PRAGATI - THE INDIAN NATIONAL INTEREST REVIEW
NUMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 2009
HIGHER EDUCATION & POLICY RESEARCH
Galvanising international studies
India’s rising profile demands investment in intellectual foundations
MUTHIAH ALAGAPPA
“Today’s world is becoming smaller in many respects. Whether it is the international economic crisis, or terrorism or climate change – what happens in one part of the world [also affects] other parts. The international economic and political order is changing. … Our foreign policy should be able to cater to India’s interests in these constantly changing circumstances.” --- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, August 15, 2009
INDIA IS undergoing dramatic political, economic, social, and technological change. Firmly on the path of progress and modernity, India now appears confident it can overcome the many stillformidable challenges and realise its true potential at home and abroad. In addition to mobilising domestic consensus, support, and resources, New Delhi has deemed it important to harness international support and resources for its development.
Beginning with the government of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and with significant initiatives undertaken by the governments of Prime Ministers P V Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh, India’s international relations have been undergoing gradual but fundamental change. New Delhi now enjoys good relations with all major powers and Europe, has cultivated strong relations with countries in South-east Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and the Persian Gulf, is re-invigorating its relations with Africa, and is seeking opportunities in Latin America. With sustained impressive economic growth rates over the last decade and a sophisticated foreign policy, India has emerged as a significant regional and global power with interests in a broadly defined Asia and the world.
International Studies (IS) in India, however, have not kept pace with the changing scope and content of India’s international relations that must now address new challenges, problems, threats, and opportunities in a wide range of domains including economics (trade, investment, finance), climate change, security (traditional and nontraditional), and regional and global governance. Despite a strong beginning in the early decades after independence, there is concern in several quarters in India that International Studies programs and institutions in the country are not fully able to cope with the demands and opportunities facing a modernising and rising India, which is fast integrating itself into a changing, complex, and increasingly knowledge driven world.
In comparative terms, India, which had the more developed International Studies programs and institutions in Asia in the 1950s and 1960s, has since fallen behind East Asian countries, particularly China. This is an unanticipated development in light of India’s many advantages—an open society, freedom of thought and expression, and competence in the English language, among others.
India’s rising profile in global affairs demands that the demand-supply disjuncture and the promise-reality gap should be addressed quickly and substantively with the goals of making the country a leading centre of knowledge, education, and research in international studies. Indian scholarship should contribute to increasing the knowledge base for India’s international interaction and role. Creating world-class teaching and research institutions and programmes is indispensable in achieving these goals.
Creating world-class institutions and programmes in International Studies
Contemporary India is home to leading institutions of learning for students entering the professions of medicine and engineering, and the natural sciences. An open, democratic, and rising India must be home to world-class departments and schools in the social sciences as well. For a number of reasons---cultural, systemic, and institutional---the social sciences have been undervalued in India. This cannot continue. Excellence in the social sciences is not merely “a nice thing to have” but essential for a rising India that seeks regional and global influence. Excellence in International Studies is especially crucial.
Building on existing schools
The logical first step is to build on existing schools of International Studies in India. One or two schools (such as the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University or the Department of International Relations at Jadavpur University) should be targeted for restructuring and development (to make them comparable, for example, to the Woodrow Wilson School of International Studies at Princeton University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, or the London School of Economics and Politics). Their primary purpose would be to educate students at the master’s level, but they would also have small, rigorous PhD programmes.
Creating new schools
It may be an opportune time to create one or two new schools of International Studies in other regions of the country as well. Preferably, the new schools would focus on areas not well covered by existing ones. Agreement should be reached among existing and new schools to identify subfields in which each would build strength. Although more costly, the setting up of new schools would avoid problems associated with transforming existing institutions. In this connection, space must be available for privately funded institutions. The private sector should be encouraged to start schools of International Studies focused primarily on international economics, international finance, and international business. Through public-private partnerships, the private sector could also invest in linking existing schools and programmes in International Studies with leading business and law schools in the country to develop joint degree programmes.
Strengthening existing PhD programmes
Vibrant International Studies and political science departments in existing central and state universities should be targeted to build strong PhD programmes. Emphasis and specialisation would vary with the strength and interest of faculty and course offerings in specific departments. Not all departments need offer the PhD degree in all subfields. Departments should be encouraged to specialise and build a reputation in select subdisciplines, issue areas, and countries or regions.
A National Defence University
A National Defence University (NDU) should be established soon. The Indian government has accepted a proposal to this effect. Successful implementation could fill a void and provide a muchneeded stimulus to the development of security and strategic studies in India. Its success would hinge to a considerable degree on: institutional autonomy; an administrative structure and an intellectual environment that is conducive to open and free inquiry from different theoretical perspectives; a broad definition of security that goes beyond traditional security and straight strategic studies; and the recruitment of well-trained scholars to fill leadership and staff positions. The NDU should not be solely a teaching institution. It should have strong research centres as well. There are many models of NDUs. Those in China, Japan, United States, and United Kingdom, for example, differ significantly from one another. India should develop a university that meets its specific needs.
Language training centres and programmes
The effort to build strong International Studies schools and programmes should be complemented, as necessary, by the development of relevant language training centres and programmes. To be regarded as a country or region expert, a scholar must be competent in a relevant foreign language.
In light of India’s size, the country should have two or three strong language centres providing basic and advanced training in key foreign languages. Because setting up well-equipped and well-staffed language centres would take time, language training should also be provided through intensive summer programmes in universities with suitable facilities. Intensive summer programmes could be organised more quickly and should be pursued in an earnest manner.
Foreign languages of importance for India include English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Sinhala, Nepali, Farsi, and Swahili. Clearly some are more important than others and the country’s needs should be prioritised. Where demand for a particular language is limited and providing training in that language is not financially feasible, a small number of scholars could be trained in foreign institutions in countries where the language is spoken. Funding should be available for students and scholars to conduct their research and language training in the countries that are relevant to their studies.
Professional development
Success in building world-class institutions and programs hinges on a strong faculty and a dynamic and empowered student body. National educational authorities, universities, and professional associations should take sustained measures to upgrade the expertise and capability of faculty and students through challenging requirements, incentives, and opportunities.
Creating world-class research institutes and think tanks
Research institutes and think tanks are an integral part of the architecture of International Studies. These may be located in or outside universities. Their primary role is research-based analysis of mid-to long-range policy-relevant issues and problems. The output of research institutes can contribute to academic inquiry and knowledge accumulation as well as inform public opinion and policy formulation. Think tanks have a much shorter time horizon and more explicit public information and policy functions. Through short reports, policy briefs, opinion columns, participation in policy seminars, and public presentations, they seek to inform the populace and policy makers and support or alter specific policies. Although not always possible, a distinction between research institutes and think tanks can help channel resources in desired directions.
By supporting innovative research, research institutes can play a vanguard role in pursuing new ideas, concepts, and strategies, as well as new solutions to old problems. In the 1950s and 1960s, for example, the RAND Corporation in the United States was in the forefront of innovative research in the then new field of nuclear weapons, especially on the theory and strategy of deterrence. Research institutes and think tanks can also play important public information and policy roles in a democratic society such as India.
In their early years, the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) in New Delhi built a reputation for providing sound policy advice. IDSA came to be respected by officials and leaders across the political spectrum for its independent thinking. Over time, both the CPR and the IDSA appear to have declined in influence. Effort is now under way to rebuild these institutions under new leadership.
With a few exceptions, the present crop of foreign policy and security research institutes and think tanks are noticeable by their marginal position or near total absence from the information and public policy sphere. Economic research institutes have fared better than those in the foreign and security policy domains. Often government funded and/or staffed by retired diplomats and military officers, the foreign and security policy institutions have by and large followed the government line rather than providing deep analysis of policy alternatives. The interests and priorities of funders appear to have been limiting factors for institutions financed by private sector companies.
Looking forward, it is necessary to strengthen existing institutions and create new ones to discharge their public information and policy roles. In the long run the goal should be to build several prestigious institutions comparable to the U.S.-based Brookings Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, or the UK-based Institute for International and Strategic Studies (IISS). The intent would not be to replicate Western institutions in India. In fact, the considerable influence of think tanks in the United States may be unique to that country. Nevertheless, as demonstrated by the early experience of CPR and IDSA and the contemporary role of certain economic research institutes (such as the National Council of Applied Economic Research and the Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations), space is available in India for sound policy-relevant work outside government.
