ArdorComm Media Group

Contact Us
Menu

higher education

UGC Greenlights Off-Campus Expansion for State Private Universities, Bolstering Education Accessibility

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has paved the way for state-private universities to establish off-campus centres, marking a significant stride towards enhancing educational accessibility. This move, endorsed during the 577th UGC meeting on February 13, 2024, aligns with the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and is poised to elevate the quality and reach of higher education in India. According to the guidelines set forth by the UGC, state-private universities seeking to establish off-campus centres must meet stringent criteria, including a minimum operational history of five years to demonstrate stability and experience. Additionally, provisions within the respective State University Acts must facilitate the establishment of these centres, ensuring regulatory compliance and adherence to educational standards. Experts anticipate a transformative impact on education accessibility, particularly for students residing in smaller towns and cities. The establishment of off-campus centres closer to their homes is expected to reduce the overall cost of education and broaden the spectrum of learning opportunities. States with sizable populations, such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka, are poised to witness substantial benefits from this initiative. While 471 private universities await approval for off-campus centres from the UGC, several privately owned deemed-to-be universities have already received permission to establish such centres. This move has garnered commendation from educational institutions, with stakeholders recognizing its potential to foster excellence in education and expand learning opportunities across diverse locations. To ensure compliance and maintain educational standards, state private universities are required to submit formal proposals to a standing committee constituted by the UGC. Quarterly inspections will be conducted, and any violations may result in the closure of the centre, with students relocated to the main campus. Additionally, a processing fee of Rs 10 lakh will be levied for the establishment of these centres, as outlined in the notice. The UGC’s decision to permit off-campus expansion for state private universities signifies a progressive step towards democratizing education and empowering students with greater access to high-quality educational infrastructure.

Maharashtra Unveils ‘MAHASWAYAM’ Portal for Online Higher Education Courses

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

The state government of Maharashtra is gearing up to launch ‘MAHASWAYAM,’ a dedicated portal for higher education courses. Drawing inspiration from the central government’s SWAYAM portal, ‘MAHASWAYAM’ aims to create a comprehensive platform for online courses, aligning with the evolving landscape of education. Chandrakant Patil, the Minister of Higher and Technical Education, chaired a meeting on Friday to deliberate on the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state. Professor Shailendra Deolankar, the Director of Higher Education, underscored the active involvement of state universities in offering online courses. To ensure inclusivity for all students, the decision was made to launch ‘MAHASWAYAM’ as a state-centric portal. Under the NEP, students now have the flexibility to pursue online courses for minor subjects, earning valuable credits towards their final scores. Addressing concerns related to academic calendars and fees on the existing SWAYAM portal, Deolankar emphasized that ‘MAHASWAYAM’ aims to provide a holistic solution for both students and administrators. “To implement this initiative, the state government has formed a consortium comprising Yashvantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Savitribai Phule Pune University, University of Mumbai, and Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Over the next three months, the consortium will collaboratively design the portal, focusing on courses related to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS),” said Deolankar. Minister Patil stressed the importance of leveraging social media for information dissemination, urging the department to comprehensively update the web portal in multiple languages. Additionally, he directed the creation of a dedicated Twitter handle for the Higher and Technical Education Department to ensure regular updates reach a wider audience. The imminent launch of ‘MAHASWAYAM’ is anticipated to reshape the higher education landscape in Maharashtra, offering students a versatile and accessible platform for online learning.  

Dr. Pranati Tilak, Trustee, Chairman- Executive Council, TMV & Chairman, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyalaya, Emphasizes on Technology Implementation in Education

