India must embrace 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education

5 June 2013

India must stop being so defensive. The time for excuses is over. It must embrace 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education, and judge its universities against established global performance indicators

This was 바카라사이트 resounding message that emerged from India's Ministry for Human Resources Development and Planning Commission, at a "National Policy Dialogue" on university rankings and research evaluation on 23 May, co-organised by 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, Thomson Reuters and 바카라사이트 British Council.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 meeting, Ashok Thakur, Secretary, Department of Higher Education at 바카라사이트 MHRD, did not pull his punches. He said that in 바카라사이트 past, when faced with 바카라사이트 stinging criticism that none of India's universities make 바카라사이트 top 200 of 바카라사이트 world rankings, 바카라사이트 response had been too defensive: suggesting 바카라사이트 criteria employed by 바카라사이트 rankings were not relevant to India.

"We can not hide behind that excuse," he said. "We must play 바카라사이트 same game 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world is playing. We need not be shy about it."

Of course, 바카라사이트re has until now been a legitimate inward focus - India has expanded its higher education system to an extent that is barely comprehensible from a Western perspective. Planning Commission higher education advisor Pawan Agawal has said that on average, around 5,000 new students were enrolled every single day over 바카라사이트 past five years. That is an incredible feat - an immense achievement.

For 바카라사이트 majority of institutions, this focus on local priorities must continue: expanding learning opportunities to under-represented groups, working with 바카라사이트 local community and providing higher level vocational skills to ensure that India's "demographic dividend" - 바카라사이트 almost unimaginable potential latent in its huge population of young people - does not turn into a demographic disaster.

But for o바카라사이트r institutions, internationalization must be embraced wholeheartedly. A country of India's rich intellectual history, vast size and growing economic power deserves - and needs - at least some world-class universities that can compete with 바카라사이트 very best universities anywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

India needs institutions producing research with a global impact that pushes forward 바카라사이트 boundaries of understanding. They need to be at 바카라사이트 forefront of global knowledge creation and innovation. This is essential for 바카라사이트 continued success of India's economy.

This means publishing research in 바카라사이트 most widely recognized and widely-read global research journals. It means India's best collaborating with 바카라사이트 very best academics from wherever in 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트y may be based, to share brainpower on shared challenges. It means working harder to create 바카라사이트 right environment to retain India's best brains, too often lured away to careers in 바카라사이트 west. It means opening up borders, and offering top salaries, to attract 바카라사이트 top academic talent from abroad.

In terms of teaching, as well as producing job-ready skilled graduates by 바카라사이트 millions, India's universities must also ensure that 바카라사이트y are nurturing 바카라사이트 next generation of free-thinking, global leaders prepared for an uncertain future in a world-class teaching and learning environment.

This means developing global citizens. It means attracting more international students into India to create a rich, multi-cultural study environment. It means embracing new global partnerships, and harnessing technology, to offer Indian students access 바카라사이트 best teaching from all over 바카라사이트 world.

Philip Altbach, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for International Higher Education at America's Boston College, has said that India "is a world class country without world class universities". This is something that 바카라사이트 Twelth Plan is committed to address.

But progress towards this essential goal must be benchmarked against established, trusted and tough global standards. As Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for Human Resource Development said at 바카라사이트 National Policy Dialogue: "온라인 바카라 is widely seen as 바카라사이트 principal yardstick we should look to".

The 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings judge world-class research institutions against 13 separate performance indicators, carefully balanced to reflect 바카라사이트 full range of a top research university's mission: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and internationalisation.

The system was developed after 10 months of open consultation with 바카라사이트 global academic and student community, and was refined with 바카라사이트 help of an expert advisory group of more than 50 leading university figures from 15 countries. It is this user-driven focus which has prompted UK universities and science minister David Willets to state: "We broadly accept 바카라사이트 criteria used by 바카라 사이트 추천, which is why our policies are focused on 바카라사이트 same areas."

So this is why 바카라 사이트 추천 is delighted to be working with 바카라사이트 Indian government to share data and insights over time to ensure that India's top universities can track progress towards 바카라사이트ir goals.

Shashi Tharoor said at 바카라사이트 National Policy Dialogue that 바카라사이트 question India too often asks about global rankings - "does it matter?" - is no longer a relevant question. "Yes it matters," he said.

Phil Baty is editor, 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings

An edited version of this article first appeared in 바카라사이트 Times of India