Indian foreign and security policy research institutes and think tanks should capture and expand this space through innovative, high-quality work and interaction with policy-making agencies, the media, and relevant NGOs and international organisations. Their focus should be on developing innovative research agendas, building institutional expertise and capacity, developing strong databases, upgrading publication programmes, and disseminating timely policy analyses to relevant audiences.
Developing research agenda
The choice and development of study programmes in research institutes and think tanks must be driven by contemporary as well as future demands in the market place. Research agendas should anticipate and address critical issues in the security of India and India’s international roles and interactions. Research institutes should focus on topics that lend themselves to deep analysis over time, a luxury that is usually not available to public officials working under time constraints. Research agenda should be subject to periodic review with the goal of remaining current and relevant. Depth should be preferred to breadth in developing research agenda and building capacity.
Building capacity
Many existing foreign and security policy research institutes and think tanks have limited capacity (few full-time research staff) and resources. For several reasons, retired public officials tend to dominate leadership and faculty positions. Although they can provide an important practical perspective, former civil servants, diplomats, and military officers cannot be the mainstay of research institutes or think tanks. Their viewpoint can have unintended skewing and crowding-out effects. A judicious balance must be struck between those with strong policy experience and well-trained scholar-analysts with strong applied theoretical and methodological skills. Research institutes and think tanks should hire trained researchers with advanced degrees. Staff hiring and retention should be given due attention. The goal should be to assemble a critical mass of analysts in select areas. Again, depth should be favoured over breadth. Where local supply is a constraint, Indian institutions should be able to hire foreign scholars on a contract basis or to develop exchange programmes with foreign institutions.
Opportunities must exist for staff of research institutions and think tanks to develop research programmes and projects under their leadership, to collaborate with other institutions in country and abroad, to interact freely with government officials, to join the government for specific periods, to join professional associations, to participate in national and international meetings, and to publish in external peer-reviewed publications. These activities will help build individual expertise and enhance the capacity of the institutions that employ them.
Developing databases
Lack of data is a serious problem for nongovernmental research institutes in the foreign and security policy areas. Government agencies in these areas have a penchant for classifying almost everything. Nevertheless, it is possible to build strong databases through sustained and diligent efforts by dedicated staff. Data can be gathered from declassified government sources, foreign databases, defence publications, professional autobiographies, communications with government officials, and so forth. Many Western research institutions have developed databases equal to, and at times superior to, those of governments. Information is necessary; but even more important is analysis, in which research institutes and think tanks can and should excel.
Upgrading publications
Publications are a key indicator of the vitality and relevance of a research institution. Strong, regular, and timely publications are crucial in building the reputation of an institution. Without a strong publications programme, a research institution will have little or no credibility. Because research institutes and think tanks should be able to communicate with a wide audience, considerations of purpose and target group should differentiate their outputs. Publication in peer-reviewed journals is crucial to sustain and enhance researchers’ standing in a discipline or field. Book-length works and monographs can provide deep, research-based analysis of selected issues and problems. Policy briefs and opinion pieces based on such research are another mode of communicating with and capturing the attention of the policy community in a timely manner. These types of publications as well as participation in seminars and media interviews and debates (on television and radio) must all be encouraged and required. Timely dissemination of analysis and opinion is especially important for think tanks. These institutions and the individuals in them should seek out target groups to communicate their research findings and policy positions.
Collaboration with foreign institutions
If they bring comparative advantage and help in the development of a strong research environment, collaboration with foreign research institutions, and the setting up of research institutes and think tanks in India by foreign foundations and institutions should be welcomed. India’s hesitation in regard to foreign institutions and international collaboration rooted in Cold War era considerations should be adjusted in favour of welcoming collaborative projects and exchanges of staff, as well as the adoption of best practices. This would be in line with the greater openness that has characterised India’s economy and international interaction since 1991.
Broadening the funding base
Government and big business have largely funded the establishment and development of research institutes and think tanks in India. This is likely to continue. However, it is necessary to broaden funding sources to include national and international charitable foundations. In the United States, private foundations are the primary source of funding support for research institutes and think tanks. India should revise its regulations, including its tax policy, to foster charitable giving to research institutes and think tanks, and to encourage public-private partnerships. Government-funded institutions should be allowed to raise private money as long as it does not alter their purpose and role. Over time, some government-funded institutions should be allowed and encouraged to become fully independent of government support. New Delhi should also be more flexible in enabling Indian institutions to accept funds from abroad.
Conclusion
Creating world-class teaching and research institutions and programs are a crucial component of a sustained effort to strengthen international studies in India. That effort must be multifaceted and involve the Government of India, the professional community, and the private sector. Upgrading international studies in India is not simply a resource issue, though funding is a key consideration. Equally important will be a commitment on the part of government agencies, university and research institute administrators, schools and departments, faculty, students, and professional associations to reform and upgrade International Studies in India. Such a commitment would go a long way toward strengthening the field of International Studies in India, enhancing professional development and the knowledge base to support India’s international interaction and role.
Muthiah Alagappa is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in the United States and the author of the forthcoming report titled Strengthening International Studies in India: Vision and Recommendations published by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. The Lee Kuan Yew School and the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi co-sponsored the project that resulted in the report.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
H1-B restriction: Silicon Valley to be hurt
H1-B restriction: Silicon Valley to be hurt
Silicon India
By Benny Thomas
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Bangalore: Several bright minds outside America take that flight to the U.S. seeking better opportunities in places like Silicon Valley, which is often described as the Mecca for entrepreneurs. However, with the hue and cry surrounding the H-1B visas the flow of immigrants into U.S. may get affected, which may also diminish the tech prowess of the most technologically advanced nation in the world.
There was at least one immigrant founder in 25 percent of all engineering and technology companies established in the U.S. between 1995 and 2005, reveals a study by a group of Professors in Duke University and the University of California. These entities generated over $52 billion in 2005 sales, while creating over 450,000 jobs as of 2005. With these contributions by the immigrants in the U.S., any impediments in the issuance H1-B visa can have a huge impact on the American economy.
The U.S. administration under George W Bush had been pushing for immigration reforms, which failed to take shape last year. There are roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and the reforms are aimed at making a way for some of these immigrants to stay in the country legally. Now that Barack Obama has taken charge in the White House, are these reforms on his priority list?
Recently, Obama assured the pro-immigrant activists that the immigration reforms would not lose its importance over the health-care reform and the energy legislation. The President is likely to endorse the views of Senator Charles Schumer, Chairman of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee, who has said that he will introduce new reform legislation this autumn.
However, there are some challenges that Schumer and team faces in order to make the legislation a reality. Senators Richard Durbin and Charles Grassley are sponsors of a bill to stop the alleged abuse of H-1B visas, which allow companies to employ workers from overseas for limited stays. They have introduced a legislation to restrict the number of H1-B visas to be issued, which was bombarded with criticisms outside U.S. These visas are popular among technology companies like Microsoft, Infosys and Wipro, which bring some of the brightest minds from around the world to work in the U.S.
The current situation can make U.S. less attractive to immigrants, who may eventually contribute to the country's growth. Take the examples of Vikram Pandit, Indra Nooyi or Sanjay Jha, who took that flight to the U.S. and have made it big by heading some of the largest companies on the planet.
Commentators like CNN's Lou Dobbs have often highlighted about a huge reverse brain drain in the U.S. - which has been his dream - that is closer to reality. Immigrants, who have received their education and work experience in U.S., are packing their bags to go back to their homeland. In addition, there is also a decline in the number of foreign students seeking admissions in the U.S. universities, for the first time in five years.
Follow link to read more of the article.
Silicon India
By Benny Thomas
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Bangalore: Several bright minds outside America take that flight to the U.S. seeking better opportunities in places like Silicon Valley, which is often described as the Mecca for entrepreneurs. However, with the hue and cry surrounding the H-1B visas the flow of immigrants into U.S. may get affected, which may also diminish the tech prowess of the most technologically advanced nation in the world.
There was at least one immigrant founder in 25 percent of all engineering and technology companies established in the U.S. between 1995 and 2005, reveals a study by a group of Professors in Duke University and the University of California. These entities generated over $52 billion in 2005 sales, while creating over 450,000 jobs as of 2005. With these contributions by the immigrants in the U.S., any impediments in the issuance H1-B visa can have a huge impact on the American economy.