Leave a Comment / By / Interviews

“The important aspect that I like the most about this event is that you have involved right from school educators to high education educationist” said Dr. Pranati Tilak, Trustee, Chairman- Executive Council, TMV & Chairman, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyalaya at ArdorComm New Normal- Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023” held in Pune, Maharashtra on 24th November 2023. We are talking so much about skilling any initiative under your leadership on skilling that your institute is taking? Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth has been deemed to be a university we’ve got colleges as well and we run school as well. Now NEP has been implemented across higher education. Skills and promoting technical skills are an integral part of the policy. We have inculcated those in the curriculum and higher education level. At the school level, I like to emphasize the abilities of the students more on the life skills and the emotional ability as well because I feel that the need of the hour now is not just academic knowledge but also co-curricular activities, sports is an important aspect but at the same time, children need to know about life skills and emotional balance as well as how to deal with situations when things don’t go their way because they’re going to face a lot of competition going ahead and they also have a lot of information and exposure via social media as well. So how do they deal with and process it positively? All these concern needs to be addressed I feel right from the school level as well. Many organizations are now implementing technological services that help in running their process smoothly. have you implemented any of these and how it is helping you? We do have an in-house recording studio and we have been implementing online lectures so right from the time I joined TMV we have been working on online examinations for the past 16 years. So we have been implementing that way before any other institute has done that and because of the lockdown, we were all forced to move to the digital platform so like I said we do have an online recording studio. So we’ve recorded online lectures which are available for the students. Nowadays we can’t process or function without LMS as so those are the things we do have in place. Digital boards are some of the tools that are helping students in higher education as well as school level. At the school level, I think it is much more important because in school the attention span of students is much less as compared to children who are older. So the positive intervention of digital technology is very important in the school level. With such a rich legacy and you being in a responsible position as an educator, would you like to tell us how your group is contributing towards spreading education? As I mentioned earlier Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth runs a school as well as it is involved in higher education as well. So KG to Ph.D. is the dream we’ve seen for the organisation and slowly we are realising it as well now. And we must keep in touch with the times because what the industry requires is what the education institute is required to provide. So bridging the industry-academia gap is very important so those are the kind of facility the exposure that we give to students at the same time what does our country stands for or how are we different from other cultures so most of the time students get glamour struck they want to duplicate whatever is going on in the western country but we have such a beautiful culture and rich heritage for which I’m privileged I am privileged to be a part of the family wherein Lok Manya Tilak did fight for our country his entire life that’s what his  life aim was so that aspect somewhere is getting lost and that is something that at all level we especially from the school level itself we do put in that aspects we kind of try to achieve a blend between traditional and modern education as well so while the facilities what the infrastructure is very modern we do stick to our core values wherein we give the students the solid grounding the roots that they require to fly high.   What was the takeaway from today’s event? So brilliant event today the interaction between  the panel I was part of as well so the given take was so qualitative it was not just for the hack of you know we have come from a panel discussion let me just say update and keep quiet everybody was so involved and so was the audience so I think whenever you attend any event even if it’s a speaker or in the capacity of a noted speaker what is important is what do you take away as well because you expect a little bit of learning from every event and it’s a beautiful way of Bond bonding the community and the important aspect that I like the most about this event is that you have involved right from school educators to high education educationist as well what happens is like emphasize again and again things need to start at the grass fruit level things need to start from the school level so the input that everybody gets from hair if they are implemented in school at that early age I think that the most beautiful aspect that you have done in the Summit. We are proud to say that we have recently completed two years of existence and we are celebrating our 2nd anniversary, any messages or suggestions for ArdorComm Media? You are doing great work and like you mentioned earlier you aspire to go International as well. I hope that I see that very soon and Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth will be supporting you in your future endeavours.

Haryana Sets Ambitious Target for Full Adoption of New Education Policy by 2025

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

Haryana’s Higher Education Minister, Moolchand Sharma, announced the state’s ambitious plan to fully adopt the National Education Policy 2020 by 2025, accelerating the timeline from the initially projected 2030 deadline. This bold initiative was spotlighted during the State Level Implementation Committee meeting on the policy, where Minister Sharma underscored its transformative objectives aimed at positioning India as a global educational powerhouse. Acknowledging the instrumental role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in shaping the policy, Sharma commended Chief Minister Manohar Lal’s accelerated agenda. The commitment to achieving the vision by 2025 reflects the state’s dedication to shaping India’s educational landscape for the 21st century. Minister Sharma highlighted the forward-looking approach of the policy, integrating cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence, 3-D printing, data analysis, and biotechnology into higher education. The emphasis is on cultivating adept professionals and enhancing youth employability to meet the evolving demands of the job market. Expressing optimism about the progress, Sharma stated, “We aspire to exceed a 50 percent gross enrollment ratio of girls in higher education by 2030.” Haryana has already achieved a commendable 32 percent enrollment ratio among girls, positioning itself strongly to reach the 50 percent milestone well before the 2030 target. Envisioning a transformative future, Minister Sharma sees the effective implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 as a mechanism propelling India to become a ‘Vishwa Guru’ once again, joining the league of leading global educational frontrunners.

