Prof. Dr. H L Verma, President (Vice Chancellor), Jagannath University, Rajasthan highlighted the importance of industry-academia outreach

“Quality education and employability, these two objectives of higher education can definitely be achieved if there is a full support of the industry in the processes,” says Prof. Dr. H L Verma, President (Vice Chancellor), Jagannath University, Rajasthan in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan

How’s your experience of witnessing today’s forum of Education Leadership Summit and Awards?

I must convey my thanks to ArdorComm Media Group for taking this initiative because it is the need of the time that you are able to bring industry stalwarts and the academic leaders at one platform and in the changed scenario. So, there is a need that the education is made more industry oriented because in the present market economy it is the demand of the economy that students ought to be upskilled, they need to be trained in a way that ultimately, they are fit for job. So, quality education and employability, these two objectives of higher education can definitely be achieved if there is a full support of the industry in the processes.

In isolation neither academic institutions can work effectively nor industry, for industry also it is required now in the whole process this higher educational scenario is going to be changed. Every one of us will have to have a very clear-cut future vision that what type of education now it is going to be as in the developed nations we find that industry and the academic institutions they work with close interactions so the same way industry should also come forward, they need to provide funds to the academic institutions but at the same time the system should be such that whatever is the outcome of education so that need to be shared with the industry and the outcome need to be marketed by the industry. For example, there is a research project funded by the industry so whatever is the outcome of that project ultimately resulting into patents or resulting into they can say the marketable products.

So, that should be the ultimate domain of the industry now unless and until in Indian conditions also, so this type of environment will emerge that industry interests are also taken care of, academic institutions interests are also taken care of and only then the right type of skill development can take place among the students that it is now a type of situation type of environment that in which everyone has to open up its steps and take the support of all relevant professionals and Industry people so that our youth our young generation so they are fully prepared to handle the future challenges.

With that background I am sure that this type of initiative which has been taken by Chandan ji so it is highly appreciable and in future so these types of more initiatives need to be taken and industry people and the academic institutions. So, all that requires change in mindset of the people now, so no academic institution can achieve excellence, can work in isolation and even I will suggest that the institutions instead of having practical labs within the campus and if these can be established inside the industry and the students go there in the industry they get more practical experience.

So, that type of you can say arrangement that will help achieve quality and student will be ready for the product development. I can say so because hands-on experience is more important so it is now education for market economy. So, theory and practice gap is to be bridged at all levels otherwise no institution can survive, can grow in the times to come so that is the type of environment which I understand is required.

I am glad to say that recently ArdorComm Media celebrated its one year of existence and one and a half years has already gone, we have seen many leaps and bounds, any message or advice would you like to give to ArdorComm Media?

ArdorComm is doing a great job, you are really providing leadership and what others neither at the government level nor at the institutions level alone can do it. So, organizations like you may be in the initial stage there can be certain difficulties because the most difficult thing in the society is to bring change in the mindset of all stakeholders. So, you are doing that, it’s really appreciable and it is a great job and we wish a great success for you because bringing industry and academics at one platform in itself is a great thing.