The U.S. administration under George W Bush had been pushing for immigration reforms, which failed to take shape last year. There are roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and the reforms are aimed at making a way for some of these immigrants to stay in the country legally. Now that Barack Obama has taken charge in the White House, are these reforms on his priority list?
Recently, Obama assured the pro-immigrant activists that the immigration reforms would not lose its importance over the health-care reform and the energy legislation. The President is likely to endorse the views of Senator Charles Schumer, Chairman of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee, who has said that he will introduce new reform legislation this autumn.
However, there are some challenges that Schumer and team faces in order to make the legislation a reality. Senators Richard Durbin and Charles Grassley are sponsors of a bill to stop the alleged abuse of H-1B visas, which allow companies to employ workers from overseas for limited stays. They have introduced a legislation to restrict the number of H1-B visas to be issued, which was bombarded with criticisms outside U.S. These visas are popular among technology companies like Microsoft, Infosys and Wipro, which bring some of the brightest minds from around the world to work in the U.S.
The current situation can make U.S. less attractive to immigrants, who may eventually contribute to the country's growth. Take the examples of Vikram Pandit, Indra Nooyi or Sanjay Jha, who took that flight to the U.S. and have made it big by heading some of the largest companies on the planet.
Commentators like CNN's Lou Dobbs have often highlighted about a huge reverse brain drain in the U.S. - which has been his dream - that is closer to reality. Immigrants, who have received their education and work experience in U.S., are packing their bags to go back to their homeland. In addition, there is also a decline in the number of foreign students seeking admissions in the U.S. universities, for the first time in five years.
Follow link to read more of the article.
Monday, August 24, 2009
'Talent deficit' may hit Indian firms
'Talent deficit' may hit Indian firms
By siliconindia news bureau
Sunday,23 August 2009
Bangalore: After showcasing their talents to the world all these years, companies in India could face a huge 'talent deficit' in the coming years, says a report by Deloitte, a global consultancy firm. As per the report, the reason for this scarcity is that the country is not producing enough people equipped with the right skills required for the globalized environment.
The report titled, 'New India Manager' states that new talent management model in companies will have to shift in outlook. The report suggests that paradigm of 'scarcity of jobs' should convert to 'scarcity of talent'. "Unless a fundamental shift occurs in the educational system, it will continue to produce degree holders who will lack skills to operate in a corporate environment," said Manish Agrawal, Vice President (Strategy and Innovation) at Deloitte.
Agrawal has authored a study on the evolution of the Indian manager from the pre-liberalization period till now. The report stated that globalization, has helped Indian managers to develop their competencies and a global outlook that has unleashed a lot of creativity and innovation in the domestic industry. "However not many managers in the country have required soft skills, like communication abilities for operating in a global environment among others. We need to build such skill sets to enhance our talent pools," Agrawal said.
The Deloitte report stated that it remains to be seen as to what extent the country would be able to enhance the competency level of its young population to make them employable. This is also a challenge which the Indian policymakers would have to deal with in the years to come, it added. According to Agrawal, if the shift is made now it will take five to 10 years to generate a good quantity of employable talent.
Other than the upgrade of skills, the challenges which managers have to face going forward include retention of existing talent in the company, support learning and development of employees. Moreover, there is a growing talent gap in the developed world as well, which will continue to target Indian managers. In the years to come U.S., Europe and Japan are going to see an ageing population and a reduction in available talent and workforce. The report revealed that there was already an increasing recognition of the quality of Indian managers and there is every chance of this trend accelerating further.
By siliconindia news bureau
Sunday,23 August 2009
Bangalore: After showcasing their talents to the world all these years, companies in India could face a huge 'talent deficit' in the coming years, says a report by Deloitte, a global consultancy firm. As per the report, the reason for this scarcity is that the country is not producing enough people equipped with the right skills required for the globalized environment.
The report titled, 'New India Manager' states that new talent management model in companies will have to shift in outlook. The report suggests that paradigm of 'scarcity of jobs' should convert to 'scarcity of talent'. "Unless a fundamental shift occurs in the educational system, it will continue to produce degree holders who will lack skills to operate in a corporate environment," said Manish Agrawal, Vice President (Strategy and Innovation) at Deloitte.
Agrawal has authored a study on the evolution of the Indian manager from the pre-liberalization period till now. The report stated that globalization, has helped Indian managers to develop their competencies and a global outlook that has unleashed a lot of creativity and innovation in the domestic industry. "However not many managers in the country have required soft skills, like communication abilities for operating in a global environment among others. We need to build such skill sets to enhance our talent pools," Agrawal said.
The Deloitte report stated that it remains to be seen as to what extent the country would be able to enhance the competency level of its young population to make them employable. This is also a challenge which the Indian policymakers would have to deal with in the years to come, it added. According to Agrawal, if the shift is made now it will take five to 10 years to generate a good quantity of employable talent.
Other than the upgrade of skills, the challenges which managers have to face going forward include retention of existing talent in the company, support learning and development of employees. Moreover, there is a growing talent gap in the developed world as well, which will continue to target Indian managers. In the years to come U.S., Europe and Japan are going to see an ageing population and a reduction in available talent and workforce. The report revealed that there was already an increasing recognition of the quality of Indian managers and there is every chance of this trend accelerating further.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
IBM Smarter Planet University Jam
Dear IBM Smarter Planet University Jam participant,
Thank you so much for participating in our 2009 Smarter Planet University Jam. The three-day forum held in April brought nearly 2,000 students and faculty together with IBM experts, clients and business partners to discuss ideas for a smarter planet. We truly appreciate all of your outstanding and enthusiastic contributions!
We are pleased to share with you the Jam report entitled "Jamming for a Smarter Planet" which features your thoughtful insights and ideas for innovation on complex global problems including pollution-free, inexpensive energy; the skills students need to compete in the globally integrated economy; environmental protection and water management; and advanced healthcare. In the report we also recognize our top student and faculty contributors from the Jam.
Please visit ibm.com/university/smartplanet_jam to read and download the Jam insights summary report, review the press release, and listen to podcast interviews with the top two faculty contributors and Jai Menon, vice president of technical strategy and university programs, IBM. Thank you again for your participation!
If you have any questions or comments regarding the Jam, please feel free to contact IBM's global University Relations team at univrel@us.ibm.com.
Regards,
IBM University Relations
ibm.com/university
Thank you so much for participating in our 2009 Smarter Planet University Jam. The three-day forum held in April brought nearly 2,000 students and faculty together with IBM experts, clients and business partners to discuss ideas for a smarter planet. We truly appreciate all of your outstanding and enthusiastic contributions!
We are pleased to share with you the Jam report entitled "Jamming for a Smarter Planet" which features your thoughtful insights and ideas for innovation on complex global problems including pollution-free, inexpensive energy; the skills students need to compete in the globally integrated economy; environmental protection and water management; and advanced healthcare. In the report we also recognize our top student and faculty contributors from the Jam.
Please visit ibm.com/university/smartplanet_jam to read and download the Jam insights summary report, review the press release, and listen to podcast interviews with the top two faculty contributors and Jai Menon, vice president of technical strategy and university programs, IBM. Thank you again for your participation!
If you have any questions or comments regarding the Jam, please feel free to contact IBM's global University Relations team at univrel@us.ibm.com.
Regards,
IBM University Relations
ibm.com/university
Monday, July 06, 2009
Interview with Medha Patkar
In March, I had the opportunity to have dinner with Medha Patkar, land rights activist in India. My experience of meeting Medha and talking to her about indigenous education reminded me to continue questioning the status quo definition of progress and efficiency, especially when it comes to education.
Because of my immediate fascination with her and her inspiring struggle, I accompanied my friend and ICA Institute colleague, Viren Mayani, to his interview with her the next day. The following link provides excerpts from Viren's interview.
Be inspired:
Medha Patkar: A formidable dam against the establishment
Because of my immediate fascination with her and her inspiring struggle, I accompanied my friend and ICA Institute colleague, Viren Mayani, to his interview with her the next day. The following link provides excerpts from Viren's interview.
Be inspired:
Medha Patkar: A formidable dam against the establishment
Friday, July 03, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing - a boon or bane to innovation?
