SHILLONG:
Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated a 3-day-long National Conference of Vice Chancellors on “Transformative Higher Education for Atmanirbhar Bharat” at the Central Auditorium of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on March 23 in the presence of Chairman of Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Dr Bibek Debroy, Assam Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, more than 500 hundred Vice Chancellors, and Directors of IITs, IIScs, NITs from India and abroad attended the programme.
This event has been organised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) from March 23 to March 25. Two books of AIU, namely the University News and the Report on Implementation of SDG were released by the dignitaries on the occasion.
Appreciating AIU and USTM for organising the event, Kovind said, “Our universities should try to make students capable citizens. Being at the top of the education system, universities should try to have global perspective. The AIU should play the role of an active stakeholder”. Transformative higher education requires coordinated efforts by all the stakeholders, he added.
The welcome address was delivered by Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM. Expressing gratitude to AIU and the former President Hoque said, “We have a world-class mission. We will work collaboratively with different institutions. We believe that only by producing good human resources, the country will be empowered”.
Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, AIU highlighted the role of AIU and the objectives of the VC’s Conference.
In the inaugural session of the conference, the special address was made by Dr Ranoj Pegu. He emphasised on employment generation to create the Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Delivering the AIU Foundation Day Lecture, Dr Bibek Debroy said, “There must be a certain benchmark level of enrolment that is necessary for an institution of higher education to be viable.” Referring to the NEP-2020 he said that we need to think of an exit policy for the institutions of higher education in India—not only for the students, but also for the faculty and infrastructure, based on quality.