IndiGlobal Bureau
Top universities in the world would be facilitated to operate in India thereby providing Indian students the chance to avail the best opportunities said, UGC chairman Professor M. Jagadesh Kumar to IANS on Friday. He further added that the dual degrees would make global education affordable.
Provisions for the setting up and operating campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) in India will allow Indian students to obtain foreign qualifications at an affordable cost.
Foreign HEIs numbering 49 are collaborating with Indian universities and the UGC approached the Ambassadors and Heads of Missions of nearly 66 countries whose universities are eligible for collaboration. Meetings with select US universities with the support of the Indian Mission and German universities in collaboration with DAAD were organised.
UGC has recently increased the seats for international students to 25 per cent in HEIs, apart from the international students in exchange programmes.
6180 posts in universities to be filled
The total number of sanctioned teaching posts in Central Universities under the purview of UGC is 18,956, with 12,776 posts filled and 6180 posts lying vacant. The UGC chairman said that the UGC recommended all Central Universities to fill vacancies in a mission mode. Presently, the universities appoint teachers on adhoc and contractual basis and as a result there is lack of motivation which is impeding progress.
It may be noted that the onus of filling up the teaching posts lies on Central Universities, autonomous bodies created under Acts of Parliament.
Professor of Practice- A new category
In a bid to provide the best to students the UGC has introduced a new category –‘Professor of Practice’. The UGC has framed the guidelines for empanelment of adjunct-faculty in universities and colleges. Under this category, professionals who have made a name for themselves in their chosen field and have the industry experience would be sharing knowledge with students.
National Digital University
The National Digital University is likely to be established on the hub and spoke model, will offer a whole gamut of qualifications and bring together various universities with no upper cap on the number of seats so that +2 passed out students can access higher education.
The National Higher Education Qualification Framework will also be implemented in New Year. It will ease the integration of vocational education into higher education. Further, launching the National Credit Framework as a single meta-framework will integrate credits from school, higher and vocational education, and experiential learning.
The universities will also implement the option of multiple entry and exit facilitated through the Academic Bank of Credits. Universities will be encouraged to incorporate the Indian Knowledge System into higher education. Getting a Twinning, Joint, or Dual Degree with academic collaborations between Indian and foreign HEIs will help Indian students get internationally relevant education in India.