By siliconindia news bureau
Bangalore: With the economic downturn, companies are looking at all options to cut costs and crowdsourcing is the latest entrant. By spending a fraction of the money for designing products, crowdsourcing looks like an attractive option for companies. According to Businessweek, LG crowdsourced a new cell phone design for just $20,000, the same project would have cost them in millions if it was designed by a design firm. But, currently experts are divided on the viability of crowdsourcing in the long run.
Some analysts predict that crowdsourcing is the future of the advertising, marketing and industrial design segments. They expect it to accelerate creativity across a larger network. Others predict that this practice of opening up a task to the public instead of keeping it in-house or using a contractor, will be the end of those businesses, who were earlier involved in similar projects, due to the downward pressure on prices.
The crowdsourcing marketplaces are CrowdSpring, InnoCentive, TopCoder and uTest provide platforms for companies to host their projects. Participants utilize this opportunity to create a design as per the company's requirements. After all the entries are submitted, the best design in the 'Crowd' is selected by the company. The marketplaces reward the winners of the contest with up to $50,000. According to Businessweek, due to crowdsourcing, traditional forms of compensation connecting corporations to creativity are splintering beyond money to include fame and community.
Some companies like Nike, Dell and Starbucks have created their own platforms, which allow customers to help them create new products and messages. Though, it faces many challenges ahead, the growth of crowdsourcing shows no signs of slowing down.
By siliconindia news bureau
Bangalore: With the economic downturn, companies are looking at all options to cut costs and crowdsourcing is the latest entrant. By spending a fraction of the money for designing products, crowdsourcing looks like an attractive option for companies. According to Businessweek, LG crowdsourced a new cell phone design for just $20,000, the same project would have cost them in millions if it was designed by a design firm. But, currently experts are divided on the viability of crowdsourcing in the long run.
Some analysts predict that crowdsourcing is the future of the advertising, marketing and industrial design segments. They expect it to accelerate creativity across a larger network. Others predict that this practice of opening up a task to the public instead of keeping it in-house or using a contractor, will be the end of those businesses, who were earlier involved in similar projects, due to the downward pressure on prices.
The crowdsourcing marketplaces are CrowdSpring, InnoCentive, TopCoder and uTest provide platforms for companies to host their projects. Participants utilize this opportunity to create a design as per the company's requirements. After all the entries are submitted, the best design in the 'Crowd' is selected by the company. The marketplaces reward the winners of the contest with up to $50,000. According to Businessweek, due to crowdsourcing, traditional forms of compensation connecting corporations to creativity are splintering beyond money to include fame and community.
Some companies like Nike, Dell and Starbucks have created their own platforms, which allow customers to help them create new products and messages. Though, it faces many challenges ahead, the growth of crowdsourcing shows no signs of slowing down.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
OGoBiblios 45
Visscher-Voerman, I. & Gustafson, K.L. (2004). Paradigms in the theory and practice of education and training design. Educational Technology Research and Development 52(2), 69-89.
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) do not characterize their research as addressing a problem as much as filling a gap- the gap of empirical research to support claims that instructional design processes are more heterogeneous and diverse than represented by the dominant model of the field, ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate). The purpose of this study was to reconstruct the actual practices of professional designers in order to “develop insight” into the differences between ADDIE and design practices by asking “What design strategies do professional, high-reputation designers use in practice in various training and education contexts?”
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) call this a reconstructive study and use a “development research approach” that includes conducting twenty four case studies on different design projects by collecting data through interviews and document analysis in a two stage process. Between the two stages, they developed a conceptual framework and changed their original focus on activities to a focus on rationale for decision making. Twenty four case studies may not have been enough because they only find support for three out of four of the paradigms they eventually identify, yet they include the assumption that this other type of design paradigm still exists.
The participants are designers from six types of design settings, nominated as “competent, high-reputation professional designers” by experts from each of the six design settings. This purposive sampling strategy seemed valid, but one result of the sampling really stood out, the only designers chosen with formal design education, approximately 50% of the sample, all had their design education at the same university. This homogenous result would seem to point to a flaw in the sampling procedure, but it turns out this is the only university in the country where the study was conducted.
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) organize the results of their first phase of analysis by describing the activities observed under each of the phases proposed by ADDIE, focusing on differences. In the results section for the second phase, they offer alternative design paradigms to describe the different rationales designers gave for the activities and align those paradigms with epistemic stances: e.g. Instrumental design paradigm- Modernism; Communicative design paradigm- Critical Theory; Pragmatic Paradigm- Pragmatism; and Artistic design paradigm- Postmodernism. They then relate each paradigm to corresponding ADDIE phases and roles of clients and designers.
I think this study makes an important contribution to advancing knowledge in Instructional Design & Technology. This field has this heavy ADDIE model hanging over it all the time, as almost the definition for the field, and it barely scratches the surface of what needs to understood, explored and morphed in the process of designing learning environments and opportunities. By taking on the task of describing the activities and rationales of designers in several settings and placing these descriptions within a useful framework, these authors offer guidance for practice, teaching and further research.
What I did not like about this study: They include the Artistic paradigm, yet admit none of the case studies reflect this paradigm in their rationales. This highlights what I am most concerned about in this type of research—it seems to just affirm a theory that we would probably all agree on from our experience with instructional design and different types of designer. It seemed they had these alternative paradigms in mind- a useful theory in my opinion. But they want to ground this theory in experience, so they conduct the case studies hoping to find the fit. They’ve chosen a qualitative research approach, which is supposed to be inductive. How do you end up with a paradigm with no evidence that induced it?
I am interested in describing, eventually through several case studies, the instructional design process in cross-border settings and cross-sector settings. This not only provides some guidance in the way of conceptual frameworks, it also highlights the messiness of trying to fit some of these very-close-to-causal (or at least mind-reading about intent) questions into a qualitative framework.
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) do not characterize their research as addressing a problem as much as filling a gap- the gap of empirical research to support claims that instructional design processes are more heterogeneous and diverse than represented by the dominant model of the field, ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate). The purpose of this study was to reconstruct the actual practices of professional designers in order to “develop insight” into the differences between ADDIE and design practices by asking “What design strategies do professional, high-reputation designers use in practice in various training and education contexts?”
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) call this a reconstructive study and use a “development research approach” that includes conducting twenty four case studies on different design projects by collecting data through interviews and document analysis in a two stage process. Between the two stages, they developed a conceptual framework and changed their original focus on activities to a focus on rationale for decision making. Twenty four case studies may not have been enough because they only find support for three out of four of the paradigms they eventually identify, yet they include the assumption that this other type of design paradigm still exists.
The participants are designers from six types of design settings, nominated as “competent, high-reputation professional designers” by experts from each of the six design settings. This purposive sampling strategy seemed valid, but one result of the sampling really stood out, the only designers chosen with formal design education, approximately 50% of the sample, all had their design education at the same university. This homogenous result would seem to point to a flaw in the sampling procedure, but it turns out this is the only university in the country where the study was conducted.
Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson (2004) organize the results of their first phase of analysis by describing the activities observed under each of the phases proposed by ADDIE, focusing on differences. In the results section for the second phase, they offer alternative design paradigms to describe the different rationales designers gave for the activities and align those paradigms with epistemic stances: e.g. Instrumental design paradigm- Modernism; Communicative design paradigm- Critical Theory; Pragmatic Paradigm- Pragmatism; and Artistic design paradigm- Postmodernism. They then relate each paradigm to corresponding ADDIE phases and roles of clients and designers.
I think this study makes an important contribution to advancing knowledge in Instructional Design & Technology. This field has this heavy ADDIE model hanging over it all the time, as almost the definition for the field, and it barely scratches the surface of what needs to understood, explored and morphed in the process of designing learning environments and opportunities. By taking on the task of describing the activities and rationales of designers in several settings and placing these descriptions within a useful framework, these authors offer guidance for practice, teaching and further research.
What I did not like about this study: They include the Artistic paradigm, yet admit none of the case studies reflect this paradigm in their rationales. This highlights what I am most concerned about in this type of research—it seems to just affirm a theory that we would probably all agree on from our experience with instructional design and different types of designer. It seemed they had these alternative paradigms in mind- a useful theory in my opinion. But they want to ground this theory in experience, so they conduct the case studies hoping to find the fit. They’ve chosen a qualitative research approach, which is supposed to be inductive. How do you end up with a paradigm with no evidence that induced it?
