YEAR 1 | ISSUE 3 | JULY, 2012 The US education system is also being challenged by their stake-holders to deliver quality education at affordable costs. The universities are adjusting to this new reality by trying new approaches to enhance learning while controlling costs. The availability of on-line degree programs and courses pose a serious challenge for the “bricks and mortar” approach to higher education. In spite of some challenges, every US citizen who is interested in furthering his/her education still has access to quality higher education that adds considerable value to their professional development. Every institution is unique with its own set of published goals that serve the needs of their stake-holders and the faculty and the staff of the institution understand their respective roles and are motivated and empowered to pursue excellence within those parameters. Team-work and synergy created by this style of management is one of the main reasons for the success of the overall system. Do you see reverse brain drain a reality in today’s economically booming India?
6 opportunities through research, internships and projects that address societal problems. What are your expectations from students and your colleagues at Galgotias University? The expectations from the faculty and students will be same as I expect from myself. I would like total commitment to quality and continuous improvement in performing our duties and being true to our promises. We are embarking on a road to build a world-class university and it can only happen if every member of the GU family contributes his/her ideas to achieve a common vision and vigorously pursues them. If someone is assigned certain responsibility and they have agreed to take it on, I then expect them to follow through and deliver results. I expect that we will have plenty of teething pains but the good news is that we will be creating unique and innovative solutions that will be futuristic and free from the shackles of archaic rules that often bog down established institutions. Many foreign universities are setting up their centers in India or arranging a tie-up with existing institutions. Do you think this will improve education scenario in India?
“Brain drain” is a term that applies to the mass migration of technical professionals such as engineers, doctors and financial and management professionals from countries such as India that Yes there is potential for big improvements with international occurred in the second half of the collaborations but only when twentieth century. These programs are planned carefully by professionals were seeking both sides and are designed to Our ultimate objective is to identify the best curriculum better opportunities for address specific needs. Simply and pedagogical approaches for the students in all fields themselves in the developed emulating someone else’s program and create learning opportunities through research, world at a time when those or a “me-too” approach is not the internships and projects that address societal problems. opportunities were not right mentality. Deep commitments available in India and similarly are also needed to make less developed countries. Things have programs successful and that comes about only when both sides now changed so that brain drain has become a term of the past. benefit equally from the collaboration leading to a win-win People can live anywhere and telecommute to work elsewhere in situation that is sustainable. the world without having to physically move and can enjoy job Given the fact that Indian students lack in soft-skills and there is satisfaction that they seek and live in a country of their choosing. less practical exposure. How are you going to address this issue Young Indian professionals have plenty of opportunities right here at Galgotias University? in India to work for global companies, several of whom are Indian owned. This trend is very good for India. To directly answer your question, I don’t foresee any “large-scale” movement of people from developed countries back to India in the near future. There will of course be a few that are motivated by opportunities to give back and will return to India; these surely fall within the category of reverse brain drain. I expect the number of such cases to be rather small. Then there are those whose roots in the USA and other developed countries are not as deep because of their short tenure there who might want to return if good opportunities are available to them in India. The latter, in my opinion, does not fall in the category of reverse brain drain but is certainly an encouraging trend for India and must be exploited. There may also be opportunities for India to attract talent from lesser developed countries and also attract people on short-term visiting assignments from the developed countries. Both these opportunities should be developed further to India’s advantage. What changes are you going to bring in the existing education system at Galgotias? I intend to spend the first few weeks to meet people and understand and assess the strengths of GU and synthesize a collective vision and specific goals that support the vision. We will then develop a strategic plan to pursue those goals. Our ultimate objective is to identify the best curriculum and pedagogical approaches for the students in all fields and create learning
I am glad that lack of soft-skills and practical exposure is already recognized as a problem and GU is already trying to address it. Let me first take on the issue of soft-skills. The first step is to make students aware that soft-skills are essential for success in careers and have them recognize the importance of soft-skills in getting ahead. Soft-skills are acquired over time and cannot be addressed in a single course or a topic. The entire curriculum must be examined to identify opportunities for introducing content that specifically targets the development of soft-skills. For example, requiring more assignments/projects where the students are challenged to think independently and communicate their ideas and thought processes in oral and written reports while working in teams is a very effective way of addressing soft-skills. Encouraging active learning in class rooms through discussion is another way of reinforcing the value of communications skills. It is equally important for students to receive timely and critical feedback from their instructors and professors and their own class-mates on their performance in a very supportive environment. Other soft-skills such as becoming adept at social conversations, dining and dress etiquettes, interview skills, sensitivity and tolerance of others who come from different social/ cultural/religious backgrounds etc. can be addressed with non-credit programs such as a Professional Development Institute and social clubs. I am glad to see that GU is already emerging as a leader in promoting social clubs and I will continue to encourage the clubs that add to the educational value of the students.