Ottawa - A meeting of minds occurred when over 40 university presidents and vice chancellors from Canada and India came together last week at Carleton University to concentrate on solving the very real problems which present roadblocks to greater collaboration in research and academic programs, more exchange programs and joint supervision of graduate students.
One of the roadblocks specifically addressed was credit transfer and one of the tools to promote greater collaboration was technology.
Delegates proposed a number of positive steps to further collaboration, to resolve the credit transfer issue and to promote the expanded use of technology. They included:
- Undertaking a joint (bilateral) project to create a cell phone application to be available in both nations;
- Collecting among Canadian universities information on programs, faculties and universities, colleges or IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) already approved for credit transfer by each institution so this can be shared to eliminate (or at least reduce) the need to complete research on every program for which credit transfer is sought;
- Considering not credits but content and hours of lecture as well as the students’ ability to succeed in the program for which credit transfer is sought;
- Creating a committee to continue work on the issue;
- Requesting governments to provide additional grants specifically for joint research projects between researchers in both nations;
- Creating a website where researchers could locate partners and where universities could list the desired qualities of their desired exchange partners;
- Seeking exchanges which will specifically enhance the strengths of two institutions or which will create strength;
- Finding means to support the travel of students and faculty who cannot afford it.
The conference was opened in style by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. John Baird, whose insights provided a fine platform for thought and action.
Conference attendees lauded a brilliant address by the former Clerk of the Privy Council, the Hon. Kevin Lynch, who aptly summed up the challenges faced by both nations and offered some exciting solutions, a fine speech by Smt. Daggubati Purandeswari, India’s Minister of State responsible for High Education, on the role and goals of education in India in general, and another by Prof. Ved Prakash, Chair of the Universities Grants Commission, who gave a very clear picture of the role and goals of universities and IITs in India in their five-year planning cycle.
The plenary address by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the author of India’s Green Revolution, offered an inspiring conclusion to the conference as he showed the difference individuals can achieve in their lifetime through innovative ideas and dedicated effort.
The conference has set a pathway to future collaboration, specific goals and identified the players and committees to be consulted. The conference also aided all the players in getting to know each other better and during the proceedings many new collaborative partnerships were begun.
One of the roadblocks specifically addressed was credit transfer and one of the tools to promote greater collaboration was technology.
Delegates proposed a number of positive steps to further collaboration, to resolve the credit transfer issue and to promote the expanded use of technology. They included:
- Undertaking a joint (bilateral) project to create a cell phone application to be available in both nations;
- Collecting among Canadian universities information on programs, faculties and universities, colleges or IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) already approved for credit transfer by each institution so this can be shared to eliminate (or at least reduce) the need to complete research on every program for which credit transfer is sought;
- Considering not credits but content and hours of lecture as well as the students’ ability to succeed in the program for which credit transfer is sought;
- Creating a committee to continue work on the issue;
- Requesting governments to provide additional grants specifically for joint research projects between researchers in both nations;
- Creating a website where researchers could locate partners and where universities could list the desired qualities of their desired exchange partners;
- Seeking exchanges which will specifically enhance the strengths of two institutions or which will create strength;
- Finding means to support the travel of students and faculty who cannot afford it.
The conference was opened in style by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. John Baird, whose insights provided a fine platform for thought and action.
Conference attendees lauded a brilliant address by the former Clerk of the Privy Council, the Hon. Kevin Lynch, who aptly summed up the challenges faced by both nations and offered some exciting solutions, a fine speech by Smt. Daggubati Purandeswari, India’s Minister of State responsible for High Education, on the role and goals of education in India in general, and another by Prof. Ved Prakash, Chair of the Universities Grants Commission, who gave a very clear picture of the role and goals of universities and IITs in India in their five-year planning cycle.
The plenary address by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the author of India’s Green Revolution, offered an inspiring conclusion to the conference as he showed the difference individuals can achieve in their lifetime through innovative ideas and dedicated effort.
The conference has set a pathway to future collaboration, specific goals and identified the players and committees to be consulted. The conference also aided all the players in getting to know each other better and during the proceedings many new collaborative partnerships were begun.
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