I am interested in describing, eventually through several case studies, the instructional design process in cross-border settings and cross-sector settings. This not only provides some guidance in the way of conceptual frameworks, it also highlights the messiness of trying to fit some of these very-close-to-causal (or at least mind-reading about intent) questions into a qualitative framework.
Monday, March 30, 2009
For Students in India, the American Dream Is Losing Its Appeal
For Students in India, the American Dream Is Losing Its Appeal
Excerpted from Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog (click on above link to read full story)
In 2007-8 the number of Indian students going to American universities rose 12.8 percent, to 94,563, making India the largest source of foreign students in the United States.
But because of tightening credit markets and a global slowdown in economic growth, Indian students are also finding it harder to secure loans to study abroad, and many are less willing to take on huge amounts of debt.
Excerpted from Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog (click on above link to read full story)
In 2007-8 the number of Indian students going to American universities rose 12.8 percent, to 94,563, making India the largest source of foreign students in the United States.
But because of tightening credit markets and a global slowdown in economic growth, Indian students are also finding it harder to secure loans to study abroad, and many are less willing to take on huge amounts of debt.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ada Lovelace Day Honoree: Patricia Early
I want to honor Patricia Early, Trish, on Ada Lovelace Day because she's a tireless visionary for organic technology integration.
Trish wants to be a farmer when she grows up. But, actually, she already is. She works, almost full time in certain parts of the year, on a farm south of Atlanta with her grandfather. While she's farming, Trish is often envisioning organic ways to integrate technology into language learning.
In her role as coordinator of a language lab, she manages and implements all the typical approaches to language learning through technology... but the real impact of her approach is seen by the students voluntarily watching foreign films and hosting language clubs in the comfortable learning space she designed. This design reflects her feeling about technology integration as both an aesthetic and an adventure in identifying the right technology for the appropriate objective, but a propulsion that is always uniquely human. Her philosophy on technology (particularly in education) is that it is simply a tool and at it's best serves to support strong pedagogical planning and meaningful learning objectives. That being said, it is the Swiss Army Knife of educational tools, being both informative, analytical, creative, multimodal, motivational, and extra-textual, appealing in it's unique affordances to all learning styles and intelligences.
Learn more about Trish on her blogs & say hi:
Personal
Professional
Class
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Building a Professional Network in China
Did you know that most Chinese mobile phone users don't use voicemail?
Members of the Graduates in Instructional Technology Student Association (GrITS) at Georgia State University learned that recently while collaborating with Zoo Atlanta's Academy for Conservation Training (ACT). ACT invited GrITS members to brainstorm technology solutions to help foster the professional network for zoo educators in China and maintain momentum between training programs. Similar to not using voicemail, Chinese online communication habits also seem to favor immediacy through the use of instant messaging, the most popular program is QQ.
Learn more about Chinese Social Networking Habits:
Where's China in Social Networking?
Linked In in China?
Online Social Networks in China
More information about ACT provided by Laurel Askue:
Funded by The UPS Foundation, Zoo Atlanta’s award-winning Academy for Conservation Training (ACT) is the preeminent conservation education training for Chinese zoo educators. The goal of ACT is to work with the Chinese Association of Zoologcial Gardens (the organization that oversees accredited zoos in China) to develop and support a network of professional zoo educators who have the skills, knowledge and tools to support their conservation missions through education. Prior to the launch of ACT in 2006, no professional development training existed for Chinese zoo educators and the majority of zoos in China did not have functioning education departments or trained educators on staff. Since the launch of the program, ACT has conducted five traveling trainings (in Chengdu, Kunming, Beijing, Guanzghou and Shanghai) that graduated a total of 201 educators from the top 45 zoos in China. Evaluation findings indicate that ACT has the potential to make a significant impact towards facilitating the establishment of the zoo education profession in China. Based on this, Zoo Atlanta is currently focusing its efforts on training a core group of ACT graduates who have demonstrated passion and commitment towards furthering the zoo education profession with the long-term goal that they will take ownership of future ACT content and be prepared to lead the ongoing development of the zoo educator profession in China. The next session of ACT is scheduled for June 2009 in Harbin, China. To learn more about ACT, visit www.zooatlanta.org or email laskue@zooatlanta.org.
Members of the Graduates in Instructional Technology Student Association (GrITS) at Georgia State University learned that recently while collaborating with Zoo Atlanta's Academy for Conservation Training (ACT). ACT invited GrITS members to brainstorm technology solutions to help foster the professional network for zoo educators in China and maintain momentum between training programs. Similar to not using voicemail, Chinese online communication habits also seem to favor immediacy through the use of instant messaging, the most popular program is QQ.
Learn more about Chinese Social Networking Habits:
Where's China in Social Networking?
Linked In in China?
Online Social Networks in China
More information about ACT provided by Laurel Askue:
Funded by The UPS Foundation, Zoo Atlanta’s award-winning Academy for Conservation Training (ACT) is the preeminent conservation education training for Chinese zoo educators. The goal of ACT is to work with the Chinese Association of Zoologcial Gardens (the organization that oversees accredited zoos in China) to develop and support a network of professional zoo educators who have the skills, knowledge and tools to support their conservation missions through education. Prior to the launch of ACT in 2006, no professional development training existed for Chinese zoo educators and the majority of zoos in China did not have functioning education departments or trained educators on staff. Since the launch of the program, ACT has conducted five traveling trainings (in Chengdu, Kunming, Beijing, Guanzghou and Shanghai) that graduated a total of 201 educators from the top 45 zoos in China. Evaluation findings indicate that ACT has the potential to make a significant impact towards facilitating the establishment of the zoo education profession in China. Based on this, Zoo Atlanta is currently focusing its efforts on training a core group of ACT graduates who have demonstrated passion and commitment towards furthering the zoo education profession with the long-term goal that they will take ownership of future ACT content and be prepared to lead the ongoing development of the zoo educator profession in China. The next session of ACT is scheduled for June 2009 in Harbin, China. To learn more about ACT, visit www.zooatlanta.org or email laskue@zooatlanta.org.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Enrollment Ratio in Karnataka
The Times of India
March 2, 2009
Enrollment Ratio in Karnataka
BANGALORE: The enrolment ratio in higher education in Karnataka is 13% close to all India ratio, but the state needs to catch up with Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and Punjab, which have ratios higher than Karnataka, according toUniversity Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Sukhadeo Thorat.
At the release of `Heritage in higher education' on Wednesday, he said all India enrolment ratio in higher education is 14%. "This was based on the 2004 national sample survey. It includes degree, certificate course, diploma and PhDs," he said.
"It remains to be seen how Karnataka catches up with other states. The government and citizens should work towards improving the ratio. Also, there should be expansion of institutes and more allocation to higher education."
According to him, the government and philanthropists play a major role in expanding the scope of higher education in Karnataka.
Disparity in many levels
There is a disparity between urban and rural areas, between the genders and among people from various castes in enrolment for higher education. Thorat said enrolment in rural areas is 7% while in urban areas it is 21%. For women, the ratio is 10% while it is 14% for men. The ratio is less than 1% under the poor category.
"However, under the income slab, the ratio is 57% in the highest income group in Karnataka," he said.
Fee structure is another problem
Apart from poverty and gender issues, the other factor that affects enrolment ratio relates to fee structure. Karnataka has scope for self-financing and private institutes, but enrolment ratio may remain less due to faults in the fee structure. Many are denied access to higher education due to this. "The government is taking corrective measures on this issue," Thorat added.
Governor Rameshwar Thakur said education gives knowledge, skills and attitude to shoulder one's responsibilities in life with confidence. "Education brings you respect. It should be imparted with a view to suit the type of society that we wish to build," he explained.
"People are attracted towards technological education. But it can't go alone without support from humanities. If it did, it tends to become imperfect."
March 2, 2009
Enrollment Ratio in Karnataka
BANGALORE: The enrolment ratio in higher education in Karnataka is 13% close to all India ratio, but the state needs to catch up with Kerala,
At the release of `Heritage in higher education' on Wednesday, he said all India enrolment ratio in higher education is 14%. "This was based on the 2004 national sample survey. It includes degree, certificate course, diploma and PhDs," he said.
"It remains to be seen how Karnataka catches up with other states. The government and citizens should work towards improving the ratio. Also, there should be expansion of institutes and more allocation to higher education."
