Address by President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to the delegates of the Times Higher Education “BRICS and Emerging Economies’ Universities”
Address
by President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to the delegates of the Times
Higher Education “BRICS and Emerging Economies’ Universities” Summit
RashtrapatiBhavan: Dec 2, 2015
1. I am indeed happy to
have this opportunity to address the delegates of the Times Higher Education
BRICS and Emerging Economies’ Universities Summit, 2015. I welcome the
distinguished participants. I congratulate the Times Higher Education and their
partner in India - O.P. Jindal Global University - for taking the initiative to
organize this Summit on the important issue of “Why Emerging Economies Need
World Class Universities”. I am happy that representatives from countries in
BRICS region and many emerging as well as developed economies have gathered in
this Summit to deliberate on challenges facing the higher education sector and
on the importance of global bench-marking of educational institutions.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
2. India has one of the
world’s largest higher education system comprising 712 universities and over
36,000 colleges. The expansion of higher education network in India has enabled
us to create access to higher education across the country. However, the
quality of education in our institutes of higher learning remains a big
challenge.
3. There was a time when
India played a dominant role in the higher education system and we had renowned
seats of learning like Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura
and Odantapuri. However after them we have not been able to find a place in
world rankings which is commensurate with our size, culture and
civilization. India now has to work towards regaining that glory of the
past. Being Visitor to 114 institutions of higher learning, I had been
regularly emphasizing on how to improve rankings. I refused to believe
that not a single university could come up to the standard required for being
in the top two hundred universities in the international rankings.
4. I am happy that
recently, two Indian institutions have been ranked amongst the top 200
universities in the world. One of the institutions is in the top 100
institutions in the engineering and technology category. It is my firm belief
that there are many higher education institutions in India that have the
potential to become one of the best in the world.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
5. The quality of
education has a direct co-relation with inclusive growth and development.
Emerging economies facing the challenge of meeting the developmental
aspirations of their citizens must build an educational system comparable to
the best in the world. A serious discourse on how to address the quality
concerns in higher education should therefore begin at the earliest.
6. The higher education
sector in India must align itself with the global education sector. The first
University Commission of independent India, popularly known as the Radhakrishnan
Commission of 1948, pointed out that universities need to have
‘world-mindedness and national sentiments’. In the recent times, there has been
a growing interest in world-class universities amongst scholars, institutional
administrators and policy makers. A world-class university in today’s time is
one that can address the global problems of society having the entire world as
its constituency.
7. Most bench-marking
agencies give considerable weightage to research output and international
outlook of an educational institution. To meet bench-marks, institutions need
to provide greater emphasis on quality research that is recognized globally.
This would help in their efforts to become world-class. What is needed further
is for such aspiring universities to reach out, communicate, exchange and
encourage mobility of persons and ideas across the globe. Adopting a world-view
would help an institution getting accepted by the global community of higher
education. It will also add to its ‘academic repute’, a parameter considered by
many global bench-marking and rating agencies, Times Higher Education in
particular.
8. Over and above a
focused attention on cutting-edge research and an international orientation,
world-class universities must possess other enviable features. Some of them, to
my mind, are high quality faculty members, meritorious students, an encouraging
teaching learning environment, a high level of resource availability, sound
infrastructure, and existence of considerable autonomy and robust governance
structure. Presence of these elements in an institution would automatically
reflect in higher international rankings.
9. Having said that, the
parameters of global rankings, many a times, do not reflect the ground
realities and socio-political conditions prevalent in various countries. Many
countries have therefore adopted their own ranking mechanism with parameters
more suited to the domestic setting. In the case of India, a ‘National
Institutional Ranking Framework’ has been developed recently to evaluate
educational institutions. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council
(NAAC) also operate in familiar territory, assessing and accrediting
institutions of higher education in our country. I believe these national
counterparts of the international rankings system will only reinforce and
concretize the push towards accountability and quality in educational
institutions. At the same time, they will inspire better performance of
institutions leading to improved international rankings.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
10. The five BRICS economies
represent over 3 billion people, which is 42 percent of the world population.
They have a combined GDP of
over 16 trillion US dollars with a world share of 20 percent, and foreign
exchange reserves of over 4 trillion US dollars. In this context, the Times
Higher Education ‘BRICS and Emerging Economies Universities Ranking’ is an
acknowledgment of the potential which exists in the higher education sector in
these five countries.
11. In today’s era of globalization,
which rests on the pillars of Collaboration, Cooperation and Communication,
there are ample opportunities to use these “3Cs” to create many world class
universities. The combined strength of the five BRICS nations can develop
an educational eco-system for their citizens as well as for the world
citizens. I hope that this Summit will come out with innovative
solutions, with the cooperation of the private sector, for the emerging
economies to further strengthen their higher education system and in the
process emerge as leaders.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
12. I once again compliment the Times
Higher Education and O.P. Jindal Global University for taking the initiative
and hosting this Summit to facilitate a greater understanding of the challenges
of the higher education sector by all stakeholders. I am confident that this
conclave will bring out new ideas and thoughts that are important for policy
makers and educationists to build world class universities in the developing world.
I wish all the participants and delegates of this Summit a very successful
outcome of their endeavour. I welcome guests from outside India and wish
for them not only a productive outcome of the Summit but also a comfortable
stay amidst us. I wish the Summit great success.
Thank
you.
