AIU North Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference decide to directly connect higher education with industry

AIU North Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference decide to directly connect higher education with industries

Dehradun,  Nov 6  The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has taken a significant decision to connect education with the needs of the industry. This largest global association of universities which has been associated with universities for over hundred years, will link industries with this association of universities. This decision was taken  at AIU North Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference, held at Graphic Era Medical College here with an aim to bring a huge change in the higher education system of India.
The two day conference focussed on issues related to higher education, with Vice Chancellors of more than 100 universities engaging in serious deliberations. In the conference, Vice Chancellors gave suggestions like implementing artificial intelligence in various subjects, aligning education with the need of industries, creating models suited best with country’s environment rather than copying models of foreign universities, organizing workshops for teachers to familiarize them with new technologies.
Addressing the valedictory session of North Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference, President of Association of Indian Universities and Vice Chancellor of Chatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur Dr. Vinay Kumar Pathak said that efforts will be made to connect the association with industry in order to provide better job opportunities to students. Students will be able to gain knowledge and learn technology according to their needs after engaging with the industry.
He said that plenty of research papers are written in India but they don’t lead to many tangible products. Even though India has places like silicon valley, more unicorns are incubated in foreign countries like US. In our country no big products are made from the research papers. Bridging this gap is very important, he added.
President of AIU Dr. Pathak said that most of the students here are not globally employable as  they lack in preparations. “For connecting students with global requirements we have to first understand the problem properly then work on their solutions. The country is lacking in ranking, the number of good ranking universities is less. We are unable to replicate high level Universities of the world. Till now the work in being done according to association’s agenda of 100 years. There is a growing need for adopting to new times, ” he said.
Dr. Pathak emphasized on need for changes in thinking and understanding. He urged both the association and the universities to change according to the current scenario. He hoped that the association is headed towards correct direction.
Joint secretaries of Association of Indian Universities Dr. Pankaj Kumar Mittal highlighted that AI cannot be one course. It should be integrated into every course. Universities should continuously engage in experiments to connect with new innovations and technologies. Every University should allocate 10% of their budget for technological advancements.
Dr. Mittal said that there are several challenges in the education field such as digital divide, readiness of teachers for learning and teaching new technologies, infrastructure, implementation of blended learning mode in the country and increasing digital literacy in students. The use of AI in the field of education can help in personalized learning for students, intelligent tutoring system and saving teacher’s valuable time. Through artificial intelligence creater opportunities will be made available to the students in rural areas. Teachers can reach villages via online mode. AI will also help in bridging the language barriers between the teachers and students.He said that there is a need to create more awareness about cyber crime. Teachers and students should also be taught in this regard. The curriculum of universities should be updated continuously.
Vice Chancellor of Graphic Era Deemed University, Dr. Narpinder Singh said that this conference has been organized to establish relations between the Vice Chancellors of North Zone. This has opened the way for new and bigger cooperation.A very important brainstorming has taken place in two days. This will bring good results. It is necessary to connect old models of learning with new technologies. Delhi Technological University Vice Chancellor Prof. Prateek Sharma presided over the session on Cyber Security and Data Privacy in Higher Education Institutions.In the conference, Chairman of Graphic Era Group of Institutions Dr. Kamal Ghanshala, Pro Chancellor Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Vice Chancellor Dr. Narpinder Singh and Nodal Officer of the conference Prof. Rupa Khanna Malhotra were honored for the excellent arrangements of the event.
AIU Joint Secretary Dr. Alok Kumar Mishra expressed his gratitude. Former President of AIU, Prof. G.D. Sharma, Joint Secretaries of Association of Indian Universities  Ranjana Parihar and Kuldeep Dagar as well as Vice Chancellor of Haryana Central University, Prof. Tankeshwar Kumar,Vice Chancellor of Pantnagar University, Dr. Manmohan Singh Chauhan, Prof. Of Central University of Himachal Pradesh S.P. Bansal, Vice Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Prof. Somnath Sachdeva, Prof. S.K.Mehta of University of Ladakh. 
More than a hundred Vice Chancellors of North Zone including Dr. Manpreet Singh Manna of Chandigarh University, Prof. Mohammad Mobin of Cluster University of Srinagar, Dr. Nidup Dorji of Royal University of Bhutan, Prof. Balwinder Shukla of Amity University participated in this conference. The conference was hosted  by Professor M.P.Singh of Graphic Era deemed university.