According to him, the government and philanthropists play a major role in expanding the scope of higher education in Karnataka.
Disparity in many levels
There is a disparity between urban and rural areas, between the genders and among people from various castes in enrolment for higher education. Thorat said enrolment in rural areas is 7% while in urban areas it is 21%. For women, the ratio is 10% while it is 14% for men. The ratio is less than 1% under the poor category.
"However, under the income slab, the ratio is 57% in the highest income group in Karnataka," he said.
Fee structure is another problem
Apart from poverty and gender issues, the other factor that affects enrolment ratio relates to fee structure. Karnataka has scope for self-financing and private institutes, but enrolment ratio may remain less due to faults in the fee structure. Many are denied access to higher education due to this. "The government is taking corrective measures on this issue," Thorat added.
Governor Rameshwar Thakur said education gives knowledge, skills and attitude to shoulder one's responsibilities in life with confidence. "Education brings you respect. It should be imparted with a view to suit the type of society that we wish to build," he explained.
"People are attracted towards technological education. But it can't go alone without support from humanities. If it did, it tends to become imperfect."
Friday, February 27, 2009
India's Higher Education Sector
Sanjeev Bikchandani, Jayant Sinha: Freeing higher education
A series of measures is urgently called for to stave off the crisis in higher education.
Business Standard Feb 26 2009
India’s higher education sector is failing. Barely 7 per cent of Indians get to college; 99 per cent of these lucky few receive indifferent teaching in decrepit classrooms; they lack libraries, labs and computers; 80 per cent are unemployable; the moneyed elite flee abroad; meanwhile, we console ourselves with the careers of the 1 per cent that go to the IITs, IIMs and a few other premiere institutions. National commissions to fix higher education have come and gone. However, entrenched interests have blocked all reforms. Radical structural reforms are urgently required that will simultaneously attack regulation, funding, capacity, faculty and admissions/access. These reforms can create an open higher education system supervised by independent regulators and funded through government scholarships. Such a system is our best hope for responding to the massive need for higher education.
India has about 160 million people of college-going age. Some 11 million or 7 per cent are studying in degree-granting institutions. There are about 16,000 such institutions, of which 15,000 are private. About 90 per cent of students getting professional degrees in engineering and management are educated in more than 10,000 private institutions. Private medical colleges train roughly 40 per cent of all doctors. There are about 170,000 Indian students spending nearly $3.5 billion per year abroad. By some estimates, the total annual higher education spending is over $10 billion or a little less than 1 per cent of GDP. Government funding varies enormously. At one end are the pampered IITs with approximately Rs 1 to 2 lakh spent annually per student. At the other end are dilapidated colleges deep in India’s interior, where spending barely reaches Rs 2,000.
Private higher education is trapped in a vicious cycle of too many desperate students, poor regulation, inadequate capacity, mediocre faculty and inappropriate curricula. The government controls salaries, fees, courses, capacity, land allotments and facilities. Politicians and others with access procure cheap land from the government. They have no experience in education, but are able to run a high-return, low-risk annuity business and are able to dispense patronage. For instance, there is a well-known politician who currently runs 70 schools and 12 colleges through his trust.
Transforming this vast, sprawling system requires radical action in five key areas.
First, today’s licence raj operated by the human resource development ministry has to be transformed. The UGC, AICTE and other regulators must be freed from government control and should become truly independent. Degree-granting institutions will have to be certified by a renamed UGC, which can revoke that status if basic standards are not met. Accreditation agencies (such as the AICTE and Medical Council of India) should also be run by autonomous boards that establish world-class educational standards, degree requirements, curriculum, necessary facilities, faculty qualifications, admission standards and research protocols. The Boards should also require a CA-type national certification process for all the other professional disciplines such as law, medicine, architecture, dentistry, engineering etc. Board members for all regulatory agencies should be selected by duly appointed Nominating Committees of their Boards, not by the government.
The second major area to be addressed is government funding. The central government must fund all students admitted to an accredited institution. Market rates show that students spend about Rs 1 lakh in fees, boarding and educational materials per year at private institutions. Government could fund 50 per cent or Rs 50,000 per year as student scholarships. BPL students would receive 100 per cent funding. A national identity system with a payment processing platform would enable funds to be deposited directly in student accounts. State governments could add to these funds or provide additional funds to institutions in their state. Institutions will have to compete for students. Standards and facilities would start to rise immediately, faculty salaries will go up and entire industries will spring up to provide various educational services. If government funds Rs 50,000 per student for 12 million students, it would cost Rs 60,000 crore or about 1.1 per cent of GDP — about double today’s spending.
Dramatic capacity increases will happen quickly if the system is fully opened. For-profit institutions should be immediately allowed if they meet accreditation standards. Foreign ownership, joint ventures and alliances should be freely permitted as well. Student scholarships could be used across public or private institutions and will spark a massive build-out. The IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and most other top universities already have governing boards. They should become independent, autonomous institutions free of any government interference. The top institutions could create their own endowments, set their fee schedules, provide additional student funding and monetise their massive landholdings. Easy entry and autonomy should also spur wealthy Indian business families to endow universities as their counterparts have done around the world.
Faculty development will thrive in an open higher education system supported by scholarship-based funding. First, the top institutions will become major research hubs and train the faculty that will be required across the system. In the US, the top 10-15 universities such as those in the Ivy League, MIT, Stanford and Chicago play a similar role. Top faculty will cluster at these elite universities and create enormous positive spillovers in their regions. Second, with faculty salaries freed from government control, sufficient numbers of talented individuals will be attracted to the teaching profession. Third, faculty development and standards will be supervised by the accreditation agencies. Fourth, the central government must provide adequate funds and autonomy to the Science and Engineering Research Board so that it can truly promote high-quality research. Finally, each university can also encourage research and publications through its tenure-granting process.
With sufficient capacity available across the system, the vexing issue of admissions/access can finally be resolved. Admission should be transparent, points-based and under regulatory supervision. Affirmative action can be instituted for selected sections of society by setting suitably lower standards for admission. Sufficient capacity should be set aside for affirmative action; exact levels of affirmative action could be decided through the political process in each state, with the central government mandating some minimum standards for all institutions that benefit from scholarship-based funding. In principle, institutions that do not receive any government funding could relinquish affirmative action entirely — but that is probably not advisable.
Do these interconnected reforms imply rabid privatisation and state abandonment of higher education? Frankly, that has already happened. Instead, these reforms will result in fair-minded regulation, higher standards, talented and sufficient faculty, and transparent access to the system for all motivated young people. Democracies rarely address problems unless a full-blown crisis erupts; higher education is now in such a crisis and a young India urgently awaits. We cannot fail them.
Sanjeev Bikchandani is CEO and Founder of Info Edge, which operates Naukri.com and other websites; Jayant Sinha is Managing Director of Courage Capital Management, a global investment firm. These are their personal views.
A series of measures is urgently called for to stave off the crisis in higher education.
Business Standard Feb 26 2009
India’s higher education sector is failing. Barely 7 per cent of Indians get to college; 99 per cent of these lucky few receive indifferent teaching in decrepit classrooms; they lack libraries, labs and computers; 80 per cent are unemployable; the moneyed elite flee abroad; meanwhile, we console ourselves with the careers of the 1 per cent that go to the IITs, IIMs and a few other premiere institutions. National commissions to fix higher education have come and gone. However, entrenched interests have blocked all reforms. Radical structural reforms are urgently required that will simultaneously attack regulation, funding, capacity, faculty and admissions/access. These reforms can create an open higher education system supervised by independent regulators and funded through government scholarships. Such a system is our best hope for responding to the massive need for higher education.
India has about 160 million people of college-going age. Some 11 million or 7 per cent are studying in degree-granting institutions. There are about 16,000 such institutions, of which 15,000 are private. About 90 per cent of students getting professional degrees in engineering and management are educated in more than 10,000 private institutions. Private medical colleges train roughly 40 per cent of all doctors. There are about 170,000 Indian students spending nearly $3.5 billion per year abroad. By some estimates, the total annual higher education spending is over $10 billion or a little less than 1 per cent of GDP. Government funding varies enormously. At one end are the pampered IITs with approximately Rs 1 to 2 lakh spent annually per student. At the other end are dilapidated colleges deep in India’s interior, where spending barely reaches Rs 2,000.
Private higher education is trapped in a vicious cycle of too many desperate students, poor regulation, inadequate capacity, mediocre faculty and inappropriate curricula. The government controls salaries, fees, courses, capacity, land allotments and facilities. Politicians and others with access procure cheap land from the government. They have no experience in education, but are able to run a high-return, low-risk annuity business and are able to dispense patronage. For instance, there is a well-known politician who currently runs 70 schools and 12 colleges through his trust.
Transforming this vast, sprawling system requires radical action in five key areas.
First, today’s licence raj operated by the human resource development ministry has to be transformed. The UGC, AICTE and other regulators must be freed from government control and should become truly independent. Degree-granting institutions will have to be certified by a renamed UGC, which can revoke that status if basic standards are not met. Accreditation agencies (such as the AICTE and Medical Council of India) should also be run by autonomous boards that establish world-class educational standards, degree requirements, curriculum, necessary facilities, faculty qualifications, admission standards and research protocols. The Boards should also require a CA-type national certification process for all the other professional disciplines such as law, medicine, architecture, dentistry, engineering etc. Board members for all regulatory agencies should be selected by duly appointed Nominating Committees of their Boards, not by the government.
The second major area to be addressed is government funding. The central government must fund all students admitted to an accredited institution. Market rates show that students spend about Rs 1 lakh in fees, boarding and educational materials per year at private institutions. Government could fund 50 per cent or Rs 50,000 per year as student scholarships. BPL students would receive 100 per cent funding. A national identity system with a payment processing platform would enable funds to be deposited directly in student accounts. State governments could add to these funds or provide additional funds to institutions in their state. Institutions will have to compete for students. Standards and facilities would start to rise immediately, faculty salaries will go up and entire industries will spring up to provide various educational services. If government funds Rs 50,000 per student for 12 million students, it would cost Rs 60,000 crore or about 1.1 per cent of GDP — about double today’s spending.
Dramatic capacity increases will happen quickly if the system is fully opened. For-profit institutions should be immediately allowed if they meet accreditation standards. Foreign ownership, joint ventures and alliances should be freely permitted as well. Student scholarships could be used across public or private institutions and will spark a massive build-out. The IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and most other top universities already have governing boards. They should become independent, autonomous institutions free of any government interference. The top institutions could create their own endowments, set their fee schedules, provide additional student funding and monetise their massive landholdings. Easy entry and autonomy should also spur wealthy Indian business families to endow universities as their counterparts have done around the world.
Faculty development will thrive in an open higher education system supported by scholarship-based funding. First, the top institutions will become major research hubs and train the faculty that will be required across the system. In the US, the top 10-15 universities such as those in the Ivy League, MIT, Stanford and Chicago play a similar role. Top faculty will cluster at these elite universities and create enormous positive spillovers in their regions. Second, with faculty salaries freed from government control, sufficient numbers of talented individuals will be attracted to the teaching profession. Third, faculty development and standards will be supervised by the accreditation agencies. Fourth, the central government must provide adequate funds and autonomy to the Science and Engineering Research Board so that it can truly promote high-quality research. Finally, each university can also encourage research and publications through its tenure-granting process.
With sufficient capacity available across the system, the vexing issue of admissions/access can finally be resolved. Admission should be transparent, points-based and under regulatory supervision. Affirmative action can be instituted for selected sections of society by setting suitably lower standards for admission. Sufficient capacity should be set aside for affirmative action; exact levels of affirmative action could be decided through the political process in each state, with the central government mandating some minimum standards for all institutions that benefit from scholarship-based funding. In principle, institutions that do not receive any government funding could relinquish affirmative action entirely — but that is probably not advisable.
Do these interconnected reforms imply rabid privatisation and state abandonment of higher education? Frankly, that has already happened. Instead, these reforms will result in fair-minded regulation, higher standards, talented and sufficient faculty, and transparent access to the system for all motivated young people. Democracies rarely address problems unless a full-blown crisis erupts; higher education is now in such a crisis and a young India urgently awaits. We cannot fail them.
Sanjeev Bikchandani is CEO and Founder of Info Edge, which operates Naukri.com and other websites; Jayant Sinha is Managing Director of Courage Capital Management, a global investment firm. These are their personal views.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Kolkata and Scotland to work together in education sector
UK minister for Scottish affairs, Ann McKechin has arrived in Kolkata with a 14-member delegation from eight Scottish colleges to
Speaking at a workshop on education links organised by Scotland's Colleges International (SCI) in the city on Friday, Ms McKechin said Scottish colleges were ideally placed to train Indian students in a wide variety of subjects as well as form partnerships with educational institutions in Bengal to help deliver training, skills and tailormade training courses for this region.
According to 2007 figures, India is Scotland's biggest international market for college students with more than 1,400 Indians studying in Scottish colleges and another 3,000 in Scottish universities. The minister said the curriculum at Scottish colleges was wide ranging, from engineering and construction to fashion and creative industries and even greens-keeping expertise.
British deputy high commissioner Simon Wilson also spoke about Indo-UK education ties, including fostering research and supporting skill development. He said the UK-India education and research initiative (UKIERI) where both countries have pledged 23 million pounds each to improve educational links, is progressing well with 475 new Indo-UK higher education and school links having been created over the past two years.
"The flexible and competence-based approach to vocational education makes our colleges very attractive to students from India and elsewhere," said Ms McKechin. "The West Bengal government has identified biotechnology and information technology as potential growth industries to capitalise on the state's pool of skilled people. Scotland has strengths in both sectors," she added.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
A Model Learning Village
Bharathiyar Community CenterA Model Learning Village For Water Harvesting and Sustainable Development
Every 15 seconds a child dies as a result of water deficiency, be it unsafe drinking water, water borne disease, lack of hygiene and/or sanitation (World Health Organization).
A community center is being built as a model to demonstrate how water harvesting can provide potable water and be used for farming in a very dry climate. This community center concept will benefit the people of 51 villages (322,680 people) in the Vilathikulam region (in Southern Tamil Nadu) and will be used as a model that can be replicated in other parts of India through the use of water harvesting, agricultural training, and assembly of solar panels to improve living conditions.
Click here for a gallery of project pictures http://sites.google.com/site/bccsupportdocument/
Just 9 days of rain in a year
The Vilathikulam region is located in the northern half of Tuticorin district. This being in a rain-shadow region, receives just 9 days of rain in a year. Therefore, the region is very dry and unable to grow traditional food crops. The region is also infested with thorny bushes called "prosopis juliflora" (known as "veli kaathan" in Tamil). The only crops that are grown are peanut and chilli.
Rural transformation in India rests in the hands of women. You may have heard that if you give money to the woman of the house, she takes care of the family. If you give the same money to the man of the house (in rural India), the woman and children will see little of it. The idea is to encourage and promote empowerment of women by providing them basic necessities, resources and income generating skills that will go to improve the quality of their life.
The community center will provide needed services and offer training to residents of all the 51 villages in the area. To this end the Center has leased 13 acres of property, including 4 acres of cultivable land which is being transformed into a model farm with multiple cropping.
The Bharathiyar Community Center Trust was created in 2007 to construct, operate and maintain the Center. The Trustees represent both local knowledge as well as other backgrounds.
The location of the BCC is at the intersection of two roads with public transport buses plying every 30 minutes. This helps people living in villages within a 10-15 km radius to reach the Community Center. The Center has plans to reimburse a two way bus fare to all visitors from the surrounding villages. There are firm plans to construct overnight lodging and kitchen facilities for the visiting farmers. All this will be provided free with the farmers paying in kind by working on the model farm. The output of the model farm will generate revenues for the BCC. In due course, the BCC plans to equip a bus with some of the BCC concepts to go beyond the 51 villages and cover in all some 250+ surrounding villages (covering practically the whole of the northern part of Tuticorin district) to spread the message of improved farming practices.
Two committed persons are actively involved in this project. One is Ram Krishnan, an IIT Madras alumni and resident of Minnesota for 40 years. He has been working in the Vilathikulam area since 2004 on water and livelihood projects in the arid area. He spends three to four months in a year in Vilathikulam - usually in April, August and December. While in the US, he is in constant touch with people in the area and the members of the BCC Committee via, email and telephone.