IIT Madras and SRIHER Collaborate on MD-PhD Dual Degree Program for Advancing Medical Research in India

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

IIT Madras and Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to introduce a MD-PhD Dual Degree program. The collaboration aims to blend medical expertise and research capabilities, with SRIHER granting the MD degree and IIT Madras conferring the PhD degree through its Department of Medical Sciences and Technology. The program, set to commence in the upcoming academic year, emphasizes core clinical, interdisciplinary, and translational research to train proficient research scientists. Prospective postgraduate students at SRIHER, admitted through NEET, can apply for the PhD program at IIT Madras after their second year. The initiative seeks to cultivate ‘Physician-Scientists’ to drive India’s advancement in medicine and health research, aligning with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in these fields. The MD-PhD graduates, recognized for their significant contributions, have historically garnered 37 percent of Nobel Prizes in Physiology, exemplifying their pivotal role in establishing crucial cause-and-effect relationships such as those between smoking and cancer or sugar and diabetes.

Record 35% Surge in Indian Students Boosts US International Enrollment to 40-Year High

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

The number of Indian students attending US colleges has seen a significant 35% increase, contributing to the highest single-year growth in international student enrollment in over 40 years. A joint study by the State Department and the Institute of International Education revealed that the overall international student population in the US surged by 12% during the 2022-23 academic year, with more than 1 million students from abroad – the highest since 2019-20. CEO of the Institute of International Education, Allan E Goodman, emphasized that the US remains the preferred destination for international students worldwide. The report indicates a robust educational relationship between the US and India, with nearly 269,000 Indian students enrolled, surpassing previous records and ranking second only to China. Most of these students pursued graduate programs, particularly in science, technology, and business fields. While China still tops the list with 290,000 students, its numbers have decreased for the third consecutive year, reflecting a shift in demand. The study attributes this decline to strained international relations, competition from UK and Canadian universities, and extended travel restrictions in Asia during the pandemic. US universities have strategically focused on recruiting in India, given the predicted population growth, with students from India now outnumbering those from China in 24 states. Graduate programs in the US remained the primary attraction for international students for the second consecutive year, experiencing a 21% growth, while undergraduate numbers saw a modest 1% increase. The reversal of the previous decade’s trend, where undergraduate enrollments dominated, is credited to the popularity of math and computer science programs, witnessing a 20% surge. Engineering and business programs followed suit, collectively constituting over half of all international students in the US. This surge nearly restores international student numbers to pre-pandemic levels, reaching close to the 2018 peak of 1.1 million students. Despite comprising only 5.6% of all college students, international students play a significant role in US higher education, contributing to global exchange and providing substantial revenue through higher tuition rates. Following China and India, other nations sending the most students to the US include South Korea, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Nigeria. The study also highlights a record number of students from countries like Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, and Spain in the previous school year. While international student numbers are on the rise, many US colleges continue to grapple with declining domestic enrollment. Overall college enrollment remains sluggish, and a separate study by the National Student Clearinghouse indicates a 3.6% decrease in freshman enrollment for fall 2023.

UGC Unveils Regulations Allowing Top Global Universities to Establish Campuses in India

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently released regulations allowing foreign universities ranked among the top 500 globally to establish branch campuses in India. This comes shortly after Australia’s Western Sydney University announced plans for an independent campus in Bangalore. The new regulations empower these foreign institutions to determine their admission processes, fee structures, and facilitate the repatriation of funds to their parent campuses. The guidelines stipulate that two or more foreign universities can collaborate to establish campuses in India, provided each institution individually meets the eligibility criteria. Additionally, a foreign university is permitted to set up multiple campuses in India, with a separate application required for each proposed location. The final regulations, released after a 10-month period of public feedback on the draft, include several modifications. Notably, foreign universities must ensure that international faculty members appointed to teach at Indian campuses stay in the country for at least one semester. The processing time for applications by the standing committee has been extended from 45 to 60 days, and recommendations must be presented to the UGC within 60 days. The regulations also specify that foreign universities cannot establish learning centers, study centers, or franchises that act as representative offices for promotional activities in India or any other jurisdiction outside the country without prior approval from the UGC. Moreover, the regulations prohibit the offering of programs online or in open and distance learning modes, except for online lectures, which should not exceed 10% of the program requirements. Foreign institutions are exempt from annual fees to the UGC, only requiring a one-time application fee. They are expected to use their own infrastructure, land, and resources to establish campuses. Additionally, foreign universities may offer full or partial merit-based or need-based scholarships and fee concessions to Indian students on their campuses. While these regulations align with the National Education Policy of 2020, which aims to create a legislative framework for top global universities in India, previous attempts, including those by the UPA government, faced opposition from parties such as the BJP and the Left when they were in the opposition.

