International conference on Education Concluded

Curtains came down on the three day international conference on higher education hosted by MG University on Saturday.

The conference, which adopted the seven point Kottayam Declaration on Higher Education which expressed serious concern over the National policy Initiatives on Higher Education now underway in the country,

has also taken a critical view of the matters related to privatization and commercialization of education as well as unbridled course of internationalization of higher education.

The declaration, prepared on the basis of the deliberations of the conference has made a plea to evolve a strategic plan at the State and national level, capable of ensuring socially inclusive education stressing the need to foster values and ensuring social justice and sustainable development. The declaration has also stressed on the need to evolve appropriate regulative frameworks that shall ensure quality and excellence, equity and access as well as transparency and accountability in the realm of education.

It has also made a plea for additional academic, financial, and other forms of support form State and Central government agencies to initiate institutional innovations, curriculum review, credit mobility and transfer as well as competitive faculty development programmes.

The document which calls for dialogue among academia, policy makers and all stake holders on all matters pertaining to educational reforms has also reiterated the need to incorporate the experiences related to alternate learning, teaching and schooling practices available in various segments in the society.

The conference report and the Declaration on Higher Education will be submitted to the State Government, Kerala State higher Education council, UGC, NAAC, MHRD and UNESCO.

The conference was attended by 120 registered delegates from within and outside India. The conference had academic representation from Jinan university, China, Hawaii Pacific University, University of Mauritius, Nova South Eastern University, McGill University, University of Swaziland, Valencia community college, University of Central Florida (both USA), Ausone Domaine University( France), University of Alabama and Bringham Young University, according to organisers.

The high point of the three day conference was the unique People’s Session where academics, non governmental organizations and people’s platforms came together.