Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research hosted Indo US Meet for Cooperation for transformation in Education. Over 65 delegates from US participated in the meet at Welingkar Institute of Management Development of Research, Mumbai on 4th December, 2011 Sunday
The delegates included policy makers , since it had around 23 state legislators and congressmen; corporates and academia. The delegates from education sector included deans, president , vice- chancellors from over a dozen of American universities.
From Indian academia, present on the occasion were Dr. Abhay Wagh, Deputy Secretary, Directorate of Technical Education, Dr. Rajan Welukar, Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, Dr. Abhay Dadhe, Chairman- Shikshana Prasarak Mandali and Dr Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research.
Dr (Prof) Uday Salunkhe welcomed the delegates as he outlined Welingkar’s role as a leading business school, sharing some of the brilliant achievements of its students and faculty at various forums across the globe.
Dr Salunkhe also mentioned that he looked forward to international cooperation with United States academia in the field of student internships and exchange programs, faculty exchange, conferences and competitions , joint research, and consultancy along with management development program. Welingkar Institute would strive for similar tie ups that make these possible. Welingkar Institute already has number of foreign students under student exchange programs.
Here it would be relevant mentioning that the Government of India has indicated that it would be sponsoring, up to 1,500 faculty and junior scholars to leading universities and research institutes in the United States to promote development of human resources while also enhancing broader interaction between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Abhay Wagh, Deputy Secretary, Directorate of Technical Education, shared the state policy of giving priority to the quality of education , gender parity,e- governance , reaching out to masses and international collaborations with foreign universities.
Dr Rajan Welukar, Vice Chancellor , University of Mumbai said that while we still have a long way to go to meet the educational aspirational needs of all the Indian youth in context of higher education. We need to provide higher education to around 25 million people in next 10 -15 years , going by the government target. To achieve the same have we need to have another 1500 universities and 50,000 colleges. The current status figures around 600 universities and 31000 affiliated colleges. This gap can be bridged only with concerted efforts of union and state governments along with the universities and affiliated colleges.
Facts and figures
•University of Mumbai is one of the oldest university established in year 1857, along with Universities of Madras and Kolkata
•It has some 650 affiliated colleges with around 6,50,000 students studying
•Around 171,000 students will graduate from these this year
•In sixty years the number of those seeking higher education has increased from 2,28,000 to 13 million
•We have to achieve the figure 25 million in next 10-15 years
• We currently have 600 universities and 31,000 affiliated colleges
•We need another 1500 universities and 50,000 colleges so to reach the set target of 25 million
•India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States
Among other dignitaries present on the occasion were Mr V Rangraj, Chairman-Indo US Education Council, Mr Manoj Gursahani, President-Indo American Society and Ms Shobhna Vasudevan, Principal- Poddar College, Mr Sanjay Puri- Alliance from US India Business and Mr Naresh Chandra, Former Pro VC- Mumbai University and Dr Vijay Khole, Former Vice Chancellor - University of Mumbai.
From among the delegates Steve Lakis, President-State Legislators Leadership Forum expressed his thanks for the warmth and hospitality extended to the delegates in India and particularly the traditional welcome given to them at Welingkar Campus. Most of the people in the group were in India for the first time.
The event not only created global bonhomie but also brought to the table concerted efforts of experts from diverse domains of the two nations; this unison is sure to parlay into enhanced collaboration in academic sphere and thus unfolding a new world of opportunities and development in sphere of higher education.
Take aways from the Meet
•Discussions on education policy issues, as the meet had policy makers , corporates and academia to promote co-operation between US and Indian educational institutions.
•Discussions around partnerships between educational institutions through joint degrees, joint research, faculty exchange, and student exchange programme and other areas of bilateral co-operation.
•Quality assurance and accreditation
•Areas of interests in which the two nations would like to work jointly
•Encouraging expansion and deepened collaboration in research and development in the above areas between academic institutions of the two countries
•Fostering partnerships in the areas of higher education and skills enhancement to meet the needs of today’s world
The meet will probably prove to be another significant link in the dialogue process and efforts towards the Indo US cooperation in field of higher education and thus unfold a bigger, better and more concerted picture of things in the academia landscape.