1. Industry Perspective & Role
in Higher Education
Keynote Address at National Conference for Higher Education
at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore
Ram Purohit
General Manager, Volvo India
Member – CII Education Subcommittee
01 October 2009

2. Design Specifications for Higher Education
Table of Current Status & Gaps
Contents
Industry Support for Higher Education

3. 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 Sibal
Union Minister for Human Resource
Development
24th June 09

4. 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!

5. Are we producing the skills of
21st Century?
NO

6. Why are Future Skills so
Important?
4 Reasons

7. 1. We need to produce citizens of
future.

8. 2. The world is becoming flat.

9. 3. Changing demographics.

11. 4. The nature of work is
changing.

12. Today’s Complex Industry
Scenario
Goods – Services
Component – System
Partnership – Transaction
Globalization – Localization
Breadth – Depth
Exploitation – Exploration

13. Future Changes and Challenges in
the Industry
Focusing on Solutions
Complexity in Technology
The Global Industry
Sustainability
The Innovation Imperative

14. How many of your Parents &
Grandparents had only one job in
their lifetimes?

15. How many jobs will a young
person change between age
18-38?
…8 to 10 jobs

16. Role of a Graduate in the Future
Specialist
Skills
Integrator Change Agent

17. Four Basic Skills
Communication
Numeracy
The use of information technology
Learning how to learn

18. Skill Factors for Future Graduates
Domain or Technical Social or Soft
(Defining Skills) (Enabling Skills)
Theoretical understanding Communication
Practical application Team-working
Technical breadth People Management
Problem Solving Problem Solving
Creativity and innovation Business skills
Use of Information Learning skills
Technology

19. Average Importance of Future
Skills
Are we aligned with the requirements of future?

20. Role of a Global Engineering
Graduate in 2 Years of Recruitment

21. Impact of Skill Deficiency

22. What is the future framework
for higher education?

23. Framework for Higher Education

24. Our Current Education Model

25. Model that we need

26. Core Subjects
- English - Public Administration
- Other Languages - Economics
- Mathematics - Arts
- Science - History
- Engineering - Geography
- Civics - Management
…..

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

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

29. How This Model Works?
t
en
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Th
ap
Geography
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Global Positioning Software

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

31. 21st Century Content
• Global Awareness
• Financial, Economic, Business and
Entrepreneurship Literacy
• Civic Literacy
• Health & Wellness Awareness

32. These are the design
specifications of new higher
education

33. Design Specifications for Higher Education
Table of Current Status & Gaps
Contents
Industry Support for Higher Education

34. 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%

35. 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

36. Government Initiatives – XIth Plan
30 Central Universities –including one in each of the
16 States so far uncovered
Strengthening of 6000 colleges and 150 Universities
not receiving UGC grant
Establishment of 373 New Degree Colleges
Expansion and up gradation of 200 State Technical
Institutions;
Up gradation of Technical Institutions/Department of 7
Universities
8 New IITs; 7 new IIMs; 5 IISERs, 2 SPAs,
20 new IIITs - as far as possible in the PPP mode.
10 new NITs
50 centers for training and research in frontier areas

37. 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

38. Are these initiatives sufficient?

39. Design Specifications for Higher Education
Table of Current Status & Gaps
Contents
Industry Support for Higher Education

40. 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

41. How Industry Can Contribute?
Philanthropy
Collaboration
Enterprising

42. Philanthropy
Investing in Institutions
Niche, not for profit institutions, promoted by
corporates
Autonomous institutions imparting quality education
invest in research
establish chairs etc
Other Donations – building, scholarships, student
awards etc
Academic - Volunteering for Lectures, Research &
Development and Training
Operational - Administration, Management other
operational help

43. Collaboration
Research and Development
Internship
Graduate Training Programs
Collaborative courses
Funding collaborative Projects & Research
Higher Study along with Employment
Faculty & Employees Exchange
Infrastructural Support, Financial Support
Promoting Industry – Academia Interface

44. 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

45. 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

46. 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?