Higher Education Digest – September 2020 – India Edition – Pharmacy Colleges Special by Connecta Innovation

INDIA EDITION MUST-WATCH PHARMACY COLLEGES IN INDIA

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SCHOOL OF PHARMACY MIT WORLD PEACE UNIVERSITY I m p a r t i n g E xc e l l e n t a n d Q u a l i t y E d u c a t i o n T h r o u g h Va l u e - B a s e d S y s t e m

SEPTEMBER 2020

Higher Education Digest September 2020

September 2020

Vol - 2 Issue - 13

Pharmacy Colleges Special (India Edition) Editor in Chief

Dr. Manoj Varghese

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

Consultant Editors

Dr. Johny Andrews Anjana K Anna Elza

Navya Venkatesh Stanly Lui Emma James

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Art and Design Ajay K Das

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Higher Education Digest September March 20192020

MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

The Crisis and Opportunities

rises are dangerous and expensive. They can distract us from our priorities. However, out of crisis can emerge incredible opportunities. For the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, the largest provider of generic drugs globally, COVID-19 is more of an opportunity than a crisis. Known for producing safe and quality medicines, there is a massive opportunity for the Indian pharmaceutical industry to accelerate its economic potential when countries look to give their economies a much-needed stimulus in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. As per the industry reports, the Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to grow to US$ 100 billion, while the medical device market is expected to grow US$ 25 billion by 2025. In FY20, pharmaceuticals export from India, including bulk drugs, intermediates, drug formulations, biologicals, Ayush and herbal products and surgical stood at US$ 20.70 billion. The growth will result in an increase

in job opportunities for pharmacy degree holders, whether it is B Pharm or M Pharm or Pharm D. Now, it is the responsibility of the pharma institutions in India to produce a competent workforce. The academicians and administrators need to align their teaching and processes with technological advancements to produce future graduates in conformity with the requirements of the industry. In this issue, with the help of our advisory panel consisting of senior academicians and practising industry professionals, we have come up with a list of “25 Must-Watch Pharmacy Colleges in India.” These institutes have not only taken the utmost care to impart up-to-date curriculum to the students but also instilled in them the necessity to act with ethos. On the cover, we feature, School of Pharmacy, MIT World Peace University, which has always been proactive when it comes to imbibing the latest trends in education. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ADVISORY BOARD Dr. Kuldeep Nagi, Ph.D, MBA, BSc. Program Director of Ph.D, Recipient of Fulbright Fellowship Award & Dan Evans Award for Excellence and Writer columnist.

Dr.Varughese K.John, PhD, MBA, MPhil, MCom, LLB. Program Director, MS in Management Program, GSATM - AU

Dr. Venus M. Alboruto, PhD, Master Teacher, Researcher, Innovator, Trainer.

6 Major General (Rtd.) Dr. Sunil Chandra, VSM (Vishishta Seva Medal), Ph.D, M. Phil, MA, M.Ed, PGBDA Ex-M D Army Welfare Education Society, ExCOO GEMS Education - India, Ex- Addl Dir Gen - Army Education, Mentor - Adventure-Pulse

Dr. Ajay Shukla, Ph.D, MBA, BE.

Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, MBA, B.Com

Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Higher Education UAE

Senior General Manager: Panasonic Middle East & Africa, Thought Leader, Speaker & Author of ‘Moment of Signal’ (Amazon’s International Bestseller)

Mr. Amulya Sah, PGD PM & IR, PG Diploma in PM&IR (XISS Ranchi)

Shanthi Rajan (MSHRM, FHEA, AMCILT) Director, Institution Development, University of Stirling, RAK Campus, UAE.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Senior Director HR. Head HR group Samsung R&D Institute India,Transformative HR Leader, Change agent, Digitization facilitator, Engagement architect, Trainer and Diversity champion.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Suramya Mathai, Ph.D,M.Ed,MA,BA. Teachers Training Expert, Writer, Author, Speaker & Social Worker

Higher Education Digest September 2020

52 64

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, SHIRPUR CAMPUS

Nurturing Self-Reliant Pharmacists with Global Standards

Higher Education Digest August 2020

GITAM SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

A Name to Vouch for Quality Pharmacy Education

SHOBHABEN PRATAPBHAI PATEL SCHOOL OF PHARMACY & TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Making Pharma Students IndustryReady through Innovation

KONKAN GYANPEETH RAHUL DHARKAR COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Creating Competent Pharmacy Professionals

88 88

VIDYABHARATI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

Transcending the Pharmaceutical Education and Industry

98 98

VIVEKANAND EDUCATION SOCIETYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

Redefining the Pharmaceutical Industry Through Education

ACADEMIC VIEW

Make Lifelong Learning a Goal for Your Children

By Arshleen Kalra, Head of Academics and Service Delivery, KLAY Preschools and Daycare

The Future of Education: A Blend of Face-to-Face Classrooms and Virtual Lessons Madam Grace Pinto, Managing Director, Ryan International Group of Institutions

MENTORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MANTRA GLOBAL EDUCATION INSIGHTS

COVID-19 and the Loopholes in the Indian Education System Siddharth Chaturvedi, Executive Vice President, AISECT Group

Why Anger Management is a Vital Part of Online Learning

How to Keep Your StudyAbroad Dreams Alive During the Pandemic

Sangeeta Hajela, Principal, DPS Indirapuram

Piyush Kumar, Regional Director (South Asia), IDP Education

Lack of Clarity on 3-Language Policy can Create a Roadblock for NEP Implementation in Many States Rustom Kerawalla, Chairman, Ampersand Group

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

The Importance of Online Learning in the Times of COVID-19 and Beyond Vishnu Kartik, CEO, Xperiential Learning Systems

4 Step Guide for Parents to Help Children Choose the Right Education and Career

How is the New Wave of Technological Advancement Redefining the Indian Education Space?

Praveen Parameswar, Co-founder and CEO, Lifology

Pankaj Agarwal, Founder & CEO, TagHive

108

Online Coaching: The Future of Education Shivanand Pandit, Author of the Book ‘Begin to Win’ and Autonomous Finance and Tax Adviser

How Did ACCA Help Indian Students to Continue Their Exam Journey in the Face of COVID-19 Disruption? Mohammed Sajid Khan, Head of International Development, ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

112

How NEP Strongly Support Online Courses for Future Generation Som Sharma, Founder, Edu Brain Group

MENTORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MANTRA

The Future of Education: A Blend of Face-to-Face Classrooms and Virtual Lessons Madam Grace Pinto, Managing Director, Ryan International Group of Institutions

How has been the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian k12 Education sector so far? How will it affect the upcoming academic years? Indian K-12 sector has evolved tremendously over the past few months, thanks to the ed-tech interventions employed by various schools for the benefit of the children. Lifelong learning as the essence of the NEP, we saw it in action as the staff had to unlearn and relearn and learn new strategies and tools that were available online to provide a productive learning experience for the students. As a result, there has been a seamless transition for many schools from offline to a virtual interactive model of learning. There has been newness in many things, constant reinvention and gradual transformation taking place in the K12 segment to enhance the teaching-learning processes. Technology has definitely proven to be a good disruptor in the education sector. And as a result, it enabled the schools to provide unhindered access to virtual learning. In the forthcoming years, seems like blended learning may be the new normal. Considering this, COVID-19, which was thought to be for our harm, worked out for the good of the education sector. It is encouraging that schools have remained committed to ensuring that quality teaching-learning continues through the virtual learning platforms and different edtech apps to support wholesome learning experience for the students. There has been an increase in the adoption of Edu-tech by Education Institutions across the country. How do you see this trend? What are the efforts of Ryan International Group of Institutions in this regard? Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the usage of tech platforms in every field, and education is no exception to it. The pandemic situation led schools to use virtual/remote learning platforms to reach out to students and provide them with continuous learning opportunities. We can already foresee a robust growth of

Higher Education Digest September 2020

In future, schools may gradually adopt a smart school model or a hybrid model where the dependency on ed-tech platforms is evident

Madam Grace Pinto

13 Over the decades, among the variety of personalities that have risen to prominence for their contribution in the field of education and social service, Madam Grace Pinto stands out as someone distinctively striking and seminal in her demonstration of commitment towards making a difference through her schools as a leader. With her humble beginnings as a teacher nearly four decades ago, she is today a force to reckon with in the highly competitive and challenging segment of education. As Managing Director, her business acumen coupled with a deep and abiding faith in Lord Jesus Christ has enabled her to partner her husband, Dr A. F. Pinto, Chairman, Ryan Group, in building one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest privately owned and managed chain of K-12 institutions. A dedicated faculty, trained and led by her team, supported with state-of-the-art infrastructure and Information Communication Technology (ICT), the Ryan Group is responsible for educating lakhs of students globally through diverse national and international curricula. In an interaction with Higher Education Digest, Madam Grace Pinto talks about the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian k12 Education, how does the Ryan International Group of Institutions make its education exciting and useful for its learners, and many more.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ed-tech in the country soon. Also, in future, schools may gradually adopt a smart school model or a hybrid model where the dependency on ed-tech platforms is evident. At Ryan Group, we used to partially use the virtual online platform. Still, we transited to using it as the primary mode of teaching through our in-house internal learning management system.

Do you think the gaining popularity of online learning will affect the demand for traditional educational institutions? How can our educational institutions utilize both conventional and online education for the benefits of our students? Although in future, we look at a further deep dive in this virtual learning trend in the K12 sector, it will not hamper the demand of traditional educational institutions. As said earlier, there will be a gradual transition of traditional school set ups being more open to a hybrid school model. Academic learning with constant upgrading in tech-tools can be seamless and effective. However, the holistic development through extra-curricular, one-on-one communication, experiential learning and real-time school activities with teachers as mentors will continue to remain an extremely integral part of a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education. Therefore, as stated earlier, blended learning will be the new normal. Accessibility has been the biggest challenge for students from rural parts of the country during this time of the pandemic. How can we solve the problem of the digital divide between urban and rural India? Our schools are spread across not only in metro cities but also in tier II towns as well as in some rural areas, and we have seen tech infrastructure getting better along with time and more standardized across all our schools. Although some temporary challenges and teething issues apart, there has been more or less a standardized delivery of learning opportunities made available to all Ryanites across the country. Similarly, as the ground has been broken, we are hoping to see the great digital divide being reduced with the attention paid to infrastructure being improvised in the villages and remote inter-lands with the smart technology as the new reality of digital India. Some initiatives have been taken by the HRD ministry towards the very end as Swayam Prabha DTH channels with endeavours to ensure learning opportunities are made available to those who want to learn.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

According to you, what are the key characteristics of an effective e-learning program? How does the Ryan International Group of Institutions make its education exciting and useful for its learners? The proverb says, “Train children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not turn from it.” What we are basically doing is nurturing the 21st-century skills in our children to take ownership of their learning process and journey. It is made possible when you allow them to face their learning to meet the outcome. Taking ownership of one’s learning involves not only independence but also a responsibility. Therefore a lot of life skills are learnt in the process. Our teachers have demonstrated commitment to ensuring that our children are engaged productively and enjoy learning. We were one of the first private groups of schools to introduce e-learning classes and even consulted with noted ed-tech experts to deliver a seamless interface that ensured the students and teachers faced minimum stress during a live class. About one million+ remote learning sessions have been delivered to date for grades 1 to 12 over the past few months. Also, we have received constructive feedback which enables us to do better in refining the learning outcomes. Apart from that, our children have also enjoyed the co-curricular activities through virtual participation in activities that go beyond the books. Workshops focusing on the physical and mental well-being of the students as well as creativity-enhancing workshops have also been conducted to enable the student to stay focused and active. We are grateful for the parental support and community participation in this entire process. In India, what are the common challenges teachers face during online classes and how to overcome them? One of the common challenges faced by the teachers is ‘weak network’. As stated earlier, once the infrastructure is in place with a better network, Wi-Fi and channel

for continual viewing of programs, as well as more attempts are explored to ensure continuous availability of learning opportunities for children according to the grades, we will encounter lesser problems. Although the transition from offline to virtual learning interface was a sudden one, people demonstrated that they are lifelong learners in the way they took up the challenge and learned new things and unlearned their previous knowledge of how to do things and redesigned their lesson plans to meet the refined learning outcomes. As a result, the transition became quicker to the virtual platform at the Ryan Group. Similarly, teachers across had to adapt to the virtual platform rather quickly because learning can never stop for the teachers or the students. What is your advice to the academicians and administrators across the country? Technology and Virtual learning as an integral part of the education system are here to stay. Therefore the obvious focus of academicians needs to be on leveraging technology, active collaboration, and capacity building to deliver an immersive learning experience online. Exploring the e-learning ecosystem will continue to remain as the top priority to offer our students a platform that benefits them the most. What we now perceive is that hybrid blended learning with ‘face-toface classrooms and virtual lessons’ will be the future of education that will provide engaging and meaningful learning experiences for our students. Similarly, the assessments also need to be changed accordingly, focusing on conceptual learning, monitoring the progress and providing timely guidance to enhance children’s learning outcomes and growth. With the New Education Policy (NEP), the whole pedagogical framework has undergone a change. Therefore we will stand to benefit if we embrace the changes proactively and redesign and redefine our learning outcomes to make out children more global citizens.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

GLOBAL EDUCATION INSIGHTS

How to Keep Your StudyAbroad Dreams Alive During the Pandemic Piyush Kumar, Regional Director (South Asia), IDP Education

How has been the impact of COVID-19 on Global Education so far? How will it affect the upcoming academic years? The impact has definitely been unprecedented, but combatable. Institutions across the world acted swiftly to provide students with new models of education like blended learning. These models are wellthought and ensure that the students experience the same high-quality education online while they wait for air travel restrictions to get lifted. Most governments have assured that all students who enrol for online learning shall enjoy the same post-study work rights as they would in normal circumstances. However, a bunch of students have decided to defer their admission to the next intake, hoping to study exclusively on-campus. While this is a subjective choice, these students will have to wait longer to graduate as planned initially, whereas students who have opted for online semesters will be able to earn their degrees without having wasted any time. Do you think the gaining popularity of online learning will affect the demand for traditional educational institutions across the globe? What would be the status of international student migration post-COVID? The introduction of online learning is a great positive step in the field of international education. The accessibility and flexibility of the same have given confidence to many students who were still doubtful of pursuing their higher studies abroad. It was a much-needed step towards the onset of this new era of digital maturity. I believe that both online mode of education and traditional approaches can and will co-exist in the coming future, providing with new opportunities to students who want to enhance their career prospects.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The introduction of online learning is a great positive step in the field of international education

Piyush Kumar

The pandemic has disrupted the study-abroad plans of several students across the globe. To address the various challenges faced by the students and their families due to COVID-19 situation for pursuing overseas education, IDP Education has been hosting the biggest virtual education fair to pave a seamless journey for the aspirants who aim to study abroad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the pandemic hit the world, we immediately branched out our physical education fairs to a virtual mode. These specialised virtual education fairs are meant to connect students with top universities and institutions across the globe so they can interact directly and understand their career paths better,â&#x20AC;? says Piyush Kumar, Regional Director (South Asia), IDP Education. In an interaction with Higher Education Digest, Piyush Kumar talks about the significance of IDP Study Abroad Virtual Fair, study programs and scholarships for various countries, and how is IDP supporting Indian students to reach their goals during the uncertain situation caused by the pandemic.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Piyush Kumar Piyush Kumar joined IDP Education in 2015 as the Country Director for India and was further appointed as the Regional Director for South Asia in 2017. He heads IDPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations in the region and oversees the execution of business strategy and manages

the

operating

and

service

performance across Student placement as well as IELTS. He is also a member of IDPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Leadership Team and has played a key role in driving exceptional business growth and opportunities for the region. He led the market entry strategy for Nepal as well. Under his leadership, IDP has significantly expanded its footprints and

opened 23 new offices across the region in the last 3 years.

What is the significance of the IDP Study Abroad Virtual Fair during the worldwide pandemic situation? Tell us about the benefits of the virtual fair. IDP has been in the international student placement industry for more than 50 years, and we understand what a student goes through during various stages of decision making really well. When the pandemic hit the world, we immediately branched out our physical education fairs to a virtual mode. These specialised virtual education fairs are meant to connect students with top universities and institutions across the globe so they can interact directly and understand their career paths better. They can discuss their individual profiles, the scope of their programs, explore scholarships and even apply on-thespot if they are eligible on a dedicated video call with the institution representatives. In the ongoing series of virtual fairs, we have over 170 world-class institutions participating to guide students aspiring to study abroad in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the US. Attending these virtual fairs is absolutely free for the

Higher Education Digest September 2020

students, who also get a pre-counselling session from our trained international education experts. What is the role and responsibility of IDP in fulfilling the aspiration of students for studying abroad during a pandemic? IDP is committed to help students realise their dreams of studying abroad. Even in the COVID- 19 times, IDP was the first one in the industry to launch its virtual offices across India to guide students along their path. Our international education experts have been accessible throughout and counselling students to choose their best fit besides keeping them posted about the latest developments. Besides this, we have regular virtual events to connect students with over 170 top institutions across the globe from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the US. In fact, IDP experts have also been regularly conducting Facebook and Instagram live sessions to keep connected with our students and update them with any latest developments in international education.

