Technology Is Business And Business Is Technology In 21st Century: Prof Chris Abraham, CEO, SP Jain Global

In the 2nd Higher Education Conclave, the session focused on how institutions of Higher learning can help students and faculty community prepare for a globally relevant life. 'Internationalising the campus' helps focus attention on the education being offered, including ways of making the curriculum, learning outcomes, learning and teaching processes, research, instructional delivery, assessment, and evaluation globally relevant.

The session explored how colleges and universities can ensure that students are prepared for global careers and lives by focussing on inculcating global and cross-cultural competencies.

Another aspect that was discussed was building partnerships with foreign universities and institutions including quality assessment and ranking agencies, mobility providers and education support agencies which leverage available opportunities and build excellence across all institutions spaces.

The moderator of the session Prof Chris Abraham, CEO, SP Jain Global, Dubai made a scintillating presentation on how one has to be globally relevant to attract the best talent. While the other sessions witnessed a staunch criticism for global rankings and hullabaloo about it, Prof Abraham said that International Rankings are a benchmark which keeps one institution educationally competitive.

He also mentioned that an institution is known for its alumni and if we don't create international institutions emerging from India, the alumni cease to remain in domestic markets and our identity as an educational market will remain pathetically insignificant.

He said that in the 21st century, "Technology is Business and Business is Technology". Prof Abraham also directed the attention of the gathering towards simulation as one of the most powerful weapons to impart education. He reiterated, in the end, saying that one needs to adopt multicultural values to grow further in many spheres of life.

Prof Qamar raised a much valid point by stating a figure that India has only 50000 students from foreign countries while the number of Indian students studying in a foreign land is 5 million. He said that it is due to lack of eminent institutions that we (India) have. He said that Indian government is, on one hand, trying to create better academic institutions in the country and on the other hand it is trying to reduce the amount of inflow and outflow of the two.

Prof Qamar concluded by saying that India needs marketing of educational institutions or else our best talent will go abroad and none of the best talents can come to us for the purpose of education/ training.

Dr. Raman, Director of Symbiosis made a presentation regarding what strategies an institution should adopt to attract the best talent in internationalising of higher education. He mentioned student/faculty programmes, scholarship/ fellowship and MoUs can play a very effective role in getting more enrollment in our Institutions.