Prof Dr M M Salunkhe, Vice Chancellor, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University speaks about how the institute is diversifying

“Now we would like to go into the domain of artificial intelligence, big data and so many other new things” says Prof Dr M M Salunkhe, Vice Chancellor, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University in an interview with Chandan Anand, Founding Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm – Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’ #HEETPune

Bharati Vidyapeeth is one of the institutions who has classes from KG to PG, how has the institute diversified under your leadership?

In case of Bharati Vidyapeeth it is already a multidisciplinary, multi-campus university. As per new education policy everybody expected to have medical, engineering, agriculture, pharmacy all the courses on one campus. We have already all the programs in one campus under the umbrella of Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University. But in addition to this we have three specialized research institutes and you have specifically questioned how we are trying to diversify. Now we would like to go into the domain of artificial intelligence, big data and so many other new things. Even we have gone to the physiotherapy, it is a school, now we would like to establish another ayurvedic college at Kolhapur, already hospital has been started and we are diversifying. We are also planning to set up another campus at Sonipat in New Delhi.

I would like to understand how does this kind of forum, conclaves help where you have conferences going on there is an expo area and involvement of government also?

See one thing is very clear, universities are always discussing about industry academia interaction and it is lacking and I’m very happy I congratulate you for organizing this particular event in which industry and academia they are coming together they are discussing about their problems their association and so many things and so it is a good initiative. I have read one paper in some international journal where they have calculated the indices where industry academy interaction and they have shown a tripod and when the tripod is balanced then only the academic activity is better but I’m very happy with such type of interaction. There is a lacuna in our system regarding industry academy interaction that will improve and definitely I’m looking forward. In future ed-tech companies will collaborate with universities and will try to train students in better way.

What will be your message to the next generation learners?

I was a vice chancellor of different universities, I worked in central university, state university as well as open university and I was very happy and I was very curious because as an open university vice chancellor we used to discuss a lot about digital university and along with MKCL we have prepared some documents about digital university and today we have specific station on this particular concept and all ed tech companies they are enthusiastic about this particular concept and already we could start this particular online education when I was vice chancellor of Shivaji University then we started distance but online programs we have started at YCMU and being a ‘A’ category university we have started also online programs at Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University and we have very good response we have more than 6000 students and now we should dream for digital university and that is the next generation learners should be digital learners otherwise they can’t survive in this particular scenario.