Jai Hind.
*********
“3CS”
- Collaboration, Cooperation and Communication can be used to create world
class Universities, says President
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee
addressed the delegates of the Times Higher Education BRICS and Emerging
Economies’ Universities Summit, 2015 yesterday (December 2, 2015) at
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that in today’s era of globalization, which rests on the pillars of Collaboration, Cooperation and Communication, there are ample opportunities to use these “3Cs” to create many world class universities. The combined strength of the five BRICS nations can develop an educational eco-system for their citizens as well as for the world citizens. He expressed hope that the Summit will come out with innovative solutions, with the cooperation of the private sector, for the emerging economies to further strengthen their higher education system and in the process emerge as leaders.
The President said that the quality of education has a direct co-relation with inclusive growth and development. Emerging economies facing the challenge of meeting the developmental aspirations of their citizens must build an educational system comparable to the best in the world. A serious discourse on how to address the quality concerns in higher education should therefore begin at the earliest. The higher education sector in India must aligned itself with the global education sector. A world class university in today’s time is one that can address the global problems of society having the entire world as its constituency.
The President said that to meet bench-marks, institutions need to provide greater emphasis on quality research that is recognized globally. This would help in their efforts to become world-class. What is needed further is for such aspiring universities to reach out, communicate, exchange and encourage mobility of persons and ideas across the globe. Adopting a world-view would help an institution getting accepted by the global community of higher education. Over and above a focused attention on cutting-edge research and an international orientation, world-class universities must possess other enviable features. Some of them are high quality faculty members, meritorious students, an encouraging teaching learning environment, a high level of resource availability, sound infrastructure, and existence of considerable autonomy and robust governance structure. Presence of these elements in an institution would automatically reflect in higher international rankings.
On the occasion, the President also received the first copy of Times Higher Education BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings, 2016 from Shri Naveen Jindal, Founding Chancellor, O P Jindal Global University who formally released it.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that in today’s era of globalization, which rests on the pillars of Collaboration, Cooperation and Communication, there are ample opportunities to use these “3Cs” to create many world class universities. The combined strength of the five BRICS nations can develop an educational eco-system for their citizens as well as for the world citizens. He expressed hope that the Summit will come out with innovative solutions, with the cooperation of the private sector, for the emerging economies to further strengthen their higher education system and in the process emerge as leaders.
The President said that the quality of education has a direct co-relation with inclusive growth and development. Emerging economies facing the challenge of meeting the developmental aspirations of their citizens must build an educational system comparable to the best in the world. A serious discourse on how to address the quality concerns in higher education should therefore begin at the earliest. The higher education sector in India must aligned itself with the global education sector. A world class university in today’s time is one that can address the global problems of society having the entire world as its constituency.
The President said that to meet bench-marks, institutions need to provide greater emphasis on quality research that is recognized globally. This would help in their efforts to become world-class. What is needed further is for such aspiring universities to reach out, communicate, exchange and encourage mobility of persons and ideas across the globe. Adopting a world-view would help an institution getting accepted by the global community of higher education. Over and above a focused attention on cutting-edge research and an international orientation, world-class universities must possess other enviable features. Some of them are high quality faculty members, meritorious students, an encouraging teaching learning environment, a high level of resource availability, sound infrastructure, and existence of considerable autonomy and robust governance structure. Presence of these elements in an institution would automatically reflect in higher international rankings.
On the occasion, the President also received the first copy of Times Higher Education BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings, 2016 from Shri Naveen Jindal, Founding Chancellor, O P Jindal Global University who formally released it.
*****
Justice Tirath Singh Thakur sworn in as the Chief
Justice of India
Shri Justice Tirath Singh Thakur was sworn
in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India in a ceremony held today
(December 3, 2015) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He made and subscribed to the oath of
office before the President.
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President
of India condoles the loss of lives due to heavy rains in Tamil Nadu
The
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the loss of lives and
damage to infrastructure in Chennai and several others parts of Tamil Nadu due
to heavy rains.
In a message to Dr. K. Rosaiah, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, the President has said “I am very sad to learn about the loss of human lives and serious damage to infrastructure in Chennai and several others parts of Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains.
I understand that relief and rescue efforts are ongoing and am confident that the people of Tamil Nadu will overcome this tragedy with fortitude and dignity.
I share the grief of those who have lost their near and dear ones and extend my sympathies to all whose lives have been affected. I appreciate the efforts of the State Government, NDRF, civil society organisations and rescue workers as they continue to save lives and mitigate the suffering of the affected population.
I call upon the State Government and all other authorities to provide every assistance possible to the bereaved families as well as those affected.
My prayers and good wishes are with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult time”.
In a message to Dr. K. Rosaiah, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, the President has said “I am very sad to learn about the loss of human lives and serious damage to infrastructure in Chennai and several others parts of Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains.
I understand that relief and rescue efforts are ongoing and am confident that the people of Tamil Nadu will overcome this tragedy with fortitude and dignity.
I share the grief of those who have lost their near and dear ones and extend my sympathies to all whose lives have been affected. I appreciate the efforts of the State Government, NDRF, civil society organisations and rescue workers as they continue to save lives and mitigate the suffering of the affected population.
I call upon the State Government and all other authorities to provide every assistance possible to the bereaved families as well as those affected.
My prayers and good wishes are with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult time”.
****
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