Tell us about the study programs and scholarships for various countries available right now. Canada Canada is one of the most popular study destinations in the world, offering high-quality education at an affordable fee structure with credentials that are recognised globally with an opportunity to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Some of the most popular programs in Canada which are also being offered in a blended format (online start) right now include Marketing Management, MBA, Global business management, Artificial Intelligence, Information Security Management, Electronics and Embedded Systems Development, Health Care Programs, Machine Learning, Urban Planning and development, Renewable energies, Project Management, Supply Chain Management and Logistics, Early childhood education, and Hospitality management. The scholarship and financial assistance offered to students right now in Canada is as follows: • Ancillary charges which normally include insurance and other non-tuition components are being waived off – CAD 500 to CAD 1500 • Merit-based scholarship basis academic excellence and extracurricular activities – CAD 1000 to CAD 15000 • Language skills scholarship – Based on IELTS score – CAD 500 –CAD 1500 • Additional reduction in tuition fee at certain institutions – 10-15% of first semester’s tuition Australia Australia offers a wide range of programs and specialisations across varied disciplines at the bachelors, masters and research levels. There are a good number of vocational and technical training courses available as well. During this current period, Australia has been very swift in transferring its teaching and curriculum to deliver it online to all students, including those international who are offshore. Lectures, webinars, tutorials, assignments, tests are on virtual platforms to cause minimum disruption to the studies and enable students to continue online classes smoothly. A large number of scholarships are offered by Australian universities for international students. There are merit-based scholarships, bursaries, faculty-specific scholarships. At the moment, some universities are offering a rebate on fees and

COVID discount for students studying the semester online. They are offering other flexibilities as well to support international students during this period to ensure that they and their study plans are least impacted due to the ongoing situation. The UK There are some institutions in the UK like Queen’s University Belfast, University of Exeter, University of Hertfordshire, University of Dundee, and the University of Sunderland, that are still accepting applications and offering scholarship and bursaries. Some of the top courses available for Autumn 2020 in UK universities include Finance and Management, Business Management, Marketing and Management, Global Media Economics, International Business Finance and Economics, LLM General Law, Media, Culture and Society, Data Science, Advanced Computer Science, Cyber Security, Medicine and Public Health, Health and Psychology, Sports Management, and Architecture. The US On average, a university in the US offers more than 300 majors for both undergraduate and graduate program. Some of the most soughtafter programs offered or pioneered in the US are Business Analytics, data science, artificial intelligence, embedded systems, machine learning, psycholinguistics, human-computer interactions, etc. US institutions have an abundant amount of scholarships and financial aid opportunities for international students. Most of the scholarships/ tuition waivers which are specific to the university are given basis the merit as well as holistic attributes of the student. On average, a student in the US will be able to get around 5000 – 18000 USD in scholarship annually, which could be renewable if the student meets the desired requirements. Assistantships are most common in US universities awarded to credible students. Some of them are Graduate Assistantship, Research Assistantship, Resident Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship, etc. The assistantships are quite adequate for the international student, it might be more than the tuition and could cover the other expenses as well. The key to receiving admit from US universities with funding is to make sure that student distinguishes themselves from the competition by researching opportunities and enhancing their application.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY MIT WORLD PEACE UNIVERSITY I m p a r t i n g E xc e l l e n t a n d Q u a l i t y E d u c a t i o n T h r o u g h Va l u e - B a s e d S y s t e m By Sarath Shyam

Higher Education Digest September 2020

he pandemic has forced higher education institutions to review and revisit the existing practices. In tune with the ‘new norms,’ pharmacy education is also undergoing momentous change. “The higher education sector is undergoing a tectonic shift right now, and many more changes will occur. In the years to come, technology will be the biggest intermediary of the teaching-learning process, as we are expecting to have 50 per cent online education for theory subjects. We may observe all the technical talk/expert lectures as webinars. Examination and assessments are likely to be conducted using online mode,” opines Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad, Founder President, MIT World Peace University. MAEER’s Maharashtra Institute of Pharmacy (MIP) which is now transformed into School of Pharmacy, MIT World Peace University (MIT WPU), Pune, has always been proactive when it comes to imbibing the latest trends in education. During the pandemic, the institute was quick to take the measures as per the WHO guidelines of sanitization and social distancing. “From the 22 March, we were ready with all necessary arrangements to resume the academics using online mode. Our faculty was aware of online teaching-learning, and we could successfully complete the term by the end of May 2020, followed by online examinations of the students,” shares Rahul Vishwanath Karad, Executive President, MIT World Peace University.

Prof. Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad, Founder, President

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Dr. Bhanudas S. Kuchekar, Dean

Since 8 July, the academic year 2020-21 has started at School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU. Using Cisco Webex online platform, the institute is observing smooth teaching-learning without any technical errors. Dr NT Rao, Vice Chancellor, MIT World Peace University says, “We have provided e-books to our students. We are doing regular assessments of the students using google classroom and emails.” Besides, School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU has a robust mentor-mentee scheme, which helps teachers to get regularly in touch with students to solve their doubts and keep their morale high in this pandemic. Dr Rao adds, “For all this smooth conduct of academics, including the exams, our management had strongly supported all teachers and students.” However, pharmacy education cannot be completed online, as it requires a lot of physical interventions. “Teaching practical curriculum to the students, assessing student’s achievements reliably, awarding qualification securely, and conducting a fair and robust admission process for 2020-21 entrants are some of the major challenges for any institutions now. In fact, the higher studies, especially postgraduate research, has paused a lot because of this unpredictable situation,” opines Dr. Milind Pande, Pro-Vice Chancellor, MIT World Peace University. However, the School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU has managed to mitigate these challenges to an extent. The institute is ready with practical virtual laboratories created by teachers using IoT tools and sharing of practical recording as well.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Wonderful ambience to learn, excellent lab facilities with well-equipped machinery, 100% cooperative and friendly environment to learn and grow are the key features of School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU

“We have taken necessary actions to reach thirdsemester postgraduate students, that includes discussion and exchange the thoughts and ideas, problem identification, literature survey and action plan of work which students may work in the laboratory post-COVID situation,” shares Dr BS Kuchekar, Dean - School of Pharmacy, MIT World Peace University. School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU has also planned to conduct online examination using the sophisticated software purchased by the University. “We have already started the admission process for the postgraduate students and waiting for the guidelines of admission regulatory bodies. We are ready for the undergraduate admission for the year 2020-21,” claims Dr Kuchekar.

On the other side, School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU was actively involved in educating the community regarding the Dos and Don’ts during this pandemic situation. The institute had created and posted several videos and e-posters to make awareness within the community. Besides, School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU had formulated their own sanitizer and distributed to the whole campus of the University as well as hospitals. Offering a Life Transforming Experience Established in 1997, School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU is ranked in top 75 pharmacy institutes in India by NIRF, Govt. of India and has also been placed into platinum category by AICTE-CII Survey. The institute provides

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Dr Marcel Mader visiting pilot plant at School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU

Dr. Milind Pande, Pro Vice Chancellor

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm), Master of Pharmacy (M. Pharm) in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, PhD in Pharmacy. Its B. Pharm program is accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for five years. “We offer a lifetransforming experience as the academic framework follows unique WPU method of imparting education that is focused on the holistic development of the students along with the academic excellence,” opines Akshay Baheti, Head of School of Pharmacy, MIT World Peace University. The WPU methods of imparting higher education follow a continuously evolving learning pedagogy backed by research, collaborations, technology, field studies, projects and peace curriculum. School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU is a unique blend of excellence and commitment. Wonderful ambience, excellent lab facilities with well-equipped machinery, 100 per cent cooperative and friendly environment to learn and grow is the key features of the school. As per the name of our University, MIT World Peace University, we try to imbibe the culture of peace in our students. For this, we have made our students learn yoga, peace and meditation through which they can work on their concentration power and this will, in turn, help them in their overall grooming while entering into their profession as a career,” shares Dr Kuchekar.

On the academic front, to bridge the gap between industry and the institute arranges many seminars, workshops, conferences, and training sessions for the students according to their areas of interest. “We encourage our students to attend various conferences, seminars as well as industrial workshops, to update their knowledge apart from their curriculum. To upgrade our student’s knowledge apart from their syllabus, we arrange various guest lectures by the wellknown industry as well as academic experts. All these co-curricular activities prove our students more efficient and employable,” states Dr Kuchekar. School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU helps their students to get actively involved in industrial internships, small projects, trainings or industrial visits every year, so that they can get some knowledge about the current scenario in the industry. Working with the Industry Developing and strengthening Industry-Institute relationship with the help of working MoU is one of the integral parts of the School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU. Dr Kuchekar pinpoints, “MoUs help to bridge the gap between academics and the industries. The Centre for Industry-Academia Partnership (CIAP) works closely with industries as well as students to bring us the best industry collaborations possible. These collaborations aid industrial training, internship, guest lectures from eminent corporate guests and placements.” The institute’s strong network of global alumni is also a source of constant support to its current students. The alumni members guide the ongoing student to give them a view about industry expectations while nurturing students to be excellent industry prospects in terms of hard and soft skills and bringing back the best of the world to MIT-WPU.

Dr N. T. Rao, Vice-Chancellor

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The close co-operation between Academia-IndustryAlumni sets MIT-WPU’s presence among the top companies and research institutions, which leads to enhanced quantity and quality placements in the campus for more than three decades. Thus, WPU is the most favourable campus for national and international corporations. Micro Labs Limited, Bangalore, Tulip Lab Pvt. Ltd., Pune, PRADO Pvt., Ltd., Pune, Murlikrishna Pharma Pvt., Ltd., Ranjangaon, Actorius Innovations and Research Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Eisen Pharmaceuticals Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., Pune, SAVA Healthcare Ltd., Pune, BVG Life Sciences Limited, Pune, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA are some of the prominent names that are part of a quickly growing list of the institute’s most trusted industry partners.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

“We are proud to have their support in ensuring that School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU sets the highest benchmarks in turning our students that have been exposed to the best curriculum and received sufficient inputs from industry to make them winners,” says Dr Kuchekar. More than 90 per cent of students get placed via campus placement cell of School of Pharmacy MIT WPU. From the batch of 2018-2019, Sneha Bhosale had placed in Life Pharmacy UAE, Teertha Irla had placed in Covance Ltd. From the batch of 2017-2018, Vaibhav Jadhav had placed in ManKind Pharma and Rohan Soneja had placed in Covance Ltd. From the batch of 2019-2020 Prajakta Pattanshetti got placed in Covance Ltd, and Priyanka Kshirsagar got placed in Micro Labs

Mr. Rahul V. Karad, Executive President

Ltd., Bangalore. For those who are looking beyond placements to become a job provider, MIT WPU has a Technology Business Incubation (TBI) cell sponsored by MHRD. With the help of TBI, the university guides and helps young entrepreneurs to put up their ideas as a business model. Today, to cater to the current development in the pharmacy sector, School of Pharmacy, MIT WPU is planning to start new programs, including M Pharm in Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy. To broaden the area of Pharmacy research and education, the institute is also preparing for introducing their faculty as Faculty of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences. It will include some courses like M Sc in Quality Assurance by Research only

for industrial persons. “To increase our involvement in research, we are planning to set central instrumentation facility, upgradation of animal house, the establishment of innovation promotion cell and strengthening of Entrepreneurship development cell. We are planning to introduce some post-graduate diploma and certificate courses like PG Diploma in Cosmetic technology, PG diploma in Intellectual Property Rights and handson training on Sophisticated instruments,” shares Dr Kuchekar. Soon, the institute will be starting online courses in Six sigma, QbD and herbal cosmetics. “We are also planning for some international tie-up which include students exchange program, joint research and publications and many more,” concludes Dr Kuchekar.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ACADEMIC VIEW

COVID-19 and the Loopholes in the Indian Education System Siddharth Chaturvedi, Executive Vice President, AISECT Group

As an impact of COVID-19, jobs that will not add value to any business will quickly perish. What are your thoughts on the future of the job market? The traditional working pattern has been disrupted by the pandemic causing many businesses to either reexamine their work or close for the good. Apart from that, various sectors had wide layoffs due to poor financial results. Companies in the post-pandemic era will have limited funds to invest in their employees. Currently, the prime target is to plan smartly for the better future of the job market. Acceleration of technology adoption across several sectors should be one of the salient features to create new job roles. Besides that, specialized technology and complex problem-solving skills will be valued more. There is no denying the fact that sectors like healthcare, agriculture and logistics will see an uptake in jobs post the pandemic. Considering the current situations, what impact will upskilling create on graduates and working professionals? We update apps on our phones to operate the latest version of the same. Similarly, in every aspect of life, people need to upgrade continuously to remain relevant in the fast-paced world of technology. This applies to the current situation of the graduates and working professionals too. To remain employed and be relevant in the competitive job market, upskilling is the need of the hour for the employed professionals. The pace of technological changes is making employees adopt new skills to stay fully productive and have a better-employed future. Furthermore,

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The pandemic has resulted in highlighting the existing inconsistency of the education system

Siddharth Chaturvedi

Executive Vice President of AISECT Group, Siddharth Chaturvedi is the Chairman of the CII Bhopal chapter. Siddharth is also a part of the Governing Body and Board of Management of the Dr. C. V. Raman University in Chhattisgarh as well as the Rabindranath Tagore University in Madhya Pradesh. In an interaction with Higher Education Digest, Siddharth talks about the impact of COVID on future jobs, importance of upskilling, challenges for the Indian education system, and many more.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Education 4.0 will provide greater flexibility in entry and exit from the formal education system Siddharth Chaturvedi

32 the industries need to invest in upskilling their employees on emerging skills. Educational Institutions would also need to invest in skilling graduates on future skills platforms. Considering that a major chunk of future jobs in India will be in areas of Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, what needs to be done to fill the industry-academia gap? The gap between the curriculum taught in colleges and the skills that an employer need is indeed wide. Going forward, the career trajectory of an employee will revolve around digital technologies such as AI, Analytics and Robotics for which the conventional structure of universities is outdated. Businesses nowadays are more inclined towards the use of analytics. Robots have advanced to the extent that they can surpass an industry expert. Even AI has tremendous potential in the Indian job market. However, the engineering students in our country are yet to adopt these advancements as educational institutions across the country still teach outdated technologies which are irreverent in the current scenario.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The industry needs to tie up with educational institutions to get customized courses running in parallel to standard degree programs like B Tech, BCA, etc. so that the students gain relevant skill sets and get employment ready by the time they graduate. Moreover, educational institutions need to offer more than the mandatory components of Internships and OnJob-Training to provide exposure to students on emerging skills. Entrepreneurship Training, student exchange programmes with educational institutions worldwide and international research collaborations are some of the avenues that universities should actively explore. IndustryAcademia collaboration can also see Centres of Excellence being set up jointly to focus on research and training in specialized sectors of Future Skills. Since the demand for skill-based learning is growing, what does Education 4.0 offer to fulfil the same? Education 4.0 aligns itself with the upcoming fourth industrial revolution, which is ongoing automation of traditional industrial and manufacturing practices with the help of modern smart technology. This initiative will help

students be well-versed with technologies such as AI and robotics. Students will learn to interact with the powerful technology of AI to solve everyday problems. This will create more hands-on learning, more credits earned through Industry internships and more credits through live project work. Besides, Education 4.0 will provide greater flexibility in entry and exit from the formal education system. It will also be of greater use to online learning, e-Labs and simulations for Teaching Learning. Accessibility has been the biggest challenge for students from rural parts of the country during this time of the pandemic. How can we solve the problem of the digital divide between urban and rural India? The nationwide lockdown has had a tremendous impact on the education system of the country, especially for students from rural areas. Since the Indian education system is dominated by classroom study, the present scenario has made the functioning of the educational institutions go all topsy-turvy. However, the problem of the digital divide between urban and rural India is not insurmountable. To solve this wide gap, the students need to rely on TV as an effective mode of mass delivery. Next, it is important to come up with subsidized data packs from the Telecom Industry for learners. Adoption of more asynchronous ways of learning such as pre-recorded video lessons or a game-based learning task can be more effective than relying on live classes. Apart from that, the use of more content in regional languages will initiate lots of changes in overcoming the divide. In India, what are the common challenges teachers face during online classes and how to overcome them? Before the COVID-19 lockdown in India, not many reckoned that the face of the educational institutions could change so drastically. Schools that never allowed students to carry an electronic gadget turned into learning centres for online classes. Both teachers and students are getting accustomed to this new normal, which is definitely more challenging for the teachers to cope with. Online classes have led to increased expenses for the teachers that can be overwhelming for them. To tackle this situation, educational institutions should

subsidize and reimburse those costs. Challenges in adopting new technologies and tools for online learning can be strenuous for the teachers. Institutions and the Government should be investing in mass-scale Teacher Training Initiatives to address such issues. The teachers also face challenges in designing effective lessons and changing of pedagogy when shifting to online learning; this can also be resolved through workshops and training. What are the critical trends of education to follow post-COVID? The COVID-19 Pandemic has revealed some of the major loopholes in the Indian education system. Decisions related to education once attained will have long term significance in the future of the education system in the country. Furthermore, the closure of schools has had a severe impact on vulnerable and marginalized students. One of the critical trends that can be followed is the need to have a blended approach to online learning. Following that the increase in investment on the upgrading of the technology infrastructure of institutions requires accurate limelight. Stress needs to be given to training the teachers. Apart from that, updating curricula across major sectors and focus on Start-ups and Entrepreneurship should rise. What is your advice to the academicians and administrators across the country? The pandemic has resulted in highlighting the existing inconsistency of the education system. The time to act for a better future and make a difference is now, and the academicians and administrators have a significant role to play in this. A traditional proverb says that a wise teacher makes learning a joy. Having said that, investment in the biggest assets of education, which are teachers, can be an extremely fruitful decision. Encouraging innovation and creativity as well as maintaining communication with Teachers, Parents, and Students can do wonders. Taking extra care of the mental health of all stakeholders by removing any form of stigma revolving around it will make a lot of difference. Additional precautions and guidelines should be taken care of whenever an institution is opening up. Last but not least, creation of a dedicated Technology and e-learning task force within the educational institutions should be a primary focus for the upliftment, development and growth of the institutes.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ACADEMIC VIEW

