Prof. Ami U. Upadhyay, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University emphasizes on the blend of digital and traditional mode of education

“It is rightly said nothing is permanent but change what education was a decade back or two decades back has completely changed,” says Prof. Ami U. Upadhyay, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in an interview with Chandan Anand, Founding Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAGujarat #ELSAAhmedabad

Would you like to put some light on the way you are taking the leadership of this University and what are the few important works as a case study which you like to share with us?

First of all, when we talk about the leadership, team matters a lot I would say as a leader that I have been blessed with a wonderful team at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar State Open University. I very strongly believe that being in education since more than two decades that education can bring very positive change in the society so when we talk about the social development, economic development or national development education is destined to play very important vital role. When we talk about the role that I played in my Institute or my Institute played a certain role in society in Gujarat State I would say ours is the only State Open University, after 28 years recently we went for the first NAAC cycle and we are the first State Open University in India and First State University in Gujarat to be accredited with A++ and the credit goes to team BOU and a lot of initiatives that we have taken up understanding the true essence of education that I think have played vital role.

What’s the blend of digital education and the traditional education in your University?

It is rightly said nothing is permanent but change what education was a decade back or two decades back has completely changed. As an open University I would say that digital education plays vital role at a university I’ll give example of our university only that we have our own indigenous MOOC platform named as Omkar E, UGC has Swayam in the same way with four quadrants we have this particular MOOC platform so our courses are available on those platforms also we have a platform all digital books textbooks are available free of cost on that particular platform we have our own community radio working wonderfully for the community around the university. So, we are very active on social media be it be telegram Facebook and Instagram we have been and I think digital is New Normal for learners today so obviously the educational institute will have to understand that aspect of education.

So, what does the word new normal for you stands?

You see when we say new normal, New Normal is a not a particular milestone or a particular place it is a continuous process. Just think of it that before 20 years, long back pager was a new normal then mobile was a new normal now you know it keeps on changing. So, new normal is today something else tomorrow it will be something else and after tomorrow something else. Obviously after Corona we have understood new normal in particular since then now physically things are possible but I would say this phrase new normal keeps on changing be it be thought process of an individual, be it education system be it technology anything it keeps on changing.

We have all gathered here we’ve been witnessing that there are the players from the government fraternity, from the private sector the edtech players the corporate, what should be the outcome of certain forums?

From your question I’m reminded of my childhood when all of us used to play with jigsaw puzzle you know there will be a piece we will have a complete picture on a page and then the pieces of that game and we used to put those particular pieces at its right place to create a completely right picture. I think be it be Educational Institute, individual human beings, learners, edtech, government policy makers all of them are very important pieces of this jigsaw puzzle and when all of us become active very focused very result oriented and very importantly work together for the same kind of destination we can create the right picture of education, I very strongly believe.

I’m proud to say that we have recently completed our one year of existence and we celebrated our anniversary any message would you like to give for ArdorComm Media Group?

When you talk about new normal and we talked about nothing is permanent but change I feel always that ArdorComm should keep on working on continuous communication because at a point of time when communication stops or that order that passion seizes, things will not move forward so I would convey that I would very strongly say that passionately continue this communication. Let there be lot of difference in the means of communication and the messages that are being communicated wish you very all the best.