collaboration; and
• commercialisation of research.
Research should be closely linked to teaching and learning. We need to develop a framework for
combining the strength of the university laboratories and other scientific laboratories for
undergraduate and postgraduate science education. Industry—institution—society interface need
to be strengthened for research and development.
Infrastructure Development
• Higher education institutions should have better physical infrastructure facilities, well equipped
classrooms with modern facilities, ICT facilities, audio-visual equipment and quality seating
arrangements.
• In view of the rising cost of books, journals and laboratory equipment, there is an urgent need
to make adequate provision for capacity building of the institution, classrooms and laboratories
in the universities and colleges.
• To succeed in an era of exponential change, educational institutions also need to take advantage
of digital technology – both for academics and administration.
• Universities and colleges should be places for collaboration and entrepreneurship consultation.
Colleges and universities and all professional institutions have
to follow a two-pronged strategy. (i) The present content heavy
curriculum has to be given up and courses have to be tailored to suit
industry/business/and the service sectors. This can be done only after
a dialogue with prospective employers who must be invited to come
to the institution for recruitment. A good example is that of a premier
college in the Delhi University which invites school Principals/Heads/
Academic Advisors annually in the month of March to interview
students who study for the four year B.Ed degree. The course training
is given as per the requirements of the schools and the CBSE courses.
The recruitment is done on the basis of interview and the students’
grades in the earlier three years with the proviso that they complete
their degree with requisite grades in the final examinations. (ii) The
academic schedule in colleges and institutions should be limited to
the first half of the day and the second half must be given to hands-on training in any sector that the
student wishes to get into. This
factors in both the student’s aptitude and capability and makes her/
him job worthy. Classroom lectures must focus on giving the concepts
and theories so that the students learn to apply them in the relevant
sectors. The faculty has to be trained to deliver lectures more in
capsule form with the time reduced to just one half of the day rather
than the current long drawn classroom lectures stretched over the
entire day (from 9.00 in the morning till 5.30 in the evening). This
has resulted in boredom and listlessness in most students. This double
shift between college and the training centre will enthuse students as
they get hands on training and learn to practically apply theoretical
knowledge learnt in the classroom. If the mode of teaching is changed
from spoon feeding to capsule lectures, it will encourage self-study—
something that is totally absent among a large majority of students.
Some of the envisioned priorities for India’s preparedness for HE 4.0
(referred in the context of fourth industrial revolution-IR4.0) can be
listed as these:
• to accelerate manufacturing-based industries by way of ‘Make
in India’;
• to accelerate the culture of creativity and innovation;
• to accelerate the transition from ‘knowledge delivery to
knowledge creation’; and
• to strengthen linkages of R&D setups to industry and society
at large.
We are looking for an outstanding individual who combines the ability to
inspire and lead with a clear vision of the future direction of higher
education, both nationally and internationally. The successful person will
have the drive, personality and determination to develop the University to
match that vision (United Kingdom University).
We need a leader who, together with me [the Chair of Council], the board
and a large number of qualified staff
members, can lead the activities
into a new millennium. You should have good knowledge about industry,
business and authorities within the [institution’s] sectors of activity and a
good anchorage in the science fields covered … A
wide network of contacts
and experience from leading large
knowledge-producing organizations are also
important, as
well as the ability to inspire (Swedish University).
Lack of Quality Faculty: Faculty vacancies remain high. For
example, there are about 19-20 per cent open positions in
institutes, of which only 5-6 per cent have been appointed
(Wheebox, 2019). Skill gap is also a major concern.
Subject Experts Not Teachers: Faculty are subject experts and
are not trained on how to teach better.
Employability of Students: According to the India Skills Report
in 2019, only 47 per cent of the available talent is employable
(Wheebox, 2019).
Freedom of Speed: Number of hours are tied to the number of
credits. Students do not have the freedom to gain the credits
in lesser amount of time. We give freedom in other fields but
not in the field that we need the most.
Lack of Life-long Learning Skills: ‘Learning to Learn’ is not
understood and is a missed out component of the curriculum.
Lack of Research Skills: Required research skills are lacking in
the faculty.