Make Lifelong Learning a Goal for Your Children 34

By Arshleen Kalra, Head of Academics and Service Delivery, KLAY Preschools and Daycare

t the risk of sounding cliched, I will go out on a limb and say that these unprecedented times have nudged individuals, organisations, and the community at large from its comfort zone. Industries of the world are rethinking their survival strategies, and the education landscape is no different. ‘Virtual’ is the new normal, and the academic learning of a child has become a collaborative and highly coordinated effort amongst education providers, educators, and the parents. Roles are blurring, and parents are playing an equal role as facilitator to contribute to their child’s learning. The education system has gone online overnight, and we have been forced to adapt. The fundamental question to address here is - will it change the way a child learns? Are we contributing to the holistic development of our children, or is it pure academics? It is critical to answer these questions when it comes to early years education specifically for the age group between 3 to 6 years. In my own humble way, I will try to address this in my piece. Lifelong Learning as The Goal Research says that children learn faster as compared to adults. In the early years too, new experiences drive children intrinsically to learn

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Neuroscience research on brain development demonstrates that 90% of the child’s brain develops in the initial 5 years of age

Arshleen Kalra

Arshleen is an MBA and PMP certified professional with over 18 years of experience in Training & Education across India, US, LATAM, Africa, ASEAN & UAE. She has led large scale operations, training functions, programs & projects in the areas of end to end learning life cycle & product management for corporates, universities, and schools. In her current role at KLAY, she manages â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Academics and Service Deliveryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and is responsible for all academic functions including devising Academic Strategy (Digital/Non-Digital), Frameworks, Design and Delivery.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Arshleen Kalra

Arshleenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus is to bring in innovative methods for learning and teaching. She is also responsible for the process and people enablement across all the schools to ensure standardisation in quality of education, services and childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall experience at KLAY. Before KLAY, she has worked with large groups like Bharti Airtel, Zee, Videocon & ArcSkills (GEMS Education). She has also been associated with MoRD & ILO in rural entrepreneurship & skill development space. Her passion lies in upskilling teachers and improving the quality of learning for children at underprivileged schools. She is also an advocate of yoga and meditation for ensuring work-life balance.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

and explore. They adapt to change quickly given they feel safe and secure in their environment. Whether the modal of learning is online or offline, it is essential to make the child feel comfortable and help in building connection and trust with the teachers and peers. While teachers are acting as a conduit between the digital and the real-world experiences, the transfer of skills may not be possible without parental support. Parents must get involved in the digital learning journey of their child until the child smoothly transitions and gets familiar with the routine. Special Circumstances, Differentiated Approach ‘Screen time’ is inevitable in the current situation and opting for an online learning program can make a parent anxious as the children are engaged continuously in screen activity. While choosing an appropriate program for a child, it is essential to remember that children learn by interactions and active participation. In the early years, the attention span is too short. To engage children meaningfully, the learning environment should provide various opportunities to explore, observe, inquire, express, and collaborate. Learning content should be engaging and exciting to grasp the attention of all kinds of learners – Visual (children who learn by seeing like -pictures, colours, visual), Audio (children who learn by listening like rhymes, music, stories ) & kinaesthetic (children who learn by doing activities or process knowledge through bodily sensations). Every child has a primary learning style along with others in varying degrees. ‘Interactions’ through back-and-forth information exchange and with the help of various learning tools is the key. Considering the minimal real-life connections in the current scenario, such enriched online interactions will support the social and emotional development of a child. Focus on Holistic Development Amid the pandemic, the idea is to look for educational opportunities. However, it does not discount the time and effort we can put into our child’s holistic development. As individuals, we all are overwhelmed with our work and household commitments. However, at a family

level, this situation is a blessing in disguise. Each conversation with our child is an opportunity to nurture and deepen the bonds between other family members and us. Children learn through the reflection of the world we project to them. A child is continually observing and experiencing life through us, so it becomes imperative to help child contextualise or associate his/her world to the real world. Finally, being prepared does not hurt If the child is not settling into the online/offline schooling program or daily routine, have lively conversations with the child to ease out the familiarity with the unknown. Make the child understand the importance of that one-hour spent on structured learning. Ensure the child has everything ready before the class as it helps in peer learning and active participation. No child should feel left out when other children are participating in activities just because we could not expend time to organise resources for the same. Children will take control of their learning only when they will see us focusing on their learning schedules. Early years matter! Neuroscience research on brain development demonstrates that 90% of the child’s brain develops in the initial 5 years of age. The rate of development is rapid during these years, and thus there is a need for continuity in learning to help the child achieve the developmental milestones. At this stage, we should certainly choose a structured learning program, either online/offline or follow a structured plan at home under the supervision of a trusted adult. It is also essential to provide continuity of the learning in subtle ways while engaging with the child within the household or the current living situation. According to a report based on UN data, the crisis has “turned back the clock” on years of progress made on kids’ well-being and put children’s rights under severe pressure across the globe. Each day counts, and as educators or parents, we need to manoeuvre the child in the right direction. It will not only facilitate a smooth transition to real classrooms in the future but also help in the life ahead!

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Higher Education Digest August 20202020 September

n the world of specialization and globalization, pharmacy education has emerged as the second most popular career for medical stream students in India. The increase in demand has led to a surge in the number of institutions offering pharmacy degrees at various levels and a practice-based Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program in some private institutions in 2008. As the pharma sector works to propel itself towards the next level of growth, among the major challenges that confront the industry today are significant talent gaps and shortage of highly skilled workforce. Innovation in the drug delivery method is the future of the Indian pharma industry and the pharmacy course structure in India mainly consists of two facets of the profession: patient (pharmacy practice) and product (industrial pharmacy)-oriented pharmacy in different proportions together. As the rapidly growing Indian pharmaceutical sector strives to become a global hub of original drug research and manufacturing, pharmacy graduates with the right training and knowledge have significant potential to power the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth. Pharmacy education in India needs to be at par with global standards, where students armed with all required expertise, can grow up the career ladder, which the academia has been trying to achieve by making their curriculum more industry-oriented these days for the benefit of their students. With that in mind, the Higher Education Digest presents to you â&#x20AC;&#x153;25 MustWatch Pharmacy Colleges in Indiaâ&#x20AC;?, to celebrate their efforts in helping their students step into the industry. We recognize their support for the growing economy by bringing efficiency in the current education system.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

University Name Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy

City

State

Bengaluru

Karnataka

Kochi

Kerala

Rajpura

Punjab

Deccan School of Pharmacy

Hyderabad

Telangana

GITAM School of Pharmacy

Hyderabad

Telangana

JSS College of Pharmacy

Ooty

Tamil Nadu

KLE College of Pharmacy

Hubli

Karnataka

Konkan Gyanpeeth Rahul Dharkar College of Pharmacy and Research Institute

Karjat

Maharashtra

Kota College of Pharmacy

Ranpur

Rajasthan

L.M. College of Pharmacy

Ahmedabad

Gujarat

Manipal

Karnataka

Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala

Pune

Maharashtra

Amrita School of Pharmacy Chitkara College of Pharmacy

Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Mar Dioscorus College of Pharmacy Poona College of Pharmacy

Higher Education Digest September 2020

University Name PSG College of Pharmacy

City

State

Coimbatore

Tamil Nadu

Shirpur

Maharashtra

Bengaluru

Karnataka

Shirpur

Maharashtra

Pune

Maharashtra

Mumbai

Maharashtra

SRM College of Pharmacy

Kanchipuram

Tamil Nadu

St.Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Hanamkonda

Telangana

T John College of Pharmacy

Bengaluru

Karnataka

The Oxford College of Pharmacy

Bengaluru

Karnataka

Vidyabharati College of Pharmacy

Amravati

Maharashtra

Vivekanand Education Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College of Pharmacy

Mumbai

Maharashtra

R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Ramaiah College of Pharmacy School of Pharmacy and Technology Management School of Pharmacy, MIT World Peace University Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management

Higher Education Digest September 2020

GITAM SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

A NAME TO VOUCH FOR QUALITY PHARMACY EDUCATION

dverse circumstances can produce new and incredible opportunities if traditional approaches and paradigms are questioned and challenged. The pandemic is proving to be one for the education system across the world. Many higher education institutions in India, despite being ardent advocates of conventional teaching methodologies, have moved swiftly to the virtual teaching and learning mode. Most of them are now contemplating on creating a blended learning model once the campus operations get back to normal. GITAM School of Pharmacy, a premier institute in Telangana, is already on its way to make a shift. Dr Shiva Kumar, Principal, GITAM School of Pharmacy says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be preparing our students by giving them proper training on usage of online resources and virtual classes to enhance their knowledge and skills along with the completion

Higher Education Digest September 2020

of curricular requirements. Proper online training will be given to students related to prevention and cure at the time of such pandemics. We will teach them how to achieve it without affecting their regular works.â&#x20AC;? Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, popularly known as GITAM, was founded in 1980 by an inspired group of eminent intellectuals and industrialists of Andhra Pradesh led by Dr M. V. V. S. Murthi, former Member of Parliament and a famous philanthropist. GITAM School of Pharmacy was established in 2017 to M. Sri Bharat, impart quality education and training in the domains of pharmaceutical President

Higher Education Digest September 2020

sciences to develop students into competent personnel of the healthcare system. Despite the campus closure, the faculty members and management of the institute have been proactive. “We have been conducting online classes w for the students. Proper training regarding the conduction of online classes using virtual apps like Zoom, Teams and so on were imparted to the faculty members and students. Time schedule for the online classes was developed for completion of remaining syllabus, revision classes, doubt clearing sessions and mid-semester theory and practical examinations,” explains Dr Shiva Kumar. On the other side, GITAM School of Pharmacy taken several necessary measures to help the community to fight the pandemic. Dr Shiva Kumar shares, “We displayed informative posters regarding the signs and symptoms, modes of transmission and preventive measures for COVID -19 throughout the university campus. Useful information regarding the same was also given to the attendees of the institute.” For combating the unavailability of proper sanitizers, the institute also developed an in-house hand sanitizer which was maintained at various places of the University the personnel to use. “Since the outbreak of the virus, we have been actively guiding students, parents and other staff of the university regarding through telephonic communications,” adds Dr Shiva Kumar.

M. Sri Bharat, President

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Striving for Excellence Intending to become the centre of excellence in education and research, GITAM School of Pharmacy has been working on a mission to establish itself as an institute of global standards that can develop professionals with high moral and professional commitment to meet the healthcare needs of the society. “Our vision is to impart global quality education to the future pharmacy professionals by empowering them with knowledge and skills and to facilitate their professional, intellectual and moral development to meet the challenges of the competitive world,” opines Dr Shiva Kumar. GITAM School of Pharmacy intents to develop trained and skilled professionals through quality education and establish MoU through AcademicIndustry interactions and consultancy works. “We are now working on to achieve the highest standards of intellectual, educational and research productivity through continuous improvement of the infrastructure and industrial relationships,” pinpoints Dr Shiva Kumar. To achieve its goals, GITAM School of Pharmacy has initiated communication with all the leading pharmaceutical industries in Hyderabad and other places for active collaborations. “Industrial collaborations are of utmost requirement in pharmacy institutes to educate and train students in the knowledge and practice of pharmaceutical sciences and to contribute to the improvement of the health of the society, through education and research programs,” explains Dr Shiva Kumar. In fact, the industry-academia collaboration will help

the students to get an actual exposure of the current happenings and technical know-how in the pharmaceutical industries to develop the required competency to get placed in suitable pharmaceutical companies. Dr Shiva Kumar adds, “Major developments in the health care sector like formulations of new vaccines, development of new drug delivery systems can be well understood by such collaborations.” As per the curriculum GITAM School of Pharmacy, students will be going to various pharmaceutical industries for industrial training equivalent to internship programs. “Our students will be doing project works in collaboration with pharmaceutical industries. Various workshops will be conducted in which industry personnel will be training the students regarding the handling of equipment and formulation aspects,” claims Dr Shiva Kumar. GITAM School of Pharmacy motivates its students to work harder and focus on their careers and pursuits by arranging interaction sessions with industry and academic personnel

from reputed pharmaceutical industries and institutes in India and abroad as well. Till date, the institute has organized thirty guest lectures. Fine-Tuning the Future Pharma Professionals Now, GITAM School of Pharmacy is in the third year of its existence, and the students are attending various training sessions organized by the University Training and Placement Cell to develop competency and become eligible for the pharmaceutical industries. “Students are being imparted knowledge about their roles and responsibilities towards the healthcare system along with their curriculum subjects,” says Dr Shiva Kumar. GITAM School of Pharmacy students have actively organized and participated in various programmes like science exhibitions, blood donation camps, diabetes screening camps, street cause programmes, universal brotherhood days and several health camps in rural areas and government schools to educate the public about general

Higher Education Digest September 2020

health and hygiene and provide other healthcare-related information. Students are active members in NSS activities Haritha Aaram program and Swatcha. The institute also encourages students to participate in various sports and cultural activities held within the University and outside. “We continuously encourage our students for innovations and develop creativity among them by giving examples of the recent developments in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. During regular theory and practical classes, we teach them the industrial applications of the topics and clearly explain the experiments performed to the students,” says Dr Shiva Kumar. The faculty members of GITAM School of Pharmacy also discuss significant achievements in the healthcare sector, including the development of new drugs and delivery systems with the students. Further, the institute has made plans to develop Pharmacy Skill Development Centre to engage students in research areas. “We have also entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, to promote joint research projects and courses of study, with particular emphasis on internationally funded projects. This will help us provide students with study abroad opportunities at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, participation in seminars, workshops, symposia, and academic meetings. We will also have collaborative

Higher Education Digest September 2020

academic programs, international study tours and special short-term academic programs,” explains Dr Shiva Kumar. Besides, students opting GITAM School of Pharmacy have the edge over students of other pharmacy institutions across the country, as it is in Hyderabad, which is the hub of all major pharmaceutical industries. GITAM School of Pharmacy has also managed to make a team of faculty members having doctoral degrees and a vast experience in teaching, research, and administration to impart latest developments in the field along with the regular curriculum. The institute has 14 faculty members, and 13 out of them are PhD holders. “Students graduating from our institute will definitely have better exposure to the health care sector and their roles and responsibilities in strengthening it. They will gain expertise in the latest technical know-how by the workshops, guest lectures and seminar/webinar from global universities, which will develop them into more competent and responsible pharmaceutical professionals in whatever career they undertake,” pinpoints Dr Shiva Kumar. GITAM School of Pharmacy, in its pursuit to achieve excellence, is planning to postgraduate (M.Pharm.) programmes and constitute the Student Research Committee in the coming years. Undoubtedly, GITAM School of Pharmacy is a name to watch out for in the future.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ACADEMIC VIEW

