Faculty members in higher educational institutions across the country have a greater responsibility in exposing the students to latest developments in curriculum in other foreign countries so that they will be able to face the challenges in terms of educational competence and skill. Higher educational managements should be aware of the fact that e-learning and online open courses have been making a great influence on the present-day educational system in the globalisation scenario, said speakers at a panel discussion on "Opportunities and challenges in higher education - international and national perspective" organised by National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi and M.A.M. College of Engineering and Technology, here on Monday.
A large number of principals and representatives of higher educational institutions across the central region participated in the panel discussion which was addressed by eminent educationists.
M. Anandakrishnan, former Vice-Chancellor, Anna University and former Chairman of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, said that higher educational institutions across the country should ensure that their students are exposed to the standards of curriculum across the globe, without confining themselves to limited areas. He said there was a growing demand for highly skilled teachers and faculty members in the present-day scenario. "Simultaneous sanction of a large number of Central varsities, or Indian Institute of Technology and other higher educational institutes has been one of the factors responsible for the continuous demand for professionally skilled teachers," he said. He also added that not many bright students were inclined to take to teaching profession and the reasons should be analysed, including the salary structure.
He expressed serious concern over the lopsided development in the educational scenario. "Ten lakh engineers come out of the portals of the colleges, although there has been a growing demand for other branches including music, fine arts, and other branches," he said. He said that funding for the higher education should be increased.
Jandhyala B. G. Tilak, Vice-Chancellor, National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, in his address said that the core issues on inter-linking of education with regard to primary, secondary and higher education should be addressed. Quality of higher education largely depended on primary and secondary level of education. He also said that the system of rating should not be misused on any account by the educational institutions.
Esha Sinha, Programme Officer, Committee on National Statistics, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, United States, said higher education planning should ensure both short-term and long-term plans for achieving sustained growth. Productivity measurement and management would make the Indian higher education system competitive in the international arena.
The panel discussed issues including funding of higher education, creating world class universities, availability of quality teachers, delinking placement from institutional management, accountability of teachers and administrators.
Hamish Bennett Coates, Professor and Chair, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne, Australia, spoke on the relevance of placement opportunities and ranking system across the globe.
G. Kannabiran, Director in-charge, NIT-T spoke on the objectives of the panel discussion.
