Bhubaneswar: Vice-Chancellors, administrators and academics from 37 different universities and institutions in Odisha exchanged ideas about ways to improve higher education so as to be noticed globally at a day-long conclave organised by the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) and hosted by the SOA Deemed to be University here on Friday.
Speakers who addressed the Times Higher Education (THE) Odisha Regional Conclave stressed on the need for building up a culture to excel in academics and research so as to shine on the global stage.
Prof. Amiya Kumar Rath, Vice-Chancellor of BPUT, said that the focus should be on quality and representatives of different universities had been invited to the event to know what was needed to be counted as a top-notch institution.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA and Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Biswal, Vice-Chancellor of Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR) also addressed the conclave. Prof. Nanda said there had been a paradigm shift in university education because of technological advances and the challenges being encountered. Universities are not stand alone entities and should connect with the society, he said.
Prof. Biswal said that rankings like THE and QS were important to focus the institute outside the country.
Mr. Ritin Malhotra, General Manager and Senior Regional Director (Asia), THE, spoke on the global perspectives on evaluating excellence in academic and research parameters.
Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) proposed the vote of thanks.
The conclave had two different sessions and a panel discussion on international collaborations and exploring the potential partnership in the field of quality education, technology and research exchange with the world’s top universities and fraternity.
Prof. Satya Narayan Acharya, Vice-Chancellor of Odia University, Prof. Kumarbar Das, former Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Jharkhand and Prof. Bibhu Prasad Panigrahi, Director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang, also attended the event.