Karnataka   

Use Internet labs, multi-disciplinary approach for education, says expert

Manipal: Anand Patwardhan, executive director of Technology Information Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), said on Sunday that technology enhanced learning should be given importance.

He was speaking at the valedictory of the conference of TIFAC Centres of Relevance & Excellence (CORE), organised by the Manipal Life Sciences Centre (MLSC), a unit of Manipal University, here.

Mr. Patwardhan said that internet labs should be used for promoting education. If the Indian economy has to sustain its present 8 to 9 per cent growth of gross domestic product (GDP), the progress, in sectors such as energy and infrastructure, has to be in double digits. This required creation of vast human resources.

Centres of excellence in different areas would help in specialisation. It was incumbent upon the various TIFAC-COREs to extend their network to areas where such centres were absent. These TIFAC-COREs should create satellite centres of excellence. Multi-disciplinary approach should be encouraged, he said. Member of TIFAC governing council Bharati Ray said that South India should find its place in the mainstream of Indian history. Progress in science and technology should take into account Indian values. It was necessary to delve into the strength of the country in various fields. Science should be given importance and there should be better remuneration for scientists, he said.

“The goal of life is pursuit of excellence. Students should try to convert at least one illiterate person into literate. Budding scientists and researchers should be inspired by themselves and inspire others,” Mr. Ray said.

K. Narayana Rao, member-secretary of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), said that industry-academia partnership was the need of the hour. The entertainment and tourism sectors were expected to witness a rapid progress.

The AICTE was planning to develop courses in these two sectors. Industry should give importance to research, he said.

R.S.P. Rao, dean of Kasturba Medical College, said that industry and academia should come together to induce young and bright students into research in basic and life sciences.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Bangalore IT show takes off today
‘Lopsided governance’
Jaffarwadi shows the way
Water supply
A word of caution to women
Call for national debate on higher education
Neglected
Use Internet labs, multi-disciplinary approach for education, says expert
Junior engineer trapped in Gulbarga
CBT is a shambles
‘Protest should remain people’s movement’

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu