The Review of Academic and Educational Links between India and the UK
Consultation Paper
How can these links be developed and contribute towards a stronger relationship between India and the UK?
Introduction
On behalf of the UK India Round Table, the British Council in India has instituted a review of the current state of academic and educational links between the UK and India and also wishes to look at ways of strengthening relations between the two countries in these areas. In order to assess the present situation, the Council and its Indian counterparts are producing a description of existing links and would like to consult a wide range of interested parties in both countries about what should be done in future.
The review will cover both academic and scholarly relationships, and ways of improving the environment for education exchanges at all levels, including schools.
The study is being carried out in India by the British Council, led by its director Edmund Marsden, and, in the UK, by Peter Mackenzie Smith, a consultant retained for this purpose. Their work is being reviewed in progress by Arun Nigavekar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission in India, and Sir Tim Lankester, President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in the UK. The review is due to be presented to the Round Table in October 2004.
This consultation paper sets out some of the ideas that have emerged from discussions so far and invites your views on ideas and possibilities for the future.
Ideas, Suggestions, and Proposals
Among the proposals the review has been considering in its early stages are those listed here. They are in no particular order and carry no particular weight at this stage.
More of the Same
We should expand the number of university, college, school, and professional links on the basis of what is happening now. (a wide range of university and departmental connections, mainly in science, technology and the environment, together with a small number of school links).
A Focus on the Arts and Social Sciences, including economics, politics, and literature
There should be more effort to encourage links outside science and technology (which are adequately served at the moment) and develop a set of relationships between India and the UK that focuses on the professions (law, accountancy, etc), the social sciences (including Indology, political and economics studies, literature and language), where there is a perception that the relationship at the moment is not commensurate with the importance the two countries attach to relations between them.
Reinforcing Indian University Development Initiatives
We should take advantage of the initiatives put in place by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to promote excellence in Indian universities and see whether an international dimension can be added to their criteria, in other words can we reinforce existing efforts to encourage new initiatives among the universities by suggesting that they should include bilateral projects with UK counterparts? Priority subject areas could be agreed within this process.
There should more UK visits and attachments in India
There are large numbers of Indian students, researchers, teachers and academics visiting or working in the UK, but little movement in the other direction. Relationships would be strengthened by making it easier for UK participants in link programmes to spend more time in India. Any new scheme should take this aspect into account. There should be a scheme to enable UK teachers to work in Indian secondary schools (like similar programmes in Japan, the US, and Europe)
Meeting the Challenge of the Internationalisation of Education
The review is proceeding on the basis that global moves towards the internationalisation of education should be taken into account. This should mean easier agreement on standards and qualifications, joint delivery of courses, academic and scholarly exchange, student mobility, and school links and exchanges. We are not sure of the extent to which this is seen as important on the Indian side at present, but believe it should be a component of the review.
‘The UK India Academy’
We should set up a real, or virtual, network operation to facilitate all kinds (or some kinds) of academic and educational activity between the two countries, with a minimum of bureaucracy and constraint. Its brief would be to respond to demand for links and exchanges across the board, to identify partners (in both the public and the private sectors), and intervene to promote specific subject areas of levels. It could sponsor events targeted at particular areas, broker partnerships, work on ways of responding to ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ propositions in all areas, and develop a strong alumni base. It would be a joint UK India operation supported, but not run, by the governments and the private sector.
Questions
In what way and in which subject area are you currently working with counterparts in India/UK?
Which schemes and programmes (including international, Commonwealth, or European Union ones) have been most useful to you in working with India/UK? Why?
Are there any ways in which you work with other countries that you think would benefit links between India and the UK? Can you suggest models or programmes you think would be appropriate?
What are the main incentives to working with partners in India/UK (e.g. employment, research opportunities, teaching/learning process, sharing knowledge and experience, qualifications and standards, reputation, achieving institutional strategies for international operations, contributing to international understanding)?
What are the main constraints to working with partners in India/UK (e.g. lack of knowledge of what the other side is doing, finance, working and living conditions, bureaucracy, lack of institutional interest, academic and structural differences, language, irrelevance to local curricula)?
What are the main advantages or disadvantages of the internationalisation of education as described in ‘meeting the challenge’ (proposal 5 above). Is this an important or attractive development from your point of view and that of your institution?
Does your institution have an international strategy and what are its priorities? If not, what priorities do you think your institution has in terms of international activities?
What would be the benefits of having more UK students, teachers, and researchers in India? How should this be encouraged? (for example, through study abroad, twinning, joint courses or qualifications?)
In your view, are there subject areas, apart from your own, in which you think there should be stronger links between India and the UK? Should there be a special initiative to improve links in the humanities, social sciences, art and design?
Would you be interested in expanding your bilateral link activities through greater use of new technologies (e.g. online learning programmes, video conferencing and lectures, web-enabled discussion groups)? Can you identify examples of good practice in this field?
Are there other issues than those listed here that you think the review should be considering?
In what ways do you assess the value and impact of collaborative programmes?
Do you have a specific proposal for the review to consider?
Please send your replies to webmaster@ugc.ac.in
|
Notices