Dr. D. J. Shah, Provost, Sankalchand Patel University, Mehsana emphasizes on research-based learning

“We have to have the proper content prepared in order to establish this research-based learning for the future,” says Dr. D. J. Shah, Provost, Sankalchand Patel University, Mehsana in an interview with Chandan Anand, Founding Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAGujarat #ELSAAhmedabad

Dr Shah would you like to throw some light on the subjects or the streams which your university is into?

Ours is basically an only university in the north Gujarat region where we offer Engineering, Medical, Paramedical, Dental Sciences, Ayurvedic everything in a single campus. We are basically based in Visnagar in Mehsana district and because of this multi-disciplinary education available in the campus our students get benefit on the topic that you already have taken into consideration. There is multi-disciplinary education so we have an engineering student an engineering faculty supporting dental faculty and students in building up their projects in their denture related issues so that indirectly helps even during the covid time our team helped Medical College and hospital to set up oxygen set units so that they help the society from the floor whereas we are outside managing all oxygen requirements. So, technically both are helping each other and probably in the future no single degree is going to be used there is going to be a multi-discipline education and knowledge which is going to be the key.

How important is research-based learning and where does skill play a role in the regular curriculum of academia?

Research based education in today’s context is important but at the same time we have to have the proper content prepared in order to establish this research-based learning for the future. Once we prepare a content then the next important thing is to train the faculty members because see faculties are the key. If my faculties are not good enough to take care of that content forward then all this idea has gone. I gave an example during my panel discussion that one of my faculty when he was teaching me like constant acceleration motion he explained me by saying that can you write down a mechanical equation for a cover, a blank cover which I am falling it freely from the top and second time he put a pencil inside a cover and said now you write an equation see both the motions are different then he gave me certain examples and then based on that example I went to the library studied on something and so these kind of faculty members are also required otherwise this whole concept will fail. Skilling today is important but again when it comes to the skill people always talk about the soft skills but it’s not a soft skill but at the same time a technology related skills today are key along with the value based education because if I have the skill I have the knowledge but I don’t have the value or ethical practices in fact right then also I’m not going to be useful to the society so all this all in all needs to be a single package.

We are here together to be a part of New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Award, according to you what is New Normal?

See before covid I think we were all reluctant that how online education is going to be, nobody was ready to accept but post covid probably we have seen the advantages of online learning also. So, probably New Normal is going to be the hybrid mode of learning along with the required skills and technology utility for the future generation. If that happens things are going to be different.

I’m happy to share that we recently celebrated our first anniversary and this exciting journey was full of excitement, learning and experience since covid till now, any message would you like to give to ArdorComm Media Group?

Yeah let me first congratulate ArdorComm for completing one year and I’m sure that kind of activities that right now we are doing with this kind of gathering also first time in Gujarat you’ve been able to pick up good officials as well as leaders from higher education as well as schools. So, I’m sure that ArdorComm Media will be able to deliver better things for the society by combination of higher education, societal needs as well as industry need you can do a lot of things.