With the pandemic impacting schools and colleges, educational institutions have begun to think out-of-the-box to meet the challenges of digital learning, and to create cultures where innovative thinking is inspired and nurtured. They also have to prepare students for a rapidly-changing job market and make them self-reliant. To succeed, universities too need to be self-reliant. Here is how they are doing this.
New dimension to the incubator-entrepreneurship model: In the pre-COVID era, academic institutions focused on training their students in skills required in larger companies. But Atmanirbhar Bharat has moved the focus to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Ignoring this sector would be a lost opportunity. In developing nations across the world, MSMEs have engaged with academia by investing in research and innovation, a relationship that can benefit both institutions and industry.
Innovation, a major objective: With the help of advanced Artificial Intelligence and IoT, Indian universities have taken up the challenge of finding innovative solutions to the problems raised by COVID-19.
Sustainable employment: Industry relies on academia to train the talent required for the workplace and to ensure lifelong learning. Our educational institutes have begun following the “Experiential University” model to ensure that the students are job- and industry-ready.
The writer is the Vice Chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur.
