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School - college adoption scheme

Staff Reporter

New initiative mooted by Bharathiar varsity to provide quality in higher education

KITCHEN ART: Bharathiar University Vice-Chancellor, G. Thiruvasagam, looking at the fruit carvings on display at VLB Janakiammal College of Arts and Science, in the city, on Thursday. — PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN.

Coimbatore: As a part of its silver jubilee programme, Bharathiar University is likely to launch a `one college - one school' adoption scheme next week, Vice Chancellor G. Thiruvasagam said here on Thursday.

In his inaugural address at a two-day national workshop on salads and sweets organised by the School of Hotel Management and Catering Science of VLB Janakiammal College of Arts and Science, he said schools should be linked with colleges to provide quality in higher education.

"Most of the Government schools and the Corporation schools do not have a blackboard, or even a basic science laboratory or computers. There are 108 colleges affiliated to the university and the infrastructure facilities available at colleges could be utilised by school students after college hours and during vacation," he added.

"We are now a part of the knowledge revolution and the institutions should play the role of `knowledge providers' and not mere job providers. Inadequacies in the curriculum should be addressed," he said.

To formulate a new curriculum, a change in the mindset of teachers was vital.

"The curriculum board should have 50 per cent participation by teachers and the remaining should have representatives from industry, businessmen, college management secretaries, eminent academicians from other universities and former vice-chancellors. The board meeting for every subject should decide upon the effective and right set of components required for every subject," he said.

Mr. Thiruvasagam said the Bharathiar University would and bring about a change in the curriculum. He listed five components that were essential for the development of the country — agriculture and food processing segment, reliable and qualitative electrical power, education and health care, information and communication technology and strategic sector.

"Participation in these components is important to gain more gross domestic product. This will in turn improve the standards of living of more than 200 million people who live below the poverty line," the vice-chancellor said.

The university would take steps to bring more foreign students to India. "At present, 60 foreign universities function in India and 11,200 foreign students are studying here. We have inaugurated a `Foreign University Collaboration Cell' on our premises to attract more foreign students to Bharathiar University and its affiliated colleges," he said. The colleges should step up infrastructure, equip faculty to focus on specialisation and offer programmes in collaboration with industry.

There were plans to offer courses on partnership basis through tie-ups between colleges and the industry to offer MBA programmes in hospital management and industrial management.

"The colleges will offer theory and conduct examinations while the industry counterpart will provide the practical training," he added. Approval from the Board of Studies and the Syndicate is awaited for these courses.

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