A Systematic Assessment Framework for Higher-Education Institutions

The multiple criteria of ranking, rating and accrediting the higher education institutions in India and across globe have become de facto lens for viewing the institutions. There is an increasing number of assessment systems carried down by multiple agencies, with the public policy emphasis on higher education institutions getting assessed, it is necessary to use a systematic and systemic framework that is comprehensive for assessment. For this purpose, the paper proposes an ontological framework for assessment of higher education institutions.  The ontology’s dimensions, sub-dimensions, and their constituent elements are derived from higher-education assessment systems that are well known globally and in India. The framework can help higher-education institutions: (a) assess themselves systemically and systematically; (b) highlight the bright, light, blind, and blank spots in their performance; and (c) correct their trajectory to fulfil their vision. Such framework would assist in identifying the gaps and pathways to improve their position in assessments.Anilkumar, M.; Singai, C.; Ramaprasad, A. (2020). A Systematic Assessment Framework for Higher-Education Institutions. En 6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. (30-05-2020):527-534. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd20.2020.11102OCS52753430-05-202

Reforming Higher Education in India: In Pursuit of Excellence

Higher education has emerged as one of the most critical factors for the Nation’s economic, political, social and cultural growth and development. Reforming the higher education sector has become an emergent norm across the globe, especially in the developing world. India is one such emerging nation, witnessing a major shift in its ideological, pragmatic and policy directions in the last few years. The higher education sector in India has witnessed unprecedented expansion. However, given the distinctive social-political-economic context and its complexity in India, expansion in higher education is often linked with ensuring equity and access. Whereas in the developed world, expansion is often associated with quality or excellence in higher education i.e. creating world-class universities. Further, excellence in higher education is arguably the most critical component for the survival, sustenance and growth of the sector. To this end, the paper examines the convergence and divergence in policies and practices related to the pursuit of excellence in higher education and its institutions in India vis-à-vis the dominant global reforms in higher education. Erstwhile policies related to quality in higher education and the current draft National Education Policy-2019, provide a reference to the local-distinctive strategies for seeking excellence at the systemic and the institutional level, with an aspiration for global reputation. For instance, National Institutional Ranking Framework, University Grants Commission’s graded autonomy, Institutional restructuring, National Accreditation and Assessment Council and Quacquarelli Symonds- India rating and so on. The paper also sets direction on how Local strategies for global aspirations could unpack a series of issues regarding the reforms in education and delineate in what ways that these emerging global reforms, strategies are effective and appropriate to the local higher education system and its institutions.Singai, C.; Kumaraswamy, TR.; Chandra, A. (2020). Reforming Higher Education in India: In Pursuit of Excellence. En 6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. (30-05-2020):1209-1213. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd20.2020.11237OCS1209121330-05-202

India's national higher education policy recommendations since independence: An ontological analysis

We present an ontological analysis of India's National Higher Education Policy recommendations since its independence. The ontology provides a systemic framework for the analysis. The analysis systematically highlights the aspects that have been heavily emphasised, lightly emphasized, and not emphasized. It highlights the dominant focus of the recommendation on governance, personnel, and regulation, secondary emphasis on funding, infrastructure, and location, and tertiary emphasis on information and temporal policies. It concludes with a critique of the recently proposed Ministry of Human Resource Development's (MHRD) themes for formulating new policies and proposes a framework of logically developing the themes

Inclusive Water Governance: a Global Necessity. Lessons from India

Water, Governance, Sustainable development, Inclusive Governance, State, Civil society, IWRM, International organizations, Management,