Lack of Clarity on 3-Language Policy can Create a Roadblock for NEP Implementation in Many States Rustom Kerawalla, Chairman, Ampersand Group

he new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has come at a time when the Indian education sector is going through a transformation forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical classrooms are giving way to virtual ones, and e-learning and online education are becoming the order of the day. The NEP brings on the table several important proposals that have the potential to change the Indian education sector and prepare it for the future. Primary among these is the move forward from the present 10+2+3 system to a more progressive 5+3+3+4 system. The proposal to teach in the mother tongue and a three-language policy as also the use of technology will go a long way. However, the Policy has missed a lot of things which are crucial for the future of education. A very important oversight in the Policy is the lack of a roadmap for implementation of the proposals. The Policy, despite announcing many forward-looking proposals, fails to provide an implementation plan for these. There is no roadmap for implementation of its proposals, without that the Policy will not fulfil its purpose. Implementation by PPP has also not been included. The second most important area is in the funding of education. It talks about allocating 6 per cent of the GDP for education. Although this is more than what is being spent now, it is too small when compared to most developed countries that spend as much as 20 per cent of their GDP on education. Also, at a time when a lot of funding is required to build up digital infrastructure and technology infrastructure in schools, this allocation looks too small and inadequate. The government may need to rethink and revise this proposal with a higher outlay.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

A very important oversight in the Policy is the lack of a roadmap for implementation of the proposals

Rustom Kerawalla

Rustom Kerawalla is a renowned educationist, an EdTech entrepreneur, and a veteran expert in the global and Indian education policy landscape. He has over three decades of experience in working with diverse policymakers and government institutions. Recently, he was included as part of the Confederation of Indian Industry Western Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Task Force on Education. Ampersand Group is one of the leading organizations for providing end-to-end school management solutions to private institutions, government-operated institutions, public-private partnership projects across India, and Africa. Kerawalla has also established VIBGYOR Group of Schools which has 39 branches across 14 cities in India.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Rustom Kerawalla 50

The non-profit trusts guided by Rustom Kerawalla Foundation have enabled the transformation of hundreds of Balwadis and Anganwadis across Maharashtra. Recently, they have successfully conducted an online Teacher Training program under the Samagra Shiksha program with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. Besides these, they regularly Tibetan

engage School

with

various

Central

Administration,

Adarsh

Schools in Punjab and Tribal Development Department in Thane, Maharashtra for Teacher Training, amplification of digital technology, and other school management services. The Group is also gearing up to commence several projects with the Tamil Nadu Government for development & upgradation of Anganwadis.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

At a time when technology is increasingly becoming crucial for education, the Policy recognizes its importance. Yet there is no mention of the use of technology in schools beyond the mention of three things: Gamification apps, online teacher training and smart class. Leveraging technology, specifically for online teacher training, is good. But the Policy is not talking about technology in the schooling section. There should have been more thought on technology in classrooms which has become so relevant in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time and will become increasingly important and part of education going forward. The use of technology and online and e-learning has become more important during the COVID-19 crisis. This has made the development of digital and technology infrastructure necessity for schools. Policy misses this important aspect. While private schools are fast catching up on this, government schools are left far behind. The New Policy recognizes the role played by the private sector in ensuring delivery of good education in the country. But there is a lack of attention to government schools which is required at the moment, especially in the context of technology and e-learning. While private schools have invested in digital infrastructure and technology, very few government schools have moved on this path. The Policy does not provide any solutions for government schools. There is also a clear lack of attention to primary and secondary education. While the Policy lays a lot of emphasis on higher education and has announced many proposals for it, the NEP does not talk much about primary and secondary education which is an important element and a foundation of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education. This is where the Policy falls miserably short. An important proposal in the Policy is the inclusion of vocational studies into mainstream education. While this is a welcome step, where the Policy misses out is in defining a roadmap for vocational studies beyond schools and in the higher education level. Its road ahead is not defined. About 280 million job hopefuls are expected to enter the

job market by 2050, and they would need to learn new-age skills which can be provided by vocational studies at a higher level. In this scenario, a clear roadmap for vocational studies beyond schools was required. This was not provided. Also, despite the focus on higher education in the Policy, there is an undersupply of quality education, especially at the higher education level. Today 26 per cent of Indians go for higher education. The target is to double it by 2035, but the roadmap or supply has not been defined, making it uncertain as to how this will be achieved. The Policy also talks about bringing in an inter-disciplinary approach where students from one stream can study a subject from another stream. This is a progressive approach and has been borrowed from developed countries. Yet, there may be limitations in India in implementing this approach as it may be difficult to implement all streams of study, especially the specialized institutions for engineering, medical and management. Similarly, the Policy talks about three language education which is good for the development of students in the longer term. Yet again, there is no clarity over its implementation. The interplay between the centre and states will be difficult here, and that has not been clearly defined or clarified in the new Policy. Taking it to all states may pose huge implementation issues, and some states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala may have problems with it and maybe opposed to this. Additionally, the availability of e-content in regional languages needs to be made mandatory to ensure inclusivity. The Policy also talks about the creation of physical infrastructure for education. But is there a need to augment infrastructure when there is enough infrastructure available that is redundant and can be repurposed for education purposes? Investment in the digital infrastructure is the need of the hour, but not much thought has been spent on that. The government needs to rethink on this and revise the Policy keeping the need for digital and technology infrastructure in mind.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

KONKAN GYANPEETH RAHUL DHARKAR COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

CREATING COMPETENT PHARMACY PROFESSIONALS 52

onkan Gyanpeeth Rahul Dharkar College of Pharmacy and Research Institute (KGRDCP & RI) was established in 2006-2007 under the able, dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Late Shri P.N. Dharkar a visionary and an eminent educationist to provide education to socio-economic weaker and rural students. KGRDCP & RI offers undergraduate course in pharmacy (B. Pharm:100 seats) and Diploma in Pharmacy (60 seats). The college is NAAC accredited, and both the pharmacy programs are approved by “All India Council of Technical Education” (AICTE) and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Govt of MS, DTE, and B.Pharm affiliated to University of Mumbai and D.Pharm to MSBTE. KGRDCP & RI has wellequipped laboratories, sophisticated instruments, internet facilities, language laboratory, ICT enabled classrooms and a digital library with a massive

Higher Education Digest September 2020

collection of books. The faculty comprises of 25 eminent experienced teachers including six doctorates and 19 postgraduates of which 7 are pursuing PhD. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our focus is on grooming the students with quality objectivebased education and student-centric learning for accomplishing the vision to create a competent pharmacy professional. We offer good governance, the best teaching and learning practices to students throughout the course,â&#x20AC;? says Dr Mohan Kale, Principal, Konkan Gyanpeeth Rahul Dharkar College of Pharmacy and Research Institute. Till now, KGRDCP & RI has produced more than 700 graduate students. Majority of its alumni members are now perusing

Higher Education Digest September 2020

54 higher studies or doing PhD in the field of pharmacy or management in India and abroad. “We have always focused on students intellectual and social growth. To continually assess and assure the quality of education imparted to the students and to motivate them regularly, we regularly organize assessments, quiz, seminars, conferences, and workshops on the national and international level,” shares Dr Mohan Kale. The institute has consistently proved its preeminence in organizing brain booster sessions among all other colleges of Mumbai University. Apart from this, career and entrepreneurship development programs, guidance for higher education (GPAT, GRE, IELTS) and industrial visits are arranged for students to update their knowledge from time to time. “Our placement cell has always worked effortlessly for arranging campus interview and maintained an outstanding track record of placing graduate in the leading pharmaceutical industries. I feel proud to share the success stories of passed out students who are placed in reputed multinational industries, academics while many have become an entrepreneur and runs their own firms successfully,” states Dr Mohan Kale.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

A Socially Committed Campus Along with academic development, KGRDCP & RI emphasizes on the social development of students which is fulfilled through implementation of best practices like medical shop counselling under the professional activity of “KG Sanjeevani Continuous Learning Process” for gap filling and guiding the students on the curriculum. “We have also been selected under the Prime Minister’s “Unnat Bharat Abhiyan flagship program” of the ministry of MHRD Govt. of India to bring transformational changes in rural India,” claims Dr Mohan Kale. Under this program, KGRDCP & RI has adopted five villages from Karjat district and has served them with various social activities like Madhav Baug’s cardiac free health check-up camp, Blood donation camps, Apollo hospital and Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College free check-up camps. KGRDCP & RI also organizes short courses in topics like Frontline Health Worker, Diabetes Educator, Pharmacy Assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) launched by the government. Through PMKVY, the institute offers free skill development training to the deprived and needy students

Anupama Dharkar Wangadi, Chairperson

Konkan Gyanpeeth Rahul Dharkar College of Pharmacy and Research Institute is situated on a sprawling 6.23 acres of lush green campus with built-up area more than 61000 sq ft.

in different sectors in the society. “This skill certification aims to facilitate and mobilize a large population of Indian youth to take up skill training and become employable and earn their livelihood,” adds Dr Mohan Kale. Actively Looking for Innovations Under the able guidance of Ministry of Human Resource Development, (MHRD) Government of India, KGRDCP & RI has established ‘Institute Innovation council’ cell in September 2018 to foster the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students. “In association with “Make Intern” and Shasta IIT Madras, we conducted a one-week workshop on skill development program on medical devices to inculcate the research skills in our students,” shares Dr Mohan Kale. The college was awarded “Certificate of Excellence” for being Zonal centre for the workshop by Shasta 2019-20 IIT Madras event. “Along with the curriculum, our students also work meticulously on small research projects under the guidance of teachers. This research work is also published in good scientific journals by students which help them to develop their writing skills,” pinpoints Dr Mohan Kale. KGRDCP

Higher Education Digest September 2020

fire safety, chemicals safety and many more,” shares Dr Mohan Kale. In 2019, KGRDCP & RI, in collaboration with the University of Mumbai - Western Regional Instrumentation Center (WRIC) arranged a one-week national workshop on maintenance and operation of laboratory equipment. Laboratory assistants and attendants from various colleges actively participated in the training program.

Dr Mohan Kale, Principal,

& RI has received 14 research grants, 5 seminar grants, 3 laboratories up-gradation, i.e. MODROBs and few grants for social causes awareness, faculty development and skill development grants from various national bodies like AICTE, SERB, DBT, University of Mumbai, ICMR with a total outlay of nearly 100 lakhs. In 2019, KGRDCP & RI was awarded Best Pharmacy college in Maharashtra for Industry Interface by the Centre for Education Growth and Research (CEGR). Indeed, KGRDCP & RI has signed several MoUs with Industries, hospitals, pathology labs, and academies. These collaborations have benefited students, as they get industrial exposure and opportunities to work on industry projects. “Our students actively participate in Inter-University Research competition, poster presentation competition and also other activities like Life, personality and communication skills development program, Wellness & Health awareness program in association with Madhavbaug hospital, Women empowerment summit, Yoga and Fitness camp, Green campus, intercollegiate events like Rx Festival. The non-teaching staff is also involved in various training programs like basics of computer,

Higher Education Digest September 2020

An Experienced Pool of Faculty Members “Faculty members are the pillars of our institution. Their knowledge up-gradation plays a key role in the success ladder of the institute,” pinpoints Dr Mohan Kale. Last year, KGRDCP & RI conducted two Faculty Development Programmes; First, was AICTE funded on the topic “Research in cancer drug development” and another online FDP on “Pharmaceutical product development- Challenges and opportunities” with the eminent and knowledgeable speakers invited from all over India. The institute’s faculty members are also invited as speakers and examiners for various programs across India. Every year, faculty members of KGRDCP & RI receive funds from multiple research grants like All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), University Grants Commission (UGC), Indian Council of Medical Research

The institute imparts high standard of education to students by providing well qualified faculty & state-of-art instruments and equipment

(ICMR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Science and Engineering Research Board. Dr Mohan Kale with his 36 years of professional and academic expertise grooms the faculties as well as students to be updated and ready for the industries and pharmacy profession. Besides, on the occasion of world environmental day, more than 2000 plants were planted by KGRDCP & RI staff and students with great enthusiasm. For that, the institute was awarded “Certificate of Appreciation” for the significant contribution in “One student one tree” initiative 2019 by the hands of AICTE chairman Dr Prof Anil Sahasrabudhe. “During the lockdown too, all faculty members have completed online FDP on “Effective use of ICT tools in Teaching and Learning” to update and prepare themselves for online teaching,” says Dr Mohan Kale. At KGRDCP & RI, teachers are now conducting online classes since June 2020 for all the students. Together in a Fight Against the Pandemic “The entire globe is affected and impacted by COVID-19 crisis, and the health care sector is illequipped to tackle the pandemic. Minute organisms have created mega problems,” says Dr Mohan Kale. The pandemic and consequent lockdown have severely impacted various sectors and business such as MSME sector, transportation, entertainment, educational, civil aviation, agricultural and all allied small- and large-scale companies. “During this lockdown, we are working hard at all levels to

The Management has provided state of art infrastructural facility for good teaching-learning environment and welcomes any renovation/ changes in the physical facilities and infrastructure if suggested by stakeholder

Higher Education Digest September 2020

58 take control of the situation and minimize its impact,” adds Dr Mohan Kale. To minimize the deficiency of mask and sanitizer in this pandemic situation, KGRDCP & RI students formulated sanitizers and made masks under the guidance of staff and distributed them to needy people in Karjat and nearby areas. The start-up and innovation centre of KGRDCP & RI recently conducted online COVID-19 Hackathon 2020 with good response from students all over India. In addition to that, to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem and to sharpen the young minds, KGRDCP & RI has conducted five global webinar series titled “Global Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurship, Career and Startup Development Online Webinar Series” in the unprecedented period of COVID-19. “Our students got the opportunity to know the nittygritty of pharmaceutical industries, qualities required for various job profile and got valuable insights from experts. Additionally, many brainstorming online competitions like Article writing, Assay writing, poster making, Quiz, Drawing, Handwriting competition were conducted by the college during the lockdown period,” says Dr Mohan Kale. On the flipside, to enhance gender equality and motivate young girls to recognize their hidden talents, the institute arranged “Online Women Empowerment Summit 2020”

Higher Education Digest September 2020

with well-known speakers from different subject areas. “To cope up with this massive global health crisis, the management and staff have provided social support to poor, needy and also to migrants in the form of food and other basic requirements,” adds Dr Mohan Kale. Today, KGRDCP & RI has well-drafted plans about the milestones that they want to achieve in the coming years. Dr Mohan Kale explains, “We would be setting up a Research Institute with well-equipped innovation, incubation and start-up centre to create the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in the college. To enhance the industry-institute relationship and to widen the students’ industrial exposure, there are plans for creating water and food testing lab, analytical lab, pilot plant, food and chemical testing laboratories which would certainly uplift the college to a higher level.” In addition to that, the college plans to expand its course offerings by starting M. Pharm, MBA, and PhD course. In a nutshell, KGRDCP & RI Karjat is a student-centric college and a centre of excellence in pharmacy education. “With a commitment to creating competent pharmacy professionals, we will eternally drive the knowledge-sharing platform to uplift the pharmacy profession in India to make our nation the best in healthcare,” concludes Dr Mohan Kale.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

4 Step Guide for Parents to Help Children Choose the Right Education and Career Praveen Parameswar, Co-founder and CEO, Lifology

“T

he new India needs Super Parents who play a responsible role in children’s education and career planning than a league of mere progress card acknowledgers.” Parents play a vital role in their children’s lives and have always served as the guiding force paving a path for them to follow. As per a research paper published by the University of Derby, the United Kingdom, nearly 76% of children turn to parents for guidance in higher education and career selection. This urges every stakeholder in education to appeal to parents to reimage their role in the education ecosystem, more than mere admission managers, fee payers and progress card acknowledgers. This is indeed important to ensure the success of the total mission of education in making children future-ready. The following 4 steps shall act as a guide for each parent to guide children towards the right education, career and future where they enjoy happiness, financial security, fulfilment and purpose.

The best practice to know the personality of children is to take them through a series of assessments, which are scientifically tested and well designed Note: Lifology Triad (2020)

Higher Education Digest September 2020

61 Praveen Parameswar

Praveen Parameswar, Organisation Development’ Expert turned Entrepreneur, Thought Leader, and Policy Advocate in Career Planning, is the Co-founder and CEO of Lifology. Along with being an author and a well-known TEDx Speaker, Praveen is the originator and proponent of five influential models in ‘Career Planning’ including Lifology Triad, Lifology course selection Matrix, Lifology University Selection Grid, Lifology Country selection framework and Lifology Disc Model. He founded and nurtured his own brand, Lifology- Guinness World Record Winning, India’s 1st Career Eco-system for parents, in January 2018.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Step 1: Introduce children to various career POSSIBILITIES Most of the children in India dream to be a doctor or engineer or Chartered Accountant or Civil Service Officer or Lawyer. Recently some of them may plan to explore Artificial Intelligence or Robotics. Many usually do not break the barriers and talk about Fabrication engineering or Neurobiology or Ageing studies or Statistics or User Experience (UX) Design or Logistics management or Internet of Things (IoT) or many other areas where opportunities are immense. They can dream only about what they know. This brings them to a point where they cannot imagine different career avenues because they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aware of them in the first place. The core responsibility of parents is to expose them to the plethora of career options available in the new world. Parents should share information about the wide range of careers, connect them to people working in these fields and help them to understand the employment and education areas in a wider manner. This can expand the horizon of their thinking, and they get a larger canvas to dream.

