Date/Time
Date(s) - 14/01/2022
11:00 am
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On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sakranti University Grants Commission (UGC) launched the Training of Master’s Trainers program in Community-based Participatory Research under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0. Delivering his welcome address, Prof. Rajnish Jain, Secretary, UGC, shared that the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, has presented a transformative framework for higher education in the country. Community engagement and social responsibility in higher education are emerging as new fields of professional competence internationally. The UGC as a Subject Expert Group (UGC-SEG) as part of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) 2.0 has prepared the National Curriculum Framework and Guidelines for “Fostering Social Responsibility & Community Engagement in Higher Education Institution in India” which is also one of the verticals of UGC’s Quality Mandate i.e. Social & Industry Connect for every HEI. Trained Master Trainers will begin teaching this two-credit course from next semester in their respective colleges and universities.
In his introductory remarks, Prof. K. K. Aggarwal, Chairman, NBA & UGC- SEG on Fostering Social Responsibility & Community Engagement highlighted the need to bring individuals from the cross-sections of the society under the ambit of UBA. He shared that UGC has set up this committee for analyzing the curriculum and capacity-building needs of HEI’s. Highlighting importance of National Education Policy, Prof. Aggarwal focuses on producing Global Citizens along with knowledge and skills. However, students cannot be a global citizens if they do not engage with the community.
In his keynote address Prof. Virendra K. Vijay, National Coordinator UBA, IIT, Delhi stated that the National Education Policy 2020’s mandate has been synchronized with the UBA 2.0 objectives and the UGC policy framework on fostering social responsibility in higher education, through this Master Trainers Program. He said that, HEIs need to link academic curriculums to practical reality and daily challenges that communities face. The hope is that this new Master Trainers Program will give new meaning to the objectives of the NEP 2020 for changing lives and building connects with society.
Addressing the participants Dr Rajesh Tandon, a member of UGC Expert Group and Co-Chair, UNESCO on CBR and Social Responsibility in Higher Education and Founder President, PRIA provided detailed design for the implementation of the program. He highlighted the importance of 7 regional centres in providing dynamism and leadership to this program. He discussed operational specifications and gave three functions of the regional centres: recruit master trainers, organize batches of trainers for training in CBPR and support them through periodically updated locally relevant learning materials. Dr Tandon presented the schedule for roll-out of first batch of Master Trainers in virtual mode from January 27, and then through face-to-face training at Regional Centres such that the two credit course can begin to be taught from July semester in 2022.
Coordinators of 7 Regional Centres- Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Agra, Uttar Pradesh), Gandhigram Rural Institute (Dindigul, Tamil Nadu), Central University of Odisha (Koraput, Odisha), Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (Nagpur, Maharashtra), Tezpur University (Tezpur), Assam), National Law Institute University (Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh) Kurukshetra University (Kurukshetra, Haryana) gave presentation focusing on their community engagement programs and preparedness for organising Master Trainers programs.
The launch event is coordinated by Dr Diksha Rajput, Deputy Secretary, UGC. Prof Jain thanked expert group members for their two years of hard work to make this launch a reality.
The virtual launch event was attended by 487 faculty members of various universities and colleges across India and members of UGC Expert Group.
Find Dr. Tandon’s powerpoint presentation here: