ArdorComm in partnership with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other Government bodies organized an Education Leadership Summit and Awards in Bangalore on 7th January 2022. This two days symposium and Summit brought together leading thinkers, policy makers and Industry experts from across the Nation who discussed and exchange ideas and collaborated to shape the future. This Summit also witnessed who’s who from Apex Government bodies, Academicians and Educators from Universities, Colleges, B. School, Engineering Institute, K12 and Pre School, Experts from Corporate, Edtech Companies and Startups.
Dr. Manish Kothari, Managing Director, ISBR Business School , was invited to be the Speaker and Session Moderator for the panel discussion with the topic – The Rise of Lifelong Education in the ‘New Normal’ Era.
The other panelist included emminent speakers as follows :
1. Dr. Kerron G. Reddy, CEO, AIMS Institutes, Bangalore Urban.
2. Manish Kothari, Managing Director, ISBR Business School, Bangalore Urban. (Session Moderator)
3. Hersh Shah, CEO, Institute of Risk Management – India Affiliate, Mumbai.
4. Prof. Ajay Kumar Singh, Vice Chancellor, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha
5. Prof. R. Karpaga Kumaravel, Senior Professor & Dean, School of Behavioural Sciences, and former Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University
Following were the deliberations of the discussion:
We all can agree that major changes are happening around us. In the fast-changing global environment, what are the recent trends in education that will prepare the students rightly for a better tomorrow? The event aims to discuss important facets to ensure individuals continue to learn despite bumps in the road ahead.
In order to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, different schools, government initiatives and edtech companies spread out pathbreaking initiatives in alignment with digitalization. Due to increased internet penetration and digitalization, students continue to be empowered by different institutions and stakeholders to participate in lifelong learning and education. As a result, educators, students and all sorts of learners are upskilling as we speak. Students standing on the threshold of finding jobs will be expected to know all emerging and latest skills. Hence, lifelong learning – flexible courses, programmes and distance learning will allow individuals to possess more digital competency and flair. Lifelong learning is expected to create a solid foundation for transferable skills across many environments.
Key questions that were answered in the discussion:
1. How can we implement lifelong learning for the personal and professional development of educators and students?
2. How can we ensure smooth implementation of lifelong learning activities in formal educational settings in India?
3. How can lifelong education increase the length and scope of learning, openness and willingness to participate for greater successful outcomes?
4. Can we build policies to mitigate the risk of socio-economic factors playing a role in reducing the number of participants in lifelong learning?
5. Lifelong learning!? – the concept of life has a new context! Lifelong is how long? In the world that is shrinking in time and geography?
6. Can there be, and if so, which are those skills that are ‘static’ and stay for long, in a dynamic world?
7. What are the challenges for educators in an uncertain and complex world?
8. How simple can be the solutions in a complex world? How robust can be systems in a vulnerable ecosystem? How certain can be a path and direction in the most uncertain reality?
9. How clear can be the outcomes and goals of education in the most ambiguous situation?
10. How can we devise a long time and sustainable strategy to address these challenges?
11. What would be the new role of educators and universities.
12. India is a MEGA society, we need MAGNA solutions with a MICRO focus, to bring about changes! How can this be achieved?
13. NEP talks about total autonomy to new institutions, be it public or private, be it a university or a stand alone institution, in 15 years, that is by 2035!
What scenario can we envision on the role of private sector institutions in the new context?
14. Are training institutions and skill development centres taking over with dominance replacing the formal structured education system?
Look at the higher end graduate level-we have a lot of value added and integrated courses!
Does it mean that universities and institutions have failed?
Definitely not! Then what is the option in the long run, again ‘long’ is just another word in the fast changing World!
15. Often we spend a lot of time and resources in finding out long-term solutions to short-term problems! Eventually, the solutions themselves become problems!
This is no different in the field of education-regulation process! How do we address such delicate but digressional concerns?
16. We have multiple institutions at different layers but are at the same level, attempting to regulate the education system. It could be UGC, ICT, NBA, NAAC, ministries, universities, or any other similar bodies. Often, The policies pursued in one university is not the same in another! How do we bring about uniformity and rationality in such situations?
YET, India is progressing with the reformative and transformational leadership.
There is a lot that we can bite from the private sector institutions, beyond nominating them on the boards, committees and councils! We need to see this in reality on the ground at tire Two and tier three Institutions!
Few pictures of the Conferences:
About ISBR:ISBR Business School, Bangalore-based, Top Class B School for PGDM or MBA, Consistently ranked as best B School in India, AICTE-CII Platinum Catagory, with multiple specializations.