Step 2: Help children discover their PASSION Passion is not always explicit or well defined. Children may not be able to articulate their mind with clarity. This makes it important for parents to closely observe their child and secondly, engage in continuous conversations, along with providing them with Scientific Passion Testers to help them discover the right passion. Step 3: Facilitate children to know their PERSONALITY Different career fields demand various attributes from people. To be successful in finance, it is important to possess high scores in logical and numerical intelligence. Musical intelligence followed by verbal aptitude is required to be successful in sound engineering, spatial intelligence with creativity is integral to get established as an architect and interpersonal intelligence to be a good hotelier. It is indeed important to guide children to the right career tracks which are in line with their personality. The best practice to know the personality of children is to take them through a series of assessments, which are scientifically tested and well designed. They help parents un-cover strength, weakness, aptitude, intelligence orientation, learning style and competencies of children. Step 4: Support children to make DATA BASED DECISIONS Once all the factors are observed and analysed critically, parents should act as a coach to help children plotting

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Praveen Parameswar Praveen pursued his Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Legislative Law from the University of Kerala and PGDL from ICFAI. He then moved to the UK to get an MBA from Cardiff University where he won Sir Julian Hodge Prize for the best performance in Human Resource Management. Furthermore, he attended the London School of Economics to receive a Certification in Strategic Management.

their careers in the following model. It shall give them an opportunity to take a data centred decision.

Note: The Lifology model for career decision making (copyrighted)

Parents should share information about the wide range of careers, connect them to people working in these fields and help them to understand the employment and education areas in a wider manner

Careers in 1

The best option to pursue

Careers in 2

Good to choose considering the long term benefits. But not advisable, if priority is to get an immediate job.

Careers in 3

Good to choose, considering the possibility for an enjoyable time in career. However, it is advisable to engage a trainer or coach to align the personality aspects.

Careers in 4

Emotionally satisfying decision. But will struggle to do personality alignment and in future to get an employment.

Careers in 5

Not a good option to pursue

Careers in 6

Not a good option, but still choose if the priority is to get a job at the earliest.

When it comes to the decisions regarding education and career that decide the future of children, parents cannot shy away from responsibilities and just be a fee payer. They should be actively involved in the process of helping children make the right decisions. For every parent, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to play a more dynamic role in the education ecosystem. Take it up and move forward.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, SHIRPUR CAMPUS

NURTURING SELF-RELIANT PHARMACISTS WITH GLOBAL 64

STANDARDS

echnical education in India is plagued with many inadequacies. It has rendered the students coming out of most of the Institutes are almost unemployable. There have been some sporadic efforts to improve the situation, but most of the steps have not brought any significant changes. The benefits of close collaboration with industry for graduate/postgraduate professional students have been repeatedly emphasized in the literature. The School of Pharmacy and Technology Management â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Shirpur Campus (SPTM) focuses on developing strong industry linkages to make education more meaningful. This paved the way for such collaboration where the projects were of industrial interest and the research supervisor too could make a significant contribution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students have gained hands-on experience by working on these projects at postgraduate level in the organizations like Aramuc India, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Ajanta Pharma Ltd., Medley

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Ambernath Organics Private Ltd. Aramuc India Microlabs Ltd., Ashco Niulab Industries Ltd., Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Biocon Ltd, Pfizer India, Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Piramal Healthcare Ltd, Colgate Research Centre, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, and many moreâ&#x20AC;?, says Professor Dr Ambikanandan Misra, Director-Pharmaceutical Research, SPTM. Developing and strengthening the IndustryInstitute relationship is one of the integral parts of SPTM. MoUs help to bridge the gap between academics and the industries. This Industry- Institute collaborations facilitate industrial visits, industrial training, internship, guest lectures

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Prof R. S. Gaud, Director, SVKM’s NMIMS, Shirpur Campus and Director, SVKM’s Pharma Institutions Dr. R. S. Gaud has long 42 years professional experience in the field of Pharmacy. He is the founder Dean of School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Mumbai. He was also an Advisor, AICTE, New Delhi for five years. Dr. Gaud has authored 200+ peer-reviewed publications in journals of repute and 12 books in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. He has 02 patents to his credit. He was also President of Association of Pharmacy Teachers of India and made many reforms in the development of pharmacy education. He has guided 70+ postgraduate and 19 doctoral students for their research.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

from eminent corporate guests, and placements. Renowned Pharmaceutical companies like Ajanta Pharma Ltd Mumbai, Lupin Ltd Mumbai, MIV Therapeutics Ahmedabad are part of a quickly growing list of our most trusted Industry Partners. “We are proud to have their support in ensuring that we set the highest benchmarks in educating our students that have been exposed to the best curriculum and received sufficient inputs from Industry to make them winners and get the success”, says Dr R. S. Gaud, Director, SPTM. With the school envisioning to forge a strong relationship with the Pharma Industry that will intron nurture a fountainhead of young and bright stars of the future, the vision of SPTM has driven the formulation of a course syllabus, which places a great deal of emphasis on Industry interaction and hence, has the right balance of academic excellence and practical application. “Every week, we have two eminent speakers from the industry/ academy to interact separately with our UG and PG students on current issues. We work in collaboration with more than 50 Pharmaceutical Companies for our M. Pharm. Research projects. We have received over Rs. 65 Lakh as Consultancy projects”, adds Dr Ambikanandan. With excellent lab facilities, good teaching, and learning practices based majorly on student feedback systems, SPTM is a model pharmacy school that conducts various graduate, postgraduate, and research programs in pharmaceutical sciences. Along with their highly experienced faculty that encourages students to pursue their interests, the institute aims to offer a well-balanced curriculum, instruction, and practical experience along with motivation and inspiration

for life-long learning that endows its students with the skills and abilities necessary to handle healthcare and modern pharmaceutical industry challenges. Adapting to the ‘New Normal’ COVID 19 situation has taught every one of us that “Change is the only Constant”. With the present situation, online teaching has become a new mode of learning. University has already paid subscriptions of Microsoft teams, and theory class was shifted to online mode using MS teams. A battery of training sessions was scheduled for faculty members and other staff on how to use these platforms with all options available to do affective teaching and conduct meetings at regular intervals. With time online teaching mode was also used to its optimum level for the teaching and learning process with success. The remaining syllabus was also completed on these modes followed by the test & terminal examinations and result declaration of all the students. Already have an online student portal for learning, the students and staff at SVKM’s NMIMS, SPTM quickly adapted to the changing situation. University and management have taken great efforts to make available the best online platforms and the latest technology to match up the standards and have smooth interactive teachinglearning sessions for the future. Training sessions were and are being continuously held for the teaching, non-teaching staff and students to get acquainted with new technologies and teaching-learning platforms. Sessions are taken to understand the problems faced while using online apps, and troubleshooting is planned accordingly. Meetings are held by

67 School of Pharmacy & Technology Management has excellent lab facilities, good teaching and learning practices based majorly on student feedback systems

Higher Education Digest September 2020

top management to discuss the effective use of such online tools. The teachers and staff members are inspired to come up and share their innovative online teaching activities, and the best practices are awarded.

Building Stronger Academia-Industry Linkage SPTM has always believed in serving employable youth in the industry. This is why the syllabus gets updated every year to include the advanced skills and knowledge required by the industry. The syllabus includes additional learning of topics like soft skills, teamwork, leadership, and crisis management. Guest lectures are conducted by Industrial and academic experts from the various field to keep them updated with current ongoing and future needs. They are allowed to use and experience advanced research and analytical instruments during their routine practical’s. Extra classes are taken for weak students. Students are motivated to take up an online course from esteemed portals of Swayam and Coursera to gain additional knowledge and skills. They are also being guided and helped to take up competitive exams and certification courses. Language class is also carried out to help them communicate effectively. The first step SPTM took was to make sure their students reached their homes safely and maintained social distancing according to the guidelines laid out by the Government of India, Education Authorities, and University Recommendations. “We created awareness among the people residing in the villages around the campus. Groceries were distributed to the needy by the collected funds. Online webinars were attended by teachers and students to spread professional knowledge among society in an easy way. All the instructions issued by the Government and University were followed strictly during the lockdown period. Financial help is also being extended by management to COVID 19 patients. Even after lockdown, regular disinfection, use of sanitizers, social distance, and the wearing of a mask is strictly being adhered by each working staff after lockdown”, states Dr Gaud. Witnessing a successful placement season in 201819, SPTM’s integrated programs of Pharmacy with

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Management degrees at the school continued to gain more and more popularity in the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industry. The M. Pharm + MBA (Pharma Tech & Healthcare Management) batch was recruited by some of the best companies in the Healthcare Industry in a variety of profiles. Top Pharma heavyweights such as AstraZeneca, Cipla, Cognizant, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Neilsen, Markets & Markets, Optum, Indiabulls Pharma, Lupin, and many other Indian and MNCs participated in the placement season. They offered coveted profiles in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Project Management, Operations, Consulting & Business Analytics. Summer Internships are an integral aspect of the pedagogy at NMIMS, offering students an opportunity to collaborate with the corporate world and put their skills and acquired learnings to practice. Reminiscing his college days, Karan Trivedi, an alumnus of SPTM, says, “There are two stages in a man’s life. The first is the ’learning’ stage and the latter being the ‘evolving’ stage. Initially, the idea of leaving home and starting a new phase of life in a residential campus seemed to be the last thing I wanted. But now one year has passed, and as a second-year student, I feel I just made the right decision. Studying at SPTM, NMIMS, the Shirpur campus has been a pleasant experience. Needless to say, considering one in-class laboratory facilities, 24×7 internet connectivity, and the entire college experience is worth every penny. About the hostel life, after the entire day, life in the hostel with friends is just the icing on the cake. In a nutshell, I have been graced to be a part of the best institution. Proud to be an NMIMS student”. Focusing and ensuring the holistic development of students, SPTM offers a plethora of opportunities to build and shape the students’ pharmacy knowledge, thinking and planning ability, leadership skills, professional identity, societal responsibility, environment consciousness and sustainability, ethics, communication skills, usage of modern tools, and lifelong learning, thus empowering them to be a complete professional in the pharmaceutical sector and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

ACADEMIC VIEW

Why Anger Management is a Vital Part of Online Learning Sangeeta Hajela, Principal, DPS Indirapuram

ach day is a great day to learn something new. The training and learning of students based on this thought, in their developing years, plays a vital role in dictating how they will deal with their adulthood. This sudden change from the traditional classroom to virtual classes has the potential to impact the young minds immensely due to varied factors. Physical confinement is one of the exterior outlooks to this situation; their growing mind needs experiences and exposure for a productive development which has been limited in the current situation. In such circumstances, it is not only important to make up for those lost experiences and interactions but also understand how their cognitive abilities are helping them drive through this change. Students and teachers are left with no other option other than relying on digital learning. This change of pattern in studying, getting accustomed to virtual classes and online interactions with teachers, and limited options of spending

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Anger Management sessions have become crucial in helping the child get comfortable with the new normal

Sangeeta Hajela

Sangeeta Hajela, Principal DPS Indirapuram, is a dynamic academician with 34 years of experience as a senior teacher of English, Headmistress, Vice Principal and a Principal. After completing BA (Honours) in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, she post-graduated in English from Delhi University and obtained a Degree in Education from Central Institute of Education, Delhi University.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Sangeeta Hajela Sangeeta Hajela has an ear for music and penchant for composing poems on specific situations and people, in both Hindi and English. Her ability to connect with people of all age groups, and her willingness to reach out with empathy to one and all indeed make her a leader with qualities of the head and heart. Practical, down-to-earth and solution-centric, Hajela is an approachable friend and a guide to all. An empowered woman of substance, Hajela inspires the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6400 students

and around 300 teachers to reach new peaks of success.

time outdoors can elicit irritability and anger. The situation can get even more challenging if students do not have the awareness and guidance on how to deal with it. Social and physical distancing leading to emotional stress in children must be addressed. Anger Management sessions, therefore, have become crucial in helping the child get comfortable with the new normal. Most of the children display two tendencies of behaviours when they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to cope up with the situation - they are in anger or become extremely quiet. As a parent or teacher, we must look for these signs and gently address them without causing stress to the child.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Sessions on helping them cope up with conflicting behaviour will not only help them in recognizing and dealing with the situation but will also give them a better understanding of self. These sessions also act as a bridge between the parents and children. Anger management counsellors and experts also make sure that the child can face further obstacles and stressful situations in life rationally and without getting anxious. Habit cultivation is easier in budding children; these sessions help them build it for their future. Resultantly, individuals who can make peace with their emotions upon introspection can tackle challenging situations far better than others.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

The Importance of Online Learning in the Times of COVID-19 and Beyond Vishnu Kartik, CEO, Xperiential Learning Systems

“C 74

OVID19 has ushered in a time of change and forced paradigm shifts in many areas. It has forced us to rethink the traditional school model and question the way we teach.” If several reports and warnings from the World Health Organization are to be believed, the coronavirus might be here to stay. It is said that the virus, without a vaccine, could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity. While there might be a significant difference in the number of COVID-19 cases across the globe, there are currently more than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries affected by school closures due to the pandemic. In response to the current situation, educators have been instrumental in finding new ways to ensure learning continues for children by developing online and offline learning materials; learning about the working of video conferencing tools to be able to meet students regularly and conducting mental & social well-being sessions during the start of the school day and at closure. Virtual school might be relatively a new concept in India, but we are experiencing a new trend of the blended learning model gaining popularity. We have to acknowledge that virtual school is not just about taking a lesson through a video conferencing tool; it involves more than that. It involves a paradigm shift in pedagogy through an understanding of the blended learning model by teachers, parents and students. The balance of online and offline tasks is a critical aspect to consider while designing the timetable and lesson plan. This model helps learning to continue beyond the four walls of the classroom, allows students’ choice and flexibility to learn at their pace, creates more opportunities for collaborative tasks along with providing opportunities to rethink the mode of assessments & feedback. Virtual education has opened up possibilities of rethinking the way we are doing teaching & learning. The use of educational technology tools can begin to transform the classroom, and most of it depends on the creative agency of the teacher. We also need to acknowledge that the transition to virtual learning can be challenging for all stakeholders. Parents will have

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The use of educational technology tools can begin to transform the classroom, and most of it depends on the creative agency of the teacher

Vishnu Kartik

Vishnu has over 15 years of experience in leadership development, school leadership and school administration. An alumnus of Harvard University, he is responsible for new school initiatives and strategic projects for the group, including curriculum development, instructional leadership, continuous school improvement, technology integration and leadership development. In his prior roles, he has been the head of the Senior School, grade IX economics teacher and a trekking instructor.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Virtual school might be relatively a new concept in India, but we are experiencing a new trend of the blended learning model gaining popularity

Higher Education Digest September 2020

to think differently about how to equip their children in the virtual learning space; how to create structures and routines that allow their children to be successful; and how to support their learning journey while considering the emotional well-being as well. Schools like hospitals are caregivers and we, as a school will fall back on the school framework of Relevance, Relationship and Rigour to support parents in this process of creating meaningful engagement with their children. To get a fair understanding of online education, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have a look at some of its advantages: 1. As studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; progress through classes, they seek more autonomy and intellectual freedom. Online learning can help them pursue highly personalised learning programs, possibly even college-level courses. These combined with hands-on exercises, real-world exploration, and thorough assessments can be highly beneficial to their learning progress. 2. By trying out introductory topics from different fields, it allows the students to explore their options before committing to any specialisation. Online learning techniques make these students become more independent learners. 3. Since online learning provides greater control to users through the use of minimal infrastructure, the students can personalise their learning. This enables students to take up new courses and learn almost from anywhere and anytime. 4. Everyone has a different and unique learning pace matched by delivery of online learning. Online learners benefit from flexible learning schedules. 5. Online learning offers an enhanced discussion element, often in a forum for discussion board. 6. With an estimated 93% of communication being non-verbal, online learners do not have to worry about body language interfering with their message. Online education eliminates physical judgments that can cloud rational discussion. 7. At traditional schools, talking to a teacher after class can be challenging. This is not the case in an online learning environment. 8. Online learning makes parent-teacher collaboration positive and transparent. 9. Online systems permit deep analytical summaries of a studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; progress. This helps in creating a personalised learning journey for each student. Furthermore, with this sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, the adoption of online learning will continue to persist post-pandemic, and such a shift would impact the worldwide education market. By following an interactive, collaborative approach, the students and instructors will co-create the learning process and for the better!

Higher Education Digest September 2020

NMIMS SHOBHABEN PRATAPBHAI PATEL SCHOOL OF PHARMACY & TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, MUMBAI

MAKING PHARMA STUDENTS INDUSTRY-READY THROUGH 78

INNOVATION

ith the world facing the COVID19 Pandemic Outbreak that has spreadover 150+ countries and forcing schools, colleges, and universities to shut down, the education sector is one of the most significant sectors which bore the brunt of this situation. Adapting to this situation quickly and moving to online teaching mode, ShobhabenPratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management (SPPSPTM), SVKM’s NMIMS made the most of it, courtesy to their available IT setup at the University. Maintaining academic continuity and avoiding disruption in students’ education, the University has taken several measures to keep the teaching-learning process going smoothly. “IT infrastructure has been strengthened immediately by procuring the applications required for online teaching. Faculty, students, and staff were trained to use the IT setup.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

One of the first and foremost important measures is that the teaching has commenced remotely via digital platforms. Our faculty during summer vacation have undergone intense training in teaching and learning online through several training programs. Faculty and students were provided free access to courses offered by platforms such as Courseraâ&#x20AC;?, says Dr Bala Prabhakar, Dean, SPPSPTM. SPPSPTM also conducted examinations for all their students online, and processed and declared the results as well, which helped the final year students in avoiding the gap in their studies and get placed in the industry. The University also

Higher Education Digest September 2020

made the admission process for the UG program online, with the entrance exam conducted online through Remote Proctored Assessment and online personal interviews for PG and PhD students. A blend of theory and practicals, Pharma Education, came to a standstill as students could not come to the campus and have their practical sessions in the laboratories. SPPSPTM came up with a unique idea of ‘Instructions and Demonstration’ where the faculty would demonstrate the experiment and provide necessary instructions to carry out an experiment that they recorded in the laboratory. “This will help students to learn prerequisites and techniques required to complete that experiment. As and when school reopens, students will be performing these experiments in the labs based on these sessions”, points out Dr Bala. With excellent lab facilities, good teaching and learning practices based majorly on a student feedback system, SPPSPTM is a model pharmacy school conducting various graduate, postgraduate, and research programs in Pharmaceutical Sciences. The highly-experienced faculty members encourage theirstudents to do research in their field of interest, along with focusing on the needs of the Pharma Industry and Hospitals. Producing self-motivated, self-reliant, and socially sensitive young pharmacists that cater to the needs of the industry, academia, and research, Dr Bala says, “We are developing an excellent pharmacy school that focuses on research in current trends in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology Management, educating to impact the global healthcare system and thus develop a cadre of employable pharmacy professionals”.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

SPPSPTM has made significant inroads in the sphere of pharmaceutical education and research, achieved by outstanding student participation in various activities ably supported by highly qualified and motivated faculty and a world-class infrastructure

Bridging Academia and Industry Together At SPPSPTM, industry collaborations help the faculty members to understand the research inclination of the pharmaceutical sector and undertake consultancy work with the companies. Faculty expertise is also utilized to solve problems in industry research. “Our faculty members are encouraged to interact with the industry. Many of them are working on research projects funded by industry. We are collaborating with industries for formulation development, analytical method development and validation, efficacy and toxicity study of drugs and formulations”, states Dr Bala. Arranging guest lectures by eminent personalities from the industry, scientists, and international faculty, students of SPPSPTM get an exposure to the current happenings in the industry. Offering value-added and interdisciplinary courses in their area of interest, the University also provides an opportunity for students to develop leadership skills, that help them in their future. “Industry training is an integral part of programs. Students get excellent exposure to various processes in the industry by attending the same. All students have access to highly sophisticated instruments that are frequently used in industrial setups. This exposure helps students in their career”, adds Dr Bala. SPPSPTM focuses on, and ensures, the holistic development of the students. The school offers a plethora of opportunities to build and shape the student’s pharmacy knowledge, thinking and planning ability, leadership skills, professional identity, societal responsibility, environment consciousness and sustainability, ethics, communication skills, usage of modern tools, and lifelong learning, thus empowering them to be complete professionals in the pharmaceutical sector and contribute to society in a meaningful way. Predominantly based on presentations and interactions with a strong focus on the practical concepts of pharmacy and management, the programs at SPPSPTM enable the students to make decisions based on their strong technical and managerial skills. “We also use flipped classroom, interactive learning, and collaborative learning for assurance of better learning. Hands-on training is provided for recent software, equipment, and analytical instruments through workshops. Similarly, regular industry visits are also undertaken to provide a better understanding of industry operations. Guest lectures from industry experts on pertinent topics are often organized by the school for better growth of the students.”, says Dr Bala. SPPSPTM identifies its faculty based on their exposure to practice their specialization along with their expertise in handling instruments, equipment, and other technology involved in all these disciplines. Moreover, they are also sent to national and international conferences to gain exposure to emerging technology along with modernization of equipment and instruments, which further strengthens the delivery of

About Dr Bala Prabhakar Dr Bala Prabhakar, the Dean of SVKM’s NMIMS,ShobhabenPratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy &Technology Management, Mumbai has been in the teaching profession for more than 36 years with 19 years in administration. She is actively involved in the Board of Studies, Planning and Monitoring Board, and Board of Management of NMIMS. She is also a member of various committees of AICTE, NBA, and PCI at the national level. She is a Life Member of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Indian Society for Technical Education, Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India, International Congress of Chemistry & Environment, Pharmacists Organization for Women Empowerment and Research(POWER), and a member of Dean’s Forum, FIP. She has successfully guided 12 PhD scholars, and 4 candidates are registered under her supervision. She has presented more than 68 research papers at national and international conferences and published 79 research papers and articles in journals of repute, authored 2 pharmacy books, has one Indian patent granted to her credit and eight provisional patents filed. She is a proud recipient of the Best Dean Award by National Education Awards 2018 by ABP News, Prof. Indira Parikh 50 Women in Education Leaders 2017 by World Education Congress, 101 Fabulous Global Healthcare Leaders Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award for the year 2007 by SNDT Women’s University.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

education to students. “Our faculty have been recognized at the national level by various government organizations like DST and ICMR who have provided travel grants for participation in international conferences”, adds Dr Bala. In addition to regular teaching and participating in faculty development programs for updating the knowledge and teaching skills, they are also involved in writing grants to the government, consultancy and publicationand patent-related activities, which add to their teaching skills. Along the same lines, SPPSPTM faculty are also working in collaboration with the industry on a myriad of research projects. “The collaborative organizations include Fruend Corporation, Japan; SciTech Centre, VAV Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, THINQ Pharma Ltd., Global Herbs Pharmaceuticals, CeriliaNutritech Pvt Ltd, and SPARC, Mumbai; Nugenics Research Pvt. Ltd., and Sparge Chem Pvt. Ltd., Pune; Chem Routes, Canada and many more such reputed organizations. We have also been working with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland since 2017 for collaborative projects”, points out Dr Bala. One of the projects that SPPSPTM is carrying out with DNDi is the Open Source Synthesis for the development of new drugs for the Leishmaniasis. This project allows the involvement of undergraduate, master, or PhD students in real life ongoing drug discovery, which would contribute to the skill enhancement of the participating students. The current Open Synthesis Network consists of several international universities from the US, UK, Europe, and Australia, thereby giving students exposure to a truly international project. Helping Students Step into the Industry Witnessing a successful placement season in the past, the integrated programs of Pharmacy with Management degrees at the school continued to gain more and more popularity in thePharmaceutical and Healthcare industry. The M. Pharm + MBA (Pharma Tech & Healthcare Management) batch was recruited by some of the best companies in the Healthcare Industry in a variety of profiles. Top Pharma heavyweights such as AstraZeneca, Cipla, Cognizant, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Neilsen,

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Markets & Markets, Optum, Indiabulls Pharma, Lupin, and many other Indian and MNCs participated in the placement season. They offered coveted profiles in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Project Management, Operations, Consulting & Business Analytics. Summer Internships are an integral aspect of the pedagogy at SPPSPTM, offering students an opportunity to collaborate with the corporate world and put their skills and acquired learnings to practice. Developing their technical skills as well as interpersonal skills, the course structure at SPPSPTM focuses on the overall development of each student. Erica Sequeira, 4th B.Pharm+M.Pharm student at SPPSPTM reminisces, “With the values, education, and interpersonal skills that the college has provided me, I am prepared for what life throws at me. I have truly enjoyed this experience of learning in this institution. Learning was made easy with the best teachers who are always ready to guide us throughout the course. It has changed me as a person by instilling leadership qualities, passion for life in me. The industrial training period helped me to use the knowledge I learned for understanding the practical conditions of the industry. The guidance of my teachers in these four years will always be remembered”. Ranked 13th in the country amongst all Pharmacy Schools as per National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2020, India, by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, SPPSPTM plans to emerge as a Centre of Excellence and the go-to University for quality education in Asia, and in the world by 2030, SPPSPTM plans to develop new programs based on emerging trends and societal needs like incorporating artificial intelligence in healthcare. The school also has set its eyes on developing centres of excellence in the areas of nanotechnology and drug discovery. Also intending to throw open its gates for more international collaborations in areas of research, faculty exchange, and student mobility, Dr Bala concludes, “We are working towards international collaborations for research activities, faculty and student exchange. We will also be applying for international accreditations for our programs, making research a top priority for our school”.

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Higher Education Digest September 2020

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

How is the New Wave of Technological Advancement Redefining the Indian Education Space? Pankaj Agarwal, Founder & CEO, TagHive

What are the most significant changes you have seen in educational technology in the recent past? Over the previous decade, our dependence on technology has increased multifold, even in our routine lives. The flourishing startup ecosystem makes AI-led technology the new normal, and the consumption of mobile application for figuring out even the daily needs is possible. It was evident for this wave of technological advancement to redefine the Indian education space as well. Integration of online learning and assessment tools have been incorporated in the leading metropolitan schools and the established private schools of mini-metros for quite some time now. The transformation was further cemented due to the ongoing pandemic where even the out and out traditional school formats, whether private or public resorted to technology to facilitate education and continue the learning â&#x20AC;&#x201C; teaching momentum. The recently approved New Education Policy has further paved inroads for ed-tech in India. Over the years, we have witnessed the evolution of technology in education space with some significant shifts. Initially, the focus was concentrated on the tangible tools or the technological hardware, we are now experiencing corporates and government shifting focus to software solutions delivering a seamless and efficient product experience. What started off as an adaptive methodology of education is now transitioning to be more customised keeping in mind individual and group preferences and requirements. We are also observing a shift in learning tools, earlier created interfaces were more Teacher led. Now more and more self-learning and assessment tools are being introduced. The method of Flipped Learning to increase real-time learning activity is also proving to be a popular teaching strategy in the current time. What works well in educational technology? What can be improved upon? Technology allows exploring diverse pedagogies. It is also observed that the engagement quotient is higher via ed-tech due to the quick

Higher Education Digest September 2020

While everyone is talking about online learning these days, we urge schools to use this time to ponder on ways they can make their classrooms smart

Pankaj Agarwal

An IIT Kanpur Graduate and a Harvard Business School alumnus, Pankaj Agarwal is the Founder & CEO at TagHive, a 3-year-old Samsung funded EdTech venture with operations in South Korea and India. Hailing from a small town in India, Pankaj strongly believes that education is the biggest equaliser in life and that technology can tremendously improve the quality of education. With these beliefs, Pankaj has been building TagHive, which now has gone to double digits in the number of employees. In an interaction with Higher Education Digest, Pankaj talks about the importance of educational technologies, the future of EdTech, opportunities for TagHive in India, and many more.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

access to information, supplementation of digitised information in innovative formats, simplification of time-consuming tasks, flipped learning methods and more. The room for experimentation is higher through ed-tech, thus making learning more fun and informative for the already digitally inclined Gen Z. Education Technology also encourages more inclusivity and participation, even from students who are generally not that forthcoming in a traditional classroom format. The online education platforms enable the educators to take regular feedback from students on assignments and their understanding of subjects in real-time as well as progress and feedback mapping help foster an interactive and productive engagement and learning. While the pros outweigh the cons in educational technology factors like disconnection of social exchanges, cheating on assignments, individual customisation of the platform still needs to be worked upon to derive at an optimum solution. Also, there is a huge digital divide between urban and rural India. Apart from economical and easily accessible bandwidth, even the set-up cost of the hardware is a challenge that needs to be collectively worked upon by the government authorities, educational institutes and the technology providers. What would you like to see educators do differently when it comes to technology? The one thing that educators need to focus on is to train the teaching faculty in terms of technology. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teachers need to be updated with the latest tech platforms which could help them teach seamlessly. Instead of using technology (say making a classroom by merely installing a projector and smart boards) blindly, they should question its efficacy and in fact suggest technologies that can solve their pain points. What are some of the most innovative technologies in Ed-Tech right now? What are the key trends of Digital Classrooms to follow in 2020-21? While everyone is talking about online learning these days, we urge schools to use this time to ponder on ways they can make their classrooms smart. COVID-19 is going to go away, but schools and classrooms will all outlive us, for sure. I believe disruption in ed-tech needs to be around AI-based personalised learning solutions that could simplify the lives of the students as well as teachers. EdTech companies must focus on smart solutions that help connect all the stakeholders of the ecosystem affordably and effectively.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Pankaj Agarwal Before helming TagHive, Pankaj was a Creative Leader at Samsung Electronics in South Korea, where he also served as the advisor to the CTO. Apart from his academic lineage from IIT and Harvard, Pankaj Agarwal has completed his Masters from Seoul National University. He is also an inventor of over 50 international patents and is one of the 10 winners of TR35 India, 2017. He is the Founder and Chairman of the IIT Alumni Association of South Korea and serves as a Governor on the board of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in South Korea.

What started off as an adaptive methodology of education is now transitioning to be more customised keeping in mind individual and group preferences and requirements

Post-COVID-19, what are the opportunities Taghive Inc India sees in the Indian education market? One of the biggest opportunities that we see for ourselves is disrupting the ‘Tutoring market’. We are focusing on our TagHive at-home learning solutions, which will deliver customised learning solutions based on Artificial Intelligence. Secondly, we are also creating solutions that would connect teachers directly with students. It would be an ideal combination of offline and online technologies that would offer in-class and at-home learning solutions for students. What would be the future of the Ed-Tech market from now? What is some advice that you have for startups that are emerging in the Ed-Tech space? COVID-19 has changed the way the world will conduct its day-to-day business activities. While some sectors have been severely affected and would continue to get affected in the near future, EdTech as a sector would be one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. Parents would look at allocating some of their spends towards ed-tech to ensure that their kids get the best-in-class learning solutions from the comfort of their homes. As an ecosystem, we have not even scratched the surface when it comes to innovation and growth. I believe a lot

of entrepreneurs would be entering this already exciting space, leading to more investments and job creation in this sector. What is your advice to the educational institutions that are looking for a technology partner? The National Education Policy, 2020 recognises the importance of integrating technology with education to make it more relevant for our 21st-century learners and in fact has an entire section in the policy detailing the research, development, and integration plans. The policy will introduce an ICT integrated pedagogy for learners from Classes 6 – 12 and aims to use tech innovations to improve teaching-learning, evaluations, and tracking student progress, among other things. So, there is no escaping the adoption of technology in a classroom. But having said that, educational institutions need to assess their needs and review their ability to introduce and sustain a new technology in their existing routine. It will be ideal for institutions to identify their bottlenecks and then look for partners who can solve this with technology. Training of all stakeholders, continuous monitoring and evaluation of the impact is imperative for success. Technology will be effective only if it seamlessly fits in with the institution’s current practices and makes life simpler for all stakeholders.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

VIDYABHARATI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

TRANSCENDING THE PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY 88

he COVID-19 crisis and the resulting lockdowns have affected nearly every sector of the global economy, but some have been upended. Lockdowns and travel bans have had an immediate impact on higher education institutions across the world. With campus life unlikely to return to normal, students have gone home, staffing has been reduced, and many academics are now working from home. Even as lockdowns ease, campus life will not return to normal. Although domestic applications may remain high, international students will be scarce, while many institutions now intend to do at least some of their teaching online. With the education pattern switching from traditional classes to digital/ virtual classes through video conferencing apps, the staff of Vidyabharati College of Pharmacy (VBCOP) have been able to teach and guide their

Higher Education Digest September 2020

students and help them understand the perks and perils of online platforms and regular classrooms lessons. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the sudden announcement of the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID19 outbreak, we faced problems financially due to regular students not being able to deposit their fees, which they got through by using their corpus fund to manage their regular expenses and pay their employees their monthly salaryâ&#x20AC;?, points out Dr Kiran Tapar, Principal, VBCOP. According to the guidelines laid out by the Govt. of Maharashtra, the institute was shut down during the lockdown, and the faculty members covered

Higher Education Digest September 2020

the rest of the syllabus by adopting digital means and conducting online classes through Google Classrooms and Google Meet. VBCOP has also taken precautionary measures once the ‘Unlock’ was announced by regularly sanitising the premises to overcome the chances of the infection spreading. “Through our active units like NSS and GEMS, we have conducted health awareness camps, online webinars, and promotional videos for public awareness against COVID19. Also, we hosted a workshop on ‘how to make sanitisers’ to train the non-teaching faculty and acquaint them regarding the precautionary measures to take during the crisis”, adds Dr Kiran.

