Download - Indian Higher Education and Emerging Global

National Conference on Green Entrepreneurship 19th October, 2012

Green Education :Indian Higher Education

Dr. S.K.Prasad MBA, Ph.DDirector- Management Studies, New Horizon

College of Engineering

Indian Higher Education and Emerging Global E-Learning Trends

This paper deals with the issues and concerns pertaining to higher education in India in the contemporary times. The paper emphasizes the need for a strategic alignment between higher education and Information Technology so as to make the best use of technologies in education systems particularly teaching learning processes. In the second half the paper highlights several emerging trends in global e-learning


Higher education consists of two well-defined aspects knowledge and know-how. The knowledge component enables one to understand what one learns in relation to what one already knows and provides the continuity in education while know-how is the ability to translate knowledge into action.

In the higher education system, engineering education and management education occupies a very significant position.

Engineering institutions in India currently account for intake of more than 5,00,000 students in Bachelor’s program, around 30,000 in Master’s program and less than 1000 in PhD program.


The challenge for Higher Education Institutes is to work out a healthy balance between wholeness of knowledge and specialization that caters to current technological demand.


E- learning is one of the strategic alternatives to provide access to knowledge access to the students in higher education segment.

In fact, many developed countries are using E-learning technologies more aggressively to expand their education markets.

India will be at a very advantageous position in translating the opportunity to her advantage

This is because of the very fact that abundance of availability of expertise both in IT sector and academics.


However, the challenge is to establish a right connect between academics and industry and transform industry as a strategic partner in all IT enabled and embedded higher education in the process of globalization which is characterized by increasing global economic interdependence and international competition, leads to the emergence of an international higher education market in which a growing number of traditional and new types of higher education providers compete


From a global perspective, the growing demand for higher education can be seen from two major trends: On the one hand the rapidly growing need for the widening of initial access to higher education. Globally the numbers of degree students are estimated to rise from 97 million in 2010 to 159 million by 2025.


India enjoys a tremendous advantage on this count by emerging as a young country in the world. In the words of Mr. Nandan Nilekeni in his book titled Imagining India” India is coming into its dividend as an unusually young country in an unusually ageing market- a young fresh faced nation in a graying world. Contrary to the ageing, shrinking population across the world India’s experience of demographic dividend that will last until 2050


In 2020, which is not very far away, India is projected to have an additional 47 million workforce, almost equal to the total world shortfall. The average Indian will be only 29 years old, compared with average age of 37 years in China and the United States, 45 years in Western Europe and 48 years in Japan.


The international scenario of demand for higher education is significant by the fact that the growing and diversifying demand for higher education is not always being sufficiently met by the local players which include the government and private institutions and this is creating market opportunities for foreign players.

Global Education Digest 2009 compiled by UNESCO has thrown up a noteworthy finding: after China, India is the No2 country in the world to send the highest number of students pursuing higher education away from home.


IT plays a significant role in expanding education opportunities by using appropriate internet enabled mass communication technologies.

IT holds the key of expanding educational markets globally with best quality and in an environment of easy transmission, transparent administration and more over cost effective higher education.


Emerging Global E- Learning TrendsThe New Age Students Enhancing Technical and Information

Literacy Integrating Common Facilities using

IT CollaborationEdu-tech-tainmentGo-Green Spirit


The New Age StudentsThe new age students are typically the first to adopt

new technologies. Many of these early adopters are new age students who bring these technologies onto college campuses

Some of the biggest trends include the emergence of Web 2.0 and social net-working phenomena such as blogs and wikis, as well as new online video repository and delivery websites such as YouTube, iTunes. The influx of smart phones, such as the iPhone, and other intelligent devices also enhanced mobile learning (commonly referred to as m-learning), creating new channels for content delivery, video expansion online, and podcasting.


Enhancing Technical and Information Literacy

Information literacy is another topical area. While many students may be device-savvy, they may not necessarily be information-savvy. Students today, having for the most part grown up with technology, possess more technical abilities with computers and software, yet many have not learned how to use technology for academic purposes.

HEIs are required to address this through a variety of methods, such as value added training programs seminars, workshops and instructional services.


Integrating Common Facilities using IT IT plays a major role in campus integration. The

AICTE is encouraging to create integrated campus facilities at campuses where different AICTE approved programs, like Engineering college, General College offering MBA and MCA programs, with multiple infrastructure facilities like separate libraries, computer laboratories and other amenities are can now create common facilities. High-traffic areas such as the campus library or computer lab typically are the starting points for developing integrated campuses.


CollaborationCollaboration is a distinguishing attribute of

higher education. Virtual meeting-place and application-sharing tools such as Cisco® WebEx® are efficient web-based collaboration solutions that help improve productivity and decrease communication and travel.


Ultra-high-definition systems such as Cisco TelePresence take productivity, collaboration, and costs savings further. TelePresence enables participants to conduct virtual meet ings from nearly any location worldwide, creating a sense of “being there in-person.” TelePresence can be used in higher education to facilitate administration and board meetings, dissertations, interviews and recruiting, student-professor meetings, overseas campus connections, and distance learning. Emerging technologies are paving the way to integrate, or blend, virtual and physical realities.


Edu-tech-tainmentHigher-education content and entertainment

(edutainment) are becoming more inter twined. The first indications of this took place on iTunes and YouTube, sites commonly used for entertainment content only. Professors are now combining the two, using various videos that contain both educational and entertainment value in podcasts and posting course content on education channels to create a more engaging learning environment. Computer gaming is emerging in teaching and learning as well.


The Go Green Spirit

Universities and higher education institutes are continually identifying ways to conserve energy efficiently, provide energy using alternative methods and resources, and recycle discarded technology hardware components known as “e-waste.” Common conservation practices include implementing cloud computing through server virtualization; providing resource sharing; collocating equipment to reduce energy consumption, costs, power, and space; buying energy-efficient equipment; and supporting tele-working.


Conclusion the 21st century, technology will play an increasing role in higher education. Institutions will adopt innovative solutions that will change the way students learn, communicate, produce, collaborate, and study both on and off campus—solutions that will also improve interactions among faculty, staff, and students.


Thank You

Download - Indian Higher Education and Emerging Global

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