Industry Perspective & Rolein Higher Education

Keynote Address at National Conference for Higher Educationat Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore

Ram PurohitGeneral Manager, Volvo IndiaMember – CII Education Subcommittee

01 October 2009

Table of Contents

Design Specifications for Higher Education

Current Status & Gaps

Industry Support for Higher Education

Attributes of Education

“……education must be inclusive and with quality

……

the three principles of access, equity and excellence will not be compromised while implementing the educational reform agenda……”

Kapil SibalUnion Minister for Human Resource Development 24th June 09

Basic Questions

What is the link between our system of higher education and today’s economic environment?

How do we define and assess the quality of outcome produced by the higher education system?

We don’t have answers!

Are we producing the skills of 21st Century?

NO

Why are Future Skills so Important?

4 Reasons

1. We need to produce citizens of future.

2. The world is becoming flat.

3. Changing demographics.

4. The nature of work is changing.

Today’s Complex Industry Scenario

Goods – ServicesComponent – SystemPartnership – TransactionGlobalization – LocalizationBreadth – DepthExploitation – Exploration

Future Changes and Challenges in the Industry

Focusing on SolutionsComplexity in TechnologyThe Global IndustrySustainabilityThe Innovation Imperative

How many of your Parents & Grandparents had only one job in

their lifetimes?

How many jobs will a young person change between age

18-38?

…8 to 10 jobs

Role of a Graduate in the Future

Specialist

Change AgentIntegrator

Skills

Four Basic Skills

CommunicationNumeracyThe use of information technologyLearning how to learn

Skill Factors for Future Graduates

Domain or Technical(Defining Skills)

Theoretical understandingPractical applicationTechnical breadth Problem SolvingCreativity and innovationUse of Information Technology

Social or Soft (Enabling Skills)

CommunicationTeam-workingPeople ManagementProblem SolvingBusiness skillsLearning skills

Average Importance of Future Skills

Are we aligned with the requirements of future?

Role of a Global Engineering Graduate in 2 Years of Recruitment

Impact of Skill Deficiency

What is the future framework for higher education?

Framework for Higher Education

Our Current Education Model

Model that we need

- English

- Other Languages

- Mathematics

- Science

- Engineering

- Civics

- Public Administration

- Economics

- Arts

- History

- Geography

- Management

…..

Core Subjects

• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills• Creativity & Innovation Skills• Communication & Information Skills• Collaboration Skills• Contextual Learning• Information and Media Literacy

Thinking and Learning Skills

Information and communications technology (ICT) literacy is the ability to use technology to accomplish thinking and learning skills

ICT Literacy

Geo

grap

hic

Cont

ent Analytic Thinking

Global Positioning Software

Geography

How This Model Works?

• Leadership• Ethics• Accountability• Adaptability• Personal Productivity• Personal Responsibility• People Skills• Self Direction• Social Responsibility

Life Skills

• Global Awareness• Financial, Economic, Business and

Entrepreneurship Literacy• Civic Literacy• Health & Wellness Awareness

21st Century Content

These are the design specifications of new higher

education

Table of Contents

Design Specifications for Higher Education

Current Status & Gaps

Industry Support for Higher Education

Current Status

India has 421 Universities and 20,918 Colleges

Enrollment in Higher Education – 11.3%Total enrolment in Higher Education is 1.86 crore

Expected to reach 2.2 crore by 2012 if India achieves 15 % GER

Knowledge Commission - Creation of 1,500 colleges & Univ. to reach 15% GER by 2015

Growth of Higher education needed as per five year plan – 37%

Growth of Higher education increase/year – 11%

Demand for Higher education increase/year – 20%

Human resource demand is increasing/year – 18%

The Demand Supply Gap

India over the next five years will have surplus of un-trained and under-educated people - 1.3 million *

India will fall short of real talent by about - 5.3 million*

* Source: BCG, 2008

Government Initiatives – XIth Plan

30 Central Universities –including one in each of the 16 States so far uncoveredStrengthening of 6000 colleges and 150 Universities not receiving UGC grantEstablishment of 373 New Degree CollegesExpansion and up gradation of 200 State Technical Institutions; Up gradation of Technical Institutions/Department of 7 Universities8 New IITs; 7 new IIMs; 5 IISERs, 2 SPAs, 20 new IIITs - as far as possible in the PPP mode.10 new NITs50 centers for training and research in frontier areas

Government Initiatives – XIth Plan (Contd.)

Increasing capacity of existing IITs & IIMs by 200%

Strengthening of existing polytechnics

1000 new polytechnics – 300 by State Govt, 300 in PPP mode, 300 by Pvt. Sector.

50,000 Skill Development Centres.

National Education Mission through ICT

Incentivizing State Govt. for expansion / up gradation of existing and new universities/professional institutions.

Greater public and the private sector interface in Higher and Technical education

Foreign collaborations, bilateral agreements & opening doors for quality foreign education providers

Are these initiatives sufficient?

Table of Contents

Design Specifications for Higher Education

Current Status & Gaps

Industry Support for Higher Education

Higher Education and Industry Need to Work Together

Universities need to establish stronger ties to professional bodies and businesses in their locale Industries need to contribute through professional bodies to help shape and inform up-to-date curriculum and course design Graduate Careers and Employment services to link students with employers and facilitating events which bring employers on campus Universities need to involve business representatives to actively participate through formal structures and committees

How Industry Can Contribute?

PhilanthropyCollaborationEnterprising

Philanthropy

Investing in InstitutionsNiche, not for profit institutions, promoted by corporatesAutonomous institutions imparting quality educationinvest in research establish chairs etcOther Donations – building, scholarships, student awards etc

Academic - Volunteering for Lectures, Research & Development and TrainingOperational - Administration, Management other operational help

Collaboration

Research and Development InternshipGraduate Training ProgramsCollaborative coursesFunding collaborative Projects & ResearchHigher Study along with EmploymentFaculty & Employees ExchangeInfrastructural Support, Financial SupportPromoting Industry – Academia Interface

Enterprising

Setup professionally run private Universities, Training Centres, Skill Development Centres, Vocational Education, Distance Education Institutes etc

Supplement govt.’s investment & efforts

Supplement not-for-profit institutions

Retain the number of students going abroad to study

Current Model has Limitations

The Current Model under the Current Policy

not scalable for our current and future needs

not likely to fill the gap

The current Private universities have done excellent by establishing in the existing framework

Still not able to deliver to the potential that they can because of the limitations

It is Time for Systemic Reforms

Remove barriers as removed for the industries in 1991

Focus on Governance instead of Regulations

Bring Autonomy - Academic, Administrative & Financial

Increase foreign collaboration

If we can aim to be the largest exporter of IT services, Why can’t we aim at being largest exporter of education?