Developing Students into Professionals Established in 1983, VBCOP offers undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses, with specialisation in Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology & Quality Assurance. In 2005, the Research Laboratory at the institute was approved by SGBAU in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an intake of 16 seats. Envisioning to be perceived as a prevalent institute for promoting transcendence in pharmacy discipline to coddle the urge for profession and humanity, Providing a conducive environment to escalate problem-solving perspectives, forethought ability and effective communication skills in budding pharmacists, VBCOP promotes ethical and professional values to prepare sustainable and competent workforce having a professional identity with a sense of social responsibility.

Dr Kiran says, “We aspire to achieve transcendence by creating a learning environment and providing facilities for creative thinking and personality development”. Playing a very important role in shaping the overall personality of the students apart from their academic knowledge, students get a chance to have hands-on experience of industrial workings through Industry- Institute Interactions. VBCOP has signed MOUs with neighbouring industries like Glacier, Priest Pharmaceuticals, Dayasagar Hospital, to name a few, to help their students understand the workings of the industry practically. Also, the institute’s active Training and Placement department and E.D. Cell, which carries out career guidance programs, lectures by industry experts and hands-on training sessions make the students will-acquainted with the industrial workings and

About Dr Kiran Tapar A postgraduate in pharmacy from M.S. University of Boroda, Dr Kiran Thapar has over 10 years of industry experience and he has been associated with Vidyabharati family from the last 34 years. Having published 34 paper in national and international journals, Dr Kiran also works as a consultant for various industries that formulate and develop food and drugs. Playing an integral role in almost 4 major projects with the pharmaceutical industry, Dr Kiran aspires to create and develop new products in both the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical sector.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

the current GMP’s. “We also conduct regular visits to the companies to give our students the first-hand experience, that also helps to shape them into better professionals”, quips Dr Kiran. Also housing the Mentor and Mentee system, the institute provides the students with strong and supportive mentors. They counsel them on career choices, academic performance and help them overcome

Replenished with modernity and grandeur, Vidyabharati College of Pharmacy has cutting-edge laboratories independently developed for M. Pharm and PhD students

their personal weakness. The students are under continuous assessment under their Mentors in various arenas, which they guide them on in the coming days. “Based on continuous assessment students are categorised as Bright & weak students, weak students are motivated for hard work high personal counselling sessions & by conducting Remedial classes which will benefit them to complete

Raosaheb Shekhawat, President

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Venkata Dinesh P

92 their assignments- Students have developed a very modernised Resonance Center, Counseling of Books above 13 K and having subscription of national Level Digital Libraries”, says Dr Kiran. Collaboration with industry is critical for academia to create scientific knowledge and obtain industrial data. In turn, collaboration with universities is crucial for organisations in joint, scientific-based research projects to develop solutions for production-sourced problems. By establishing industry-institute interactions to escalate industrial perspective for improving employability,

Higher Education Digest September 2020

entrepreneurship skills, industrial competency and to prosper lifelong learning, VBCOP has developed a Pilot Plant, that has all sections like Tablet, Liquid oral, Capsule Section; Ointment, to give their students hands-on training with Projects on Development and Formulation. “We motivate our students by showing them videos related to the functioning of industries and participating in webinars to cover topics beyond their syllabus, along with having MOUs with various industries, government departments and hospitals”, adds Dr Kiran.

Sprawled in picturesque surroundings, the campus of Vidyabharati College of Pharmacy provides a refreshing environment to stimulate intellectual alertness and creativity

Grooming Students for a Brighter Future VBCOP aspires to help their students gain pharmacy knowledge, leadership skills, communication skills, a sense of responsibility towards society, environment sustainability and code of conduct and ethics. “Our students have the upper hand in tackling pharmaceutical problems using the neo-emerging technologies, from our guidance in their education and skills, that helps them survive and sustain in the emerging pharmaceutical industry”, opines Dr Kiran. Having a well-developed Placement and Training Cell, VBCOP has placed its employees in well-reputed organisations like Acugenia Pharma, Jenburkt Pharmaceuticals, National Medicals, Lebel Pharmaceuticals and GeBBs Healthcare Solutions. The institute also has a General Event and Management Society that promotes innovation and develops creative skills among students. The society provides a platform to the students to showcase their talent and includes cultural activities, sports carnival, trade fair and literary events. Dr Kiran adds, “We also arrange co-curricular activities like seminars, symposium, paper presentations. Along with this, we have been represented at national and international levels by our alumni who were serving the society before, who are working in the academic, healthcare, industry as well as entrepreneurial sector, who are doing their bit to provide their services to the healthcare system”. Enhancing the faculty’s industrial exposure, the VBCOP plans to update their research projects, publications, patents along with raising their placements through industry-institute interactions. In the long run, the institute plans to improve funding from external research agencies. “We are in talks of collaborating with various National and International Institutes/ Research Organisations/ Industries and enhance our consultancy activities, to help our students increase their global knowledge, making them equipped for the industry”, concludes Dr Kiran.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

How has been the response from students when ACCA moved to a virtual platform to conduct the exams? ACCA prides itself on being ‘agile’, and at a time like this when the world is dealing with a global pandemic, we have all had to adapt and make necessary changes in our lives. Remote invigilation is something ACCA introduced this summer for both our on-demand and sessionbased exams, as we have recognised the disruption and frustration students have faced as a result of exam cancellations – with many students eager to progress. In India specifically, remotely invigilated exams were introduced in June 2020 for the Knowledge level. We received very encouraging feedback from the students who highly praised the agility and adaptability of ACCA towards exam innovations. As a result, knowledge level students were able to attempt exams from home amidst lockdown. In September 2020, we will be launching remote invigilation for applied skills and strategic professional. School and colleges closures have brought online learning providers into the spotlight. In this scenario, what are the benefits of administering exams at student homes? How can it augment the efficiency of online learning programs? For all of our exams taken remotely, this new, innovative development has enabled students to take their exams at home or in another location where centre-based exam sittings have been disrupted. It has worked as a rigorous contingency measure. ACCA has used world-leading partners in the field and the latest invigilation software to ensure its exams have the same security, rigour and integrity worldwide – irrespective of a students’ location. So, if a centre has to close due to health and safety

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The current pandemic has accelerated a digital adoption which is transforming the way educational institutions operate

Mohammed Sajid Khan

ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance, and management. Recently, ACCA introduced new flexibility for its students around the world to enable them to take their exams at home or in another location in circumstances where centre-based exam sittings are disrupted. In an interaction with Higher Education Digest, Mohammed Sajid Khan, Head of International Development at ACCA, talks about how they have moved to a virtual platform by offering flexibility for ACCA students in India.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

concerns, students have the opportunity to continue their exam journey with us. In your opinion, how has Computer-Based Testing evolved in India over the last few years? Historically India has primarily followed a paperbased exam approach. However, in recent years, the usage of computer-based exams has caught up very well. From an ACCA perspective, we launched our computer-based exams in India in the year 2016 and have received excellent feedback from the industry and students alike. ACCA is a first-mover when it comes to tech, as we were the first accountancy body to launch a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in 2015, called ACCA-X. It includes multi-awardwinning online courses developed by ACCA, to help learners all over the world develop accountancy and business skills.

As the global body for professional accountants, how is ACCA looking at the possibilities of administering exams from home? Given the pandemic, we knew we had to act quickly to respond to the crisis and were able to move swiftly to introduce remote invigilation for our OnDemand exams. In truth, we had started looking at this back in 2019, but we did not think we would be implementing it quite so quickly. Under remote invigilation, exams are taken online and supervised remotely by a live invigilator. There is a thorough system of checks involving biometrics, artificial intelligence, and recording – rigour, security, and integrity are paramount. Students can sit remotely invigilated exams for the On-Demand suite – that’s all Foundation and Applied Knowledge exams. And for the majority of our Applied Skills and Strategic Professional exams in India, we’re able to offer students the opportunity to take their September session exams remotely where exam centres have been cancelled. It is really important to us in ACCA to ensure we get it right so that students will be able to take their exams at home or in another location. We began our remote invigilation of these OnDemand exams on the 11 June. We limited the number of students in that first week to ensure everything would run smoothly. Following the soft launch, we opened exam entry on the 18 June to eligible students who could book

Higher Education Digest September 2020

exams from 25 June, and since then we have seen the booking numbers growing daily. We believe that this is already making a huge difference to students where centre-based exam sittings have been cancelled. It means they can continue their ACCA journey at a time when some exam centres are still unable to open due to Covid-19. Cheating can occur in several ways, both before and during an exam. What are the efforts from ACCA to control examination fraud? Maintaining the security of our exams is always a top priority. Our remote exams are remotely invigilated, viewed on-screen by an invigilator at all times, and are as secure and rigorous as our centre-based exams. For example, the exam rules and regulations require students to go through the same ID checks as they would do so at a centre and there are clear exam regulations regarding what students are allowed in their desk environment. Is Computer-Based Testing set to revamp the overall Higher Education Sector? What should be the focus of Indian education institutions in terms of Computer-Based Testing? The current pandemic has accelerated a digital adoption which is transforming the way educational institutions operate. It has not only changed the way education is being delivered but also how it is being assessed. As a step in this direction, institutions should focus on investing in reliable and innovative technological solutions which offer security and integrity while ensuring student progression. As organisations are ready to invest in the workforce to make them skilled through convenient Computer-Based Testing, what is your advice to the people who are still sceptical on “exam -from - home” services? Do not be afraid to embrace change and new technology. We are in unchartered waters for the foreseeable future, so it makes sense to invest in innovative technology solutions to enable students to progress in their development with minimal disruption to their studies. Our remote exams are contingency options for those students unable to take exams at exam centres, but we are continually looking ahead to the future of exam delivery and will continue to do so.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

VIVEKANAND EDUCATION SOCIETY’S COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

REDEFINING THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY THROUGH 98

EDUCATION

he dim job prospect in the market is pushing many students to accept “non-traditional” career choices as traditional. There exist two separate worlds – academia and industry. Both worlds have a very different mindset and goals. Unless they are brought together, students will have a hard time to enter the industry, even if they have straight as to show for it. Industry institute industry comes in the play to bridge the gap between these two worlds. In today’s competitive world, Industry Collaborations is not just crucial for placements and recognition, but to get a better boost in their research. Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Pharmacy (VESCOP) has always been contributing to the healthcare sector with the links and partnerships they have with the industry. “We always encourage our faculty members to interact with the industry. The strong industry-institute relation

Higher Education Digest September 2020

has helped us to be recognised as the Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) centre from the Department of Science and Industrial Research (DSIR, Government of India) over last 3 yearsâ&#x20AC;?, says Dr Supriya Shidhaye, Principal, VESCOP. VESCOP takes its rich heritage from its founder, Late Hashu Advaniji, who entered the education field through Vivekanand Education Society (VES) in 1962. A pioneer in the education sector from its inception, today VES is spread over 3,75,000 sq.ft. land housing 12 buildings and 28 institutions including creche to PhD centre with over 2000 employees and

Higher Education Digest September 2020

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more than 18000 students on the campus. Aiming to provide a program directly related to the community’s health, Shri B. L. Boolaniji , senior-most trustee and currently President of VES, established the Pharmacy College in Chembur, aligning it with the then perspective plan of the University of Mumbai. VESCOP was started in 2007, and Dr Supriya joined the VESCOP family as the principal in 2009. With Shri Boolaniji as the President of VES, Prof Jharana Das, former Principal of VES Arts Science Commerce College as the chief coordinator, supportive VES management and the dedicated faculty members and committed support staff, VESCOP is scaling greater heights with their combined efforts. One of the top few reputed Pharmacy Colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai, VESCOP is striving hard with a mission to work closely with the industry and work on solving problems for the industry and envisioning to create competent pharmacy professionals that positively impact healthcare in the society. At the forefront of helping the community in these perturbing times of a pandemic, the entire building of Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology (VESIT- in the same campus of VESCOP) was given to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up and run as an isolation centre for COVID patients. The entire building was handled by the BMC for about 2 months with 150+ patients. The Institution’s Innovation Council of VESCOP organised an “E-Idealogue” competition on a virtual platform. The competition was focused on presenting varied ideas in

About Dr Supriya Shidhaye Having a PhD (Tech.) in Pharmaceutics, Dr Supriya is the principal at the Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Pharmacy since 2009. With 27 years of academic experience, she specialises in Novel Drug Delivery System, including a controlled release drug delivery system, mucoadhesive drug delivery system, nanotechnology, and solid unit dosage form, Anti-cancer Drug Development. Having started with collaborating with the Industry, Dr Supriya has filed 4 patents, attended around 73 seminars and workshops, and presented 18 papers as the resource person and published 51 papers in national and international journals. A recognised research guide from the University of Mumbai, she has guided 32 students with grade A for M.Pharm and 3 students for Ph. D.(Tech.). Currently, Dr Supriya is guiding 5 students for M. Pharm and 4 students for PhD (Tech.). Since past one year, she has also undertaken the responsibility as the Chairperson of the Board of studies(Ad Hoc) in Pharmacy at the

B.L. Boolani, Trustee and President

Higher Education Digest September 2020

University of Mumbai.

combating COVID-19. “The competition was open to all UG, PG and PhD candidates from all over the state. No participation fee was taken, and a lot of interesting ideas were put forth which could impact the pandemic scenario directly if worked on further”, adds Dr Supriya. Also, the Rotaract club of VESCOP along with the Rotaract District 3141 has started a project called “Sahayak” to help persons with the need of any ration or medicine. Trailblazers of Online Education in Pharmacy The pressure on students and higher education institutions is high. Schools and universities have been closed, and exams are postponed. Classrooms are going virtual and admissions for the upcoming academic year are fraught with confusion. According to UNESCO, over 320 million students in Indian schools and colleges are currently impacted. The pandemic has pushed the world to drastically reinvent ways of coping with the ‘new normal’. After the initial phase of a complete overhaul, it is critical to understand the short and long-term impacts and future measures. As the current education system continues to perform the same functions, i.e., teach students to think intensively and critically, the Pandemic Outbreak has helped ignite

the technology revolution in the higher education sector by harnessing blended or hybrid learning. Though it was assumed to be tough, now the students and teachers have become receptive to this methodology, weighing over conventional platforms in the COVID19 scenario. “We have adapted to the ‘new normal’ by deferring the teaching-learning process, adopting online examination

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model based on the guidelines of the regulating bodies, revamping the academic calendar, training teachers through technical webinars, creating virtual labs and modules for students that go beyond the syllabus, and conducted an evaluation for the final year students on online platforms”, says Dr Supriya. Currently, the Higher Education Institutions in India are hindered with primary challenges like on-campus safety of students, infrastructure, and shifting to online teaching. Understanding the pulse of quality education and before the dawn of COVID19, VESCOP had already recognised which parts of student learning experience can be substituted, supplemented, and complemented by digital technology. Adapting to the unprecedented pandemic times, VESCOP joined the revolution with a team of dynamic teachers educating students using synchronous learning via LMS (Learning Management System) platform. The team ensured that there will be no compromise on quality while using online learning methods. All teachers and students are now trained to use LMS and will continue to do so. “Looking at the success rate, we may continue to offer 20-30% online lectures along with on-campus offline classes since the idea of blended learning opens the door to the possibility for students to learn important concepts from experts seated in any corner of the world”, quips Dr Supriya. With their goals and objectives centred around preparing students for the rapidly changing pharma field, VESCOP is preparing its students for an impactful career in the healthcare industry with experiential education to

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The institute has over 18 state-of-theart laboratories that help students to practically learn the theoretical concepts and also the skill of working with sophisticated equipment

develop scientific and technical skills, by encouraging them to participate in webinars, team projects, online internships and take up additional courses to become skilled in the pharmaceutical functions. In addition to this, VESCOP is all set to conduct online campus interviews in the future for their students, enabling them to explore many placement opportunities outside the cities and broadening their horizons of the prospects for the students. Blending Practical and Theory Learning Offering an innovative platform bolstering integrated coursework to address the evolving Pharmaceutical science industry with a focus on projects, assignments, internship, and team collaborations, VESCOP’s versatile education model, prepares

its students for careers in research, regulatory and commercial roles to work in a variety of settings. Providing exposure to the pharmaceutical industry that is deeply woven throughout their program to give their students a unique insight into different prospects and career paths, Dr Supriya quips. “During our program, students are also encouraged to discover new passions via co-curricular activities that hone them into wellrounded professionals. This was even recognised by the National Centre of Quality Management and awarded the College with top three ranks in two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019 in the contest of ‘Best Educational Quality Enhancement Team’ The team members representing VESCOP were Mrs Ashwini Wani, Mrs Sonali Munj and Mrs Pradnya Korlekar.” Preparing their students with the four key skill-sets, i.e., Technical Expertise, Research Aptitude, Soft Skills, and Entrepreneurship Skills, VESCOP has formed a strongly interconnected network to make a tremendous impact in the pharmaceutical industry, with 1000+ alumni uniquely positioned to excel in a variety of careers addressing technical and management skills. In addition to empowering the students with technical knowledge, it is equally important to build the correct attitude in the students. VESCOP takes due care and has built a culture where hard work and professional attitude are imbibed into students right from their first day in the institute. By creating a state-of-the-art infrastructure, the institute has set up laboratories with the latest equipment. “Our Central Instrument Laboratory has high-end research instruments such as

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Diffusion Cell Assembly with Auto Sampler, Dissolution tester with Autosampler (Make- Teledyne Hanson), HPLC (Make - Shimadzu and Jasko), FTIR (Make Shimadzu), Cold Centrifuge (Make – Thermo Scientific, Ultracentrifuge(Make-Beckman), Particle size analyser (make-Malvern), etc”, adds Dr Supriya. Channelising the minds and efforts of the students in a correct direction, VESCOP has a Mentoring Cell, Program Committee, VES Leadership Academy and Research Centre (VESLARC), Competitive Examinations Guidance Cells, and a Campus to Corporate Transition Program in place to put in the structured efforts of the students and reflect their outcomes through student’s participation during their academic tenure. “when students graduate from the institute, they come up with flying colours and are placed in the industry very well. Our students are known in the industry for their hard work, professional attitude, and sound technical knowledge”, opines Dr Supriya.

