A meeting of minds occurred when over 40 university presidents and vice chancellors from Canada and India came together last week at Carleton University to concentrate on solving the very real problems which present roadblocks to greater collaboration in research and academic programs, more exchange programs and joint supervision of graduate students. One of the roadblocks specifically addressed was credit transfer and one of the tools to promote greater collaboration was technology. Delegates proposed a number of positive steps to further collaboration, to resolve the credit transfer issue and to promote the expanded use of technology. They included:
– Undertaking a joint (bilateral) project to create a cell phone application to be available in both nations;
– Collecting among Canadian universities information on programs, faculties and universities, colleges or IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) already approved for credit transfer by each institution so this can be shared to eliminate (or at least reduce) the need to complete research on every program for which credit transfer is sought;
– Considering not credits but content and hours of lecture as well as the students’ ability to succeed in the program for which credit transfer is sought;
– Creating a committee to continue work on the issue;
– Requesting governments to provide additional grants specifically for joint research projects between researchers in both nations;
– Creating a website where researchers could locate partners and where universities could list the desired qualities of their desired exchange partners;
– Seeking exchanges which will specifically enhance the strengths of two institutions or which will create strength;
– Finding means to support the travel of students and faculty who cannot afford it.
The conference was opened in style by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. John Baird, whose insights provided a fine platform for thought and action and referring to the outstanding developments in the bilateral relations over the past two years under PM Harper, described India as a strategic partner of Canada. Underlining the importance of developing relations in the crucial field of education, Minister Baird accepted MOS (HRD)’s invitation to visit India. He extended support to Carleton University’s Centre of Excellence on India and Canada and also referred to $12 b budgetary provision for a Canada India Research Centre. Conference attendees lauded a brilliant address by the former Clerk of the Privy Council, the Hon. Kevin Lynch, who aptly summed up the challenges faced by both nations and offered some exciting solutions, a fine speech by Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari, India’s Minister of State responsible for High Education, on the role and goals of education in India in general, and another by Prof. Ved Prakash, Chair of the Universities Grants Commission, who gave a very clear picture of the role and goals of universities and IITs in India in their five-year planning cycle. The plenary address by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the author of India’s Green Revolution, offered an inspiring conclusion to the conference as he showed the difference individuals can achieve in their lifetime through innovative ideas and dedicated effort. The Summit which was organized in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) of the Government of Canada, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI), was the first ever summit between India and Canada on the subject. The conference has set a pathway to future collaboration, specific goals and identified the players and committees to be consulted. The conference also aided all the players in getting to know each other better and during the proceedings many new collaborative partnerships were begun.
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Innovation Summit Opens New Vistas
As part of the ongoing Year of India 2011 in Canada, a Canada India Innovation Summit was held at the Canada-India Centre for Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy at Carleton University, Ottawa this week. The Summit was organised in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada (DFAIT) and ISTP Canada. The Summit attracted high level participation from both India and Canada. Among those present from the Indian side were: Minister of State for Human Resource Development Hon’ble Smt. D. Purandeswari, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, former Minister of Power and Environment, India, Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, India (via video), Dr. Sam Pitroda (via video) Dr. S. Natesh, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Dr. P S Acharya, Director, NRDMS, DST and Dr. G K Prabhu, Registrar, Manipal University. Prominent participants from Canada included Governor General David Johnston (via video), Hon’ble John Manley, former Dy. Prime Minister and presently CEO, Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Hon’ble Kevin Lynch, former Cabinet Secretary and presently Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group, Dr. Henri Rothschild, President and CEO, ISTP Canada, Dr. Jerry Tomberlin, Dean, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University. The Summit began with the welcoming remarks by Dr. Roseann O’Reilly, President and Vice Chancellor, Carleton University and H.E. Mr. S M Gavai, High Commissioner of India followed by a Special Message from H.E. The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. The program included panel discussions and parallel breakout sessions on biotechnology, innovation in sustain able energy and environment, resource management and geomatics, digital media and venture capital. Delivering her keynote address, MOS (HRD) said: Innovation is the mantra for the knowledge world of today and tomorrow. It is the engine of economic growth. We need to capitalize on India’s vast human capital in the march towards development, albeit with a human face. There is no way to Innovation. Innovation is the way. In an interactive video conferencing with the participants, Dr. Sam Pitroda, speaking from Chicago, gave a five point mantra which should guide the agenda for Innovation, namely, platform, inclusive growth, ecosystem, drivers and discourse if we are to respond to the needs of the 21st century. Dr. D Chidambaram referred to PM Dr. Manmohan Singh’s decision to name, in the Indian context, the decade 2010-2020 as the Decade of Innovation. He used the term Re-Innovation in the context of rural development in India. He referred to ongoing collaboration between India and Canada under the rubric of S&T Agreement. He called for the linking of National Knowledge Network of India with CANARIE. Dr. Kevin Lynch spoke of India’s demographic dividend which he said is a crucial ingredient to new global competitiveness along with globalisation, innovation and natural resources. He said innovation is transformative and that is why it is so valuable and the west is losing its monopoly on Innovation which will increasingly play a key role in driving success in this changing world.
Source: CanAsian Times