Over 20 Million Students Register on UGC’s Academic Bank of Credit, Says UGC Chairman

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community
News on Edu

UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar announced that more than 20 million students from across the nation have registered on the University Grants Commission’s Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) platform. He made this announcement during the western zone vice chancellor’s conference held at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda, Gujarat, on October 26. Chairman Kumar emphasized that in recent years, the UGC has introduced various reforms. Although over 20 million students have already registered on the ABC platform, he stressed the importance of ensuring that every student register and that their academic credentials and credit certificates are uploaded to the ABC platform. During the conference, the UGC Chairman also discussed the progress made in implementing the reforms initiated by the UGC. The Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) is one of the provisions outlined in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). ABC offers undergraduate and postgraduate students the flexibility to exit and re-enter their courses within a specified time frame. Additionally, it aims to provide every student with the opportunity to open an academic bank account with ABC to transfer credits for the attainment of various degrees, diplomas, or certificates.

UGC Draft Guidelines Propose Mandatory Internships for Undergraduate Students to Enhance Employability and Research Skills

Leave a Comment / By / Education Community

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released preliminary guidelines suggesting mandatory internships for undergraduate students as a means to enhance their employability and foster an understanding of research while earning academic credits. These draft guidelines, titled “Guidelines for Internship/Research Internship for Undergraduate Students,” are aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes the integration of internships and research opportunities into undergraduate curricula. The UGC made these guidelines available to the public for feedback and suggestions. The UGC has recognized that many graduates struggle to enter the workforce due to their lack of practical skills, knowledge, and experience, which employers typically seek. Internships are considered a crucial tool for improving these employability skills and can equip students with competency, professionalism, expertise, and confidence, as well as kindle their interest in research. Currently, internships are not obligatory for all undergraduate programs and are primarily restricted to technical and professional courses. UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar believes that hands-on experience through internships will bridge the gap between academic learning and the real world, enhancing students’ grasp of concepts. He emphasizes the importance of students acquiring a broad range of skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. These internships, as outlined in the UGC guidelines, are designed to help students gain valuable soft and technical skills highly valued by employers and establish professional connections with potential mentors. The draft guidelines propose two types of undergraduate internships: those focused on employability and those designed to cultivate a passion for research. For students pursuing a three-year undergraduate degree, a mandatory internship of 60 to 120 hours will occur after the fourth semester. Those opting for a four-year degree will participate in a research internship during the eighth semester. These internships can earn students up to 12 academic credits. The guidelines also recommend the appointment of a coordinator or the establishment of a well-defined mechanism for the smooth coordination and execution of internships across diverse disciplines within each higher education institution’s research and development (R&D) cell. Furthermore, the guidelines propose evaluating students during their internships. Evaluation methods may include assessments by the research internship supervisor based on the students’ efforts and research output or through seminar presentations and viva-voce at the higher education institution (HEI).

Sudhir Shetty, Vice President – Marketing, Anthology, Discusses the Company’s Vision for Education Technology in India

Leave a Comment / By / Interviews

“Our USP has always been that we will bring the best-in-class solutions in whichever areas we operate,” says Sudhir Shetty, Vice President – Marketing, Anthology, in an interview with Pratik Ghosh, Content Writer, ArdorComm Media at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’ #ELSABengaluru #ELSAKarnataka How are you feeling to witness the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards in Bangalore? Yeah, it was a good event as I got a lot of new learnings. There were people from public universities, private universities, corporates, so it was a really good session. Could you highlight what Anthology is offering to the K-12 as well as the higher education sector? We are globally one of the largest education technology providers for higher education. We are in 80 plus countries and work with around 8,000 plus institutions. We offer end-to-end solutions for students, from the time they take admission to the time they become alumni. We incorporate the best of Enterprise Solutions, from teaching and learning to operations to CRMs. We have it all. We have been in India for some time under different names, and we primarily promote our SIS (Student Information Systems) and our Learning Management Solutions under the Blackboard name. What is the vision and mission of Anthology? We are in the business of education, so we aim to spread education across the globe and improve from an India perspective. We want to be enablers in the gross enrolment ratios, encouraging students to go for higher education. Our global aim is to improve the lives of both educators and people who are getting educated. What’s the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of Anthology? We build the best-in-class technology solutions, but we also work in an interoperable world. We believe that the student and learner experience should be world-class, and we build all our solutions with a focus on the learner’s perspective and promoting lifelong learning. We were the first to incorporate AI from OpenAI into an LMS solution, and we have many firsts in this field. We invented the category of learning management 30 years ago. Our USP has always been that we will bring the best-in-class solutions in whichever areas we operate. Any message or wishes for ArdorComm Media Group on recently completing its 2 years journey? I would wish them all the best of luck, and they have been a great partner to us. We’ll continue working with them as it has been really helpful in spreading our message to this market, especially in growing in this market.