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Shaping Pharmaceutical Professionals Consistently receiving research projects from the industry, VESCOP has provided consultancy for companies like Cerelia Nutritech Pvt. Ltd., Gangwal Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., Solumiks Herbaceuticals Ltd., to name a few. Having joint collaborative research centres with P and G and MOUs with companies like Aqua-Dry Pharma, Veredox Healthcare, B&B Pharma, Adroid Biomed, VESCOP has been developing in various ways and has been recognised at a national level through a survey by AICTE-CII as the ‘Best Industry Linked Technical Institute’ with a platinum ranking in 2019.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

It is a policy of VESCOP that the learners must achieve overall development through various co-curricular and extra-curricular activities

Having filed 6 patents for the innovative and dedicated research work carried out by research students under their guides, some students of VESCOP have pursued the road less travelled and have started their ventures. “Mr Chetan Girish Mahajan, an alumnus of our institute, founded Veredox Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., an organisation that is involved in contract manufacturing, marketing, and consultation of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products globally, and Ms Ruchi Singh cofounded Cerelia Nutritech, an IP based social enterprise contributing to the enrichment of the quality of life by developing innovative healthcare solutions”, points out Dr Supriya. With a very active placement cell that works tirelessly to place its students in eminent pharmaceutical companies and allied sectors, the institute’s Placement Cell organises activities like Career Guidance Programmes,

Mock Interviews, Group Discussions, and Interpersonal Skills Workshop. Also, VESCOP hosts an HR Summit, where HR Managers from various companies are invited to conduct training programs for the students. “It operates round the year to for locating opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students. On invitation, many reputed Pharmaceutical companies have visited our campus and have recruited the candidates”, adds Dr With 50% of their students pursuing Higher Education and the remaining opting for placements, Dr Supriya says, “We have successfully maintained our placement percentage above 90 Percentage over the years. To name a few eminent companies which have placed our students are Pfizer, Cipla, Rubicon, Merck, P&G, GSK, Nestle, Sanofi. Students also opt for Allied Healthcare sectors such as Pitchman Communications, Aditya Birla Insurance, Medlife, Aspira Diagnostics”.

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Chalking out the Next Steps Promoting entrepreneurial skills among their students, VESCOP has established the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), a recognised unit of MHRD’s Innovation Cell, to motivate and train them to become successful entrepreneurs through innovation. “This initiative involves conduction workshops and participating in different Hackathon events, that not only boosts the confidence of students but also helps to create a healthy environment for innovation”, says Dr Anilkumar Gandhi, the advisor and associate professor of VESCOP working actively to frame the innovation and start-up policy for VESCOP. . Also, the management of VES under the leadership of Shri B. L. Boolaniji gives a helping hand to the innovators to file patents which gives a boost to the researchers at VES. There is a Patent Cell in the institute which helps students and faculty in patent search, patent drafting, responding to examiner’s queries, IP due diligence, and so on. Aligning with their vision, the students of VESCOP develop soft skills, knowledge, professional skills, and ethical attitude of students through their ‘Campus to Corporate Transition Program’. “We lead our students towards holistic development and push them to be sensitive towards the community, a quintessential quality required to positively impact the healthcare of the society”, says Dr Supriya. After the B Pharm program getting recognised by NBA and receiving permanent affiliation by the University of Mumbai, VESCOP is setting itself to get the

Higher Education Digest September 2020

NAAC Accreditation, which is mandatory for higher educational institutes to get the autonomy by UGC. The institute is recognised under Section 2(f) and 12 (B) of UGC act 1956 which makes the institute fit to receive central assistance for students and teachers related schemes. This recognition would help them mark their presence as a research centre. “To provide a conducive working environment, to foster an entrepreneurial culture, and provide opportunities to transform business ideas of the students, alumni, and faculty, the VES has started the process of creating an incubation centre.” says Shri B.L. Boolaniji. Very keen to participate in translational research, VESCOP is filing for more patents through innovative research and commercialisation of patents in the long run. Being in the pharmacy field of education and aligning with their vision, the institution has taken initiatives to increase hospital collaborations. “We work tirelessly and with positivity for every single initiative. Every individual associated with this institution believes in teamwork. From the infancy, we all worked with zeal to crack the accreditations, inspections, and ranking framework with the attitude that all these mandatory requirements are going to raise the standard of excellence in every aspect of our institution. The University of Mumbai has recently recognised our efforts by awarding Overall runner up the championship and Overall championship in Medicine and Pharmacy in 52nd Inter-collegiate Avishkar Research Convention: 2019-20”, concludes Dr Supriya.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Online Coaching: The Future of Education Shivanand Pandit, Author of the Book ‘Begin to Win’ and Autonomous Finance and Tax Adviser

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he digital transformation has brought a lot of novelties, and melodramatically affected all sectors, including education. As you know, coaching is increasingly found with sky-high tuition. Professional coaching can now be found in virtually every part of the world. Coaching is not considered as exotic or only for the affluent students. However, brick and mortar form of coaching will be history soon. Online coaching will go the way of the buggy whip. Many privately owned coaching schools will go out of business, leaving mostly coaching institutions that are either approved by or are aligned with universities. Coaching will be delivered via multi-media distance learning and less via live training in universities and classrooms. Undoubtedly the world will transform dramatically due to the effects of pandemic blues, climate change and artificial intelligence. Online coaching will be a highly respected profession. Outstanding professional coaches will continue to earn high fees, although professional coaching will be regulated virtually everywhere. Just uttering the word coach or mentor may bring to minds of students imageries of helpful people in the past or present who have abetted them and continue to support them. Perhaps the most acknowledged root of the philosophies and delineations surrounding the concept of mentor is the well-known story from Greek mythology: Odysseus, leaving for battle, asked his female friend, the goddess of wisdom Athena, to take on the male form of mentor to watch and guide his son Telemachus while he was away. Now with one foot in the 21st century, it is crystal clear that coaching and mentoring are integrally built into many avenues of learning in adulthood. Like most institutions in a world of change, the age-old practice of mentoring and coaching is being influenced by new forms of work, technical knowhow and learning. Now let us make an attempt to look at vital emerging trends in the coaching business.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

To become a champion in today’s complex and hot-blooded environment, students need to develop strong learning capabilities

109 Shivanand Pandit

Shivanand Pandit is an autonomous Finance and Tax Adviser, a writer by zeal and a reader by passion. He has 24 years of experience in the field of Finance, Taxation, Cost management, Audit, Business management and Corporate laws. He has authored the book BEGIN TO WIN (a comprehensive guide for personality development) which has secured the First rank twice in a National level sales contest and topped the Notion Press publicationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top-selling books. Pandit runs two institutes, namely Apex Financial Advisory Services and Winners Coaching Point in the State of Goa.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

The fundamental cause many students to drop out of educational programs is because they are not motivated to continue learning

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Bright future for the cream of the crop Planning to be a virtual professional coach for students? Then it is the prime time to do whatever it takes to discriminate yourself as one of the finest. Training, certifications and evidence-based coaching skills are some areas you can look upon. Try to get at least one post-graduation degree or professional qualification. You should constantly upgrade your knowledge and traits all the way through your career. It will assist you to stay upto-date on important tendencies, earn a higher income, and it will support you stay in business. Students can look for the presence of dynamic skills in coaches and must resort to such professionals to reap the rewards considerably. Virtual coaching and mentoring If you are a student, you may be worried to travel miles together to reach a coaching centre, or if you are a teacher, you may be worried about getting a suitable location for your coaching occupation. Don’t worry anymore! Location-based coaching will lose its substance beyond 2020. Students can get hold of desired coaches, and teachers can get hold of their students anytime and from anywhere. New technology wave definitely transfigures the coaching and mentoring business. This will open solid ways to both coaches and students to make interactions

Higher Education Digest September 2020

feel as monogrammed as possible, and they can leverage the benefits of technology but at the same time can adjoin a live element to their needs. Greater accountability Getting the title of ‘Coach’ just after two or three years of running tuition classes will be the trend of the past. Yes, this is quite very natural for any maturing industry. Barriers to entry to the coaching business are bound to rise. Coaching sector will demand qualified coaches to assert their expertized knowledge. Up till now, a student required was a word of mouth referrals and great reputation of coaching entities. But with the onset of 2020, students must see paper qualification as one of the most popular tools to select the coaches. Thus, if both students and coaches want to create long-term success, their decisions should be backed by vibrant yardsticks. Coaching will become less than a luxury Very soon coaching will lose its ‘Luxury’ position and become a ‘Necessity’. Due to the prevalence of precariousness in the world, all students of different streams and spheres cannot solve their problems on their own. They will look for aid, and the exigency for coaches will augment. The advantages of coaching will

not be restricted to only elites. It is going to become a need for every student in all domains to solve complex problems or tribulations. Coaches should comprehend that the coaching segment is evolving and is extremely thirsty for novel trends. This will amplify the pool of professional, trained and qualified instructors and only matured coaches can reduce the stress of students. Who doesn’t want that? Lovelier days are coming! Student retention through motivation The fundamental cause many students to drop out of educational programs is because they are not motivated to continue learning. Lack of ability to master the required talents or skills at the pace of the rest of the class, absence of goals after passing the course are some the reasons for that. Fortunately, online coaching addresses all of these problematic segments. Efficient coach or mentor reinforces students and guides to frame informed decisions. He or she keeps them motivated about their coursework by prompting them of their goals and how the contemporary educational program relates to them. An uncertain student is not a successful student, yet the traditional education system does little to help students tackle their ambiguity. Online coaching and mentoring, on the other hand, encourages students to push through their uncertainty and decide what it is they want from their educational programs, their professional careers, and their personal lives. Boosts employability of learned material “When will I ever use this in real life?” many students ask this question to their teachers. Every teacher has faced this at least once in his or her lifetime. Largely virtual coaches and mentors have the answer to this most likely question, and they elucidate the core purpose of learning to frustrated students who fail to recognize the object of learning about geometry or symbolism or titration or economic theories. A robust online education program fabricates coursework that builds these employability questions right into the lessons. An effectual virtual coach makes the connection for his or her students and then fortifies it when obligatory. The emergence of Coaching and Mentoring Apps Students of the 21st century have tremendous flexibility to learn their own as technology continues

to go forward. As a result, the topography of learning and development is persistently shifting, and students are in control of their own learning needs. Therefore, it is the students who are crafting a market for coaching and mentoring prospects. Professional coaches should capitalize on this and try hard to develop online coaching and mentoring APPs. Mobile learning APPs are congregating increased equilibrium and exist in a giant way to expand and flourish in a brand-new learning atmosphere. The market for mentoring software is growing rapidly on a worldwide scale. These tools help students to customize, manage, and measure learning initiatives. Coaching and Mentoring software targets to resolve the requirements of all types of students, such as a one-on-one basis or group-based mentoring. Digital Generations and Continuous Learning To become a champion in today’s complex and hot-blooded environment, students need to develop strong learning capabilities. With resilient skills, they can move ahead. So, they should focus on the right matrix of traits and talents. Today’s digital generation can count on the internet, which is a vast arena and is a massive glut of online universities, social media, numerous interactive platforms and free learning instruments. It is virtually a personal learning cloud and an open-source of information for every student. Students can choose learning materials from the learning cloud and customized to his or her needs. The elasticity and immediate access to the learning cloud allows a pupil to choose skills in the context in the manner they can be used. As a final point, online coaching and mentoring is the next education frontline. There are innumerable reasons to choose online coaching and 90 per cent of students today think that online learning is the same or better than the traditional classroom experience. Every student and coach must assess their unique situation and decide according to their needs and goals. The main objective of online coaching institutions should be helping the students to learn meritoriously. If anyone wants to give the greatest number of students the greatest amount of opportunity, investment has to be done in online coaching sector, and it pays off. Indeed online coaching and mentoring can be resourceful, lucrative, accessible, and it is already indicating to be a driver in student success. What better reasons could there be?

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

How NEP Strongly Support Online Courses for Future Generation Som Sharma, Founder, Edu Brain Group

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ime has come to change the system of education from remote to online. This is true, and in fact, it sounds good that the education system of India has been improved a lot in pandemic to push online education with New Education Policy. Online education is the best crisis management solution today, it is also a roadmap of what the future will look like. Indians are the second-largest consumers on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). India has approximately 3.5 million students in higher education and around 900 universities catering to this need. In 2030, we will have about 14 million students, which will amount to four times the increase in demand. To meet this, India needs four times the number of universities, colleges, and teachers. Similarly, by 2022, India faces a potential shortage of 250 million skilled workers across sectors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; EY/FICCI report). Online education will play an extensive role to make a digital bridge for aspirants who need education as per the 21st century. New Education Policy is not about the degree is all about to focus on life skills and vocational courses. Now the govt NEP will ask more questions in students mind as the new policy is focused on research. The internet and online education is the best place where the students have the deep sea of information & content, research, discovery and deliverable from across the globe. Nowadays in India, many companies are educating people in the field vocational skill courses like Fashion Design, Interior Design & IT courses with their technical infrastructure where the acceptability of e-education is increasing day by day. The New Education bodies and EdTech Companies have come up with the E-Learning courses, which are more convenient and cheaper than the remote or Traditional education for the students.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

New Education Policy is not about the degree is all about to focus on life skills and vocational courses

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Som Sharma

Som Sharma is a pioneer and visionary in the field of Vocational Training and consultancy. Som Sharma is the Founding Chairman of Edu Brain Foundation (Edu Brain Academy) based out of Delhi with overseas branches and 15 glorious years in service. Som Sharma is also the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Education Brains Pvt. limited and owns overseas company that is Edu Brain Overseas Project Management Services in Dubai. He has taken all his enterprises to the heights.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

About

Som Sharma The vision of Som Sharma is to provide unparallel education and tremendous opportunities for the pupil and youngsters of India and overseas in the field of vocational education (Like Hospitality Sector, Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, Media Courses & etc.) under the foundation and his capable leadership. His overseas company Edu Brain overseas, Based in Dubai setting up another milestone of International Internships Programs, Placements & Study visa especially in hospitality, Engineering, IT and Management - the field where the thousands of youngsters every year are getting opportunities across the world in Dubai, France, Singapore, UK, Australia, and others. Mr Som is associated

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with many educational and research institutes as advisory, training & placement partners India & abroad. He is firmly focused on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Learn & Earnâ&#x20AC;? for youth to get the best vocational education and employability.

There are many setbacks to increasing online education in the current situation, but this pandemic forced us to change our lives and the uses of gadgets like mobile, tablets, laptops in our daily life. Still, the poor internet speed and costly gazetted will create a big wall between the last aspirants of the nation. The new policy is the gateway of online education where students can think big apart from mainstream subjects and make their life skills into job-ready courses in minimum time. The Govt. needs to open their eyes on deliverables of e-content to set parameters of quality content and equality of students both in school and higher education, NEP gives a new way and transformation of the education journey of each student digitalised. It is a way for a comprehensive vision of education that will empower the youth and children into the 21st century for skill-based education. The policy will decrease

Higher Education Digest September 2020

the job seeker and will increase the entrepreneur for shining India. Virtual learning the need of the hour, and places increased focus on technology-based learning and application through online e-learning courses. Online education is useful, and during this COVID outbreak, as online courses help students a lot to reshape their skills and talent. The engagement of online courses is increased tremendously, which itself define a good sign of sensibility of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generation toward exploring new things with the help on AI and E-learning. NEP strongly supports open source applications that drive learning to use artificial intelligence, smart analytics, and well-structured content around gamified learning. To summarise, the new National Education Policy has ushered a new era of new hopes and new horizons for students for their future benefits.

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Higher Education Digest September 2020