Push for state to woo foreign univs

The webinar, National Education Policy (NEP), 2020: A game changer for Telangana, organised by the FICCI Telangana State Council in association with the Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE), on Saturday, saw brainstorming by various stakeholders and education experts from different sectors to establish a plan of action for the effective implementation of the policy in the state.

During the three plenary sessions, the focus was on increasing private investment into higher education as well as achieving sustainability in higher education spaces through infrastructural support for new universities through government funding. Suggestions were made for enhancing research skills and resources for students and improving the assessment system at the higher education level in order to produce globally accepted graduates who are work-ready, with a curriculum keeping in mind industry needs and future requirements.

Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary, and Naveen Mittal, commissioner collegiate education, who represented the government at the event, focused on teacher training as an essential part of enhancing higher education. Ranjan said “Teacher training is a fundamental aspect of the education system; more like a make or break situation. Running a very solid teachers’ training programme, especially for those already in service should be mandated immediately.” The need to de-affiliate colleges was also on the agenda. “Only after we move out of the affiliation system and let these colleges survive on their own will we be able to differentiate on the basis of quality of education. This affiliation system, if you look globally, is mostly found in South Asia, and not in other parts of the world,” said Mittal.

Meanwhile, a demand to attract top foreign universities to the state was made by all stakeholder and policy experts by branding Telangana state as a global higher education hub through the promotion of excellence and competition using rankings, ratings, etc.