The second person is a native of Vilathikulam -- Dr. K Jothimony. He has a doctorate in chemistry from IIT, Madras and served in the state owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation for 18 years. He has also worked as a Fluids consultant in different multi-national corporations.. He continues to be associated with an American company. He is actively involved in community development activities in the Vilathikulam area having formed an NGO in 1997 in the field of rural education, health, women & child development and other livelihood activities.
The goal of the project is to provide educational and training support to the villagers in the areas of healthcare, renewable energy (solar and biomass), raising agricultural productivity, and improving water management.
Why Help Bharathiyar Community Center (BCC)?
The BCC serves an area of India that suffers from water scarcity, unemployment, low knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices, inadequate awareness of water management practices, poverty, and lack of education. The BCC will teach villagers water management practices such as the use of holding ponds, provision of potable water, sustainable agricultural practices, and health services. There is a program for the young to improve pre-school, middle school and high school education plus vocational training in skills development.
Briefly, BCC has the following objectives:
1. Serve as a model village.
2. Be self sufficient in water, food and energy.
3. Be a training ground for the villagers, for livelihood and other matters
Segments of the BCC, water ponds, agricultural test plots, food storage concepts are a proven model which when followed by the villagers will greatly improve their living standards. To ensure that each farmer acquires the skills and is able to introduce the new improved practices with confidence in his or her plot of land, the training focuses on giving the farmer actual hands-on experience working in the model farm.
How will this project help other parts of India?
India today has around 660 districts. Of this some 200 districts are the most backward with harsh living conditions. They have no access to good drinking water, do not make enough even for one square meal a day. Men in their prime working age leave their families behind, and move to larger towns and cities, in search of livelihood. This migratory pattern is leaving behind young children, old men, women of all age groups. If community centers of the BCC type are set up all across these 200 districts, they can provide essential services, vocational training and begin to perhaps reverse the process of migration.
Website and YouTube video offer more information
Weekly progress is monitored and reported on this site.
http://sites.google.com/site/bccworksite/site-visits-and-project-status
The YouTube video explains how they got started in Vilathikulam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0nGHmD8yw0
Monitoring and Evaluation
A BCC committee has been formed with local people’s representatives plus experts actively involved in the development of the area. This committee plans, implements, monitors and controls the BCC’s activities. The BCC has a field staff to mobilize the rural masses for various community activities. The field staff is being expanded. The BCC committee meets every Saturday to review its activities and prepare records and documentation. Periodic monitoring and evaluation is being carried out by both Mr. Ram Krishnan and Dr. K. Jothimony.
Seeking your participation and support
In this phase of the fund raising, they hope to raise $ 100,000.
Here are a few ways your donation can make a difference:
· $8,000 will build a potable drinking water system.
· $54,000 will build the community center building that will house classrooms.
· $16,000 will provide the seed money for building solar panels that can be used for light so that children can study at night.
· $22,000 will build the health services program, education program, and testing labs.
Are your donations tax deductible?
Yes.
They will send a receipt to your address as soon as they receive the funds. For contributors from within India they will send a copy of their 80G certificate for claiming tax deductions. Contributors from the US sending contributions through Akash Ganga would be eligible for US tax deductions
What documentation is provided for this exemption?
In the US, for a 501-c-3 unit, the documentation is a Letter from IRS stating that the receiving unit has been declared as a 501-c-3 Charitable Organization.
http://sites.google.com/site/bccworksite/akash-ganga-rwh
How and where to send your tax-deductible contribution
Make your check payable to “Akash Ganga RWH” On the outside cover, left bottom, please write “Akash Ganga RWH” Mail to 1653, 20th Avenue NW, St.Paul MN 55112
Contact : ram.krishnan@yahoo.com
Summation
Imagine, every day, having to figure out how to pay Rs. 2.50 per pot each time you needed drinking water. Alternatively, if that’s not affordable, you must walk almost 2km a day to the nearby town to collect the water needed for your family. Sometimes you have to balance the water on your head while carrying your child under a blazing sun. Bringing drinking water helps the woman to attend to the family, children’s education, learning livelihood skills and enrich her family thereby enriching the community.
Every 15 seconds a child dies as a result of water deficiency, be it unsafe drinking water, water borne disease, lack of hygiene and/or sanitation (World Health Organization).
A community center is being built as a model to demonstrate how water harvesting can provide potable water and be used for farming in a very dry climate. This community center concept will benefit the people of 51 villages (322,680 people) in the Vilathikulam region (in Southern Tamil Nadu) and will be used as a model that can be replicated in other parts of India through the use of water harvesting, agricultural training, and assembly of solar panels to improve living conditions.
Click here for a gallery of project pictures http://sites.google.com/site/bccsupportdocument/
Just 9 days of rain in a year
The Vilathikulam region is located in the northern half of Tuticorin district. This being in a rain-shadow region, receives just 9 days of rain in a year. Therefore, the region is very dry and unable to grow traditional food crops. The region is also infested with thorny bushes called "prosopis juliflora" (known as "veli kaathan" in Tamil). The only crops that are grown are peanut and chilli.
Rural transformation in India rests in the hands of women. You may have heard that if you give money to the woman of the house, she takes care of the family. If you give the same money to the man of the house (in rural India), the woman and children will see little of it. The idea is to encourage and promote empowerment of women by providing them basic necessities, resources and income generating skills that will go to improve the quality of their life.
The community center will provide needed services and offer training to residents of all the 51 villages in the area. To this end the Center has leased 13 acres of property, including 4 acres of cultivable land which is being transformed into a model farm with multiple cropping.
The Bharathiyar Community Center Trust was created in 2007 to construct, operate and maintain the Center. The Trustees represent both local knowledge as well as other backgrounds.
The location of the BCC is at the intersection of two roads with public transport buses plying every 30 minutes. This helps people living in villages within a 10-15 km radius to reach the Community Center. The Center has plans to reimburse a two way bus fare to all visitors from the surrounding villages. There are firm plans to construct overnight lodging and kitchen facilities for the visiting farmers. All this will be provided free with the farmers paying in kind by working on the model farm. The output of the model farm will generate revenues for the BCC. In due course, the BCC plans to equip a bus with some of the BCC concepts to go beyond the 51 villages and cover in all some 250+ surrounding villages (covering practically the whole of the northern part of Tuticorin district) to spread the message of improved farming practices.
Two committed persons are actively involved in this project. One is Ram Krishnan, an IIT Madras alumni and resident of Minnesota for 40 years. He has been working in the Vilathikulam area since 2004 on water and livelihood projects in the arid area. He spends three to four months in a year in Vilathikulam - usually in April, August and December. While in the US, he is in constant touch with people in the area and the members of the BCC Committee via, email and telephone.
The second person is a native of Vilathikulam -- Dr. K Jothimony. He has a doctorate in chemistry from IIT, Madras and served in the state owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation for 18 years. He has also worked as a Fluids consultant in different multi-national corporations.. He continues to be associated with an American company. He is actively involved in community development activities in the Vilathikulam area having formed an NGO in 1997 in the field of rural education, health, women & child development and other livelihood activities.
The goal of the project is to provide educational and training support to the villagers in the areas of healthcare, renewable energy (solar and biomass), raising agricultural productivity, and improving water management.
Why Help Bharathiyar Community Center (BCC)?
The BCC serves an area of India that suffers from water scarcity, unemployment, low knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices, inadequate awareness of water management practices, poverty, and lack of education. The BCC will teach villagers water management practices such as the use of holding ponds, provision of potable water, sustainable agricultural practices, and health services. There is a program for the young to improve pre-school, middle school and high school education plus vocational training in skills development.
Briefly, BCC has the following objectives:
1. Serve as a model village.
2. Be self sufficient in water, food and energy.
3. Be a training ground for the villagers, for livelihood and other matters
Segments of the BCC, water ponds, agricultural test plots, food storage concepts are a proven model which when followed by the villagers will greatly improve their living standards. To ensure that each farmer acquires the skills and is able to introduce the new improved practices with confidence in his or her plot of land, the training focuses on giving the farmer actual hands-on experience working in the model farm.
How will this project help other parts of India?
India today has around 660 districts. Of this some 200 districts are the most backward with harsh living conditions. They have no access to good drinking water, do not make enough even for one square meal a day. Men in their prime working age leave their families behind, and move to larger towns and cities, in search of livelihood. This migratory pattern is leaving behind young children, old men, women of all age groups. If community centers of the BCC type are set up all across these 200 districts, they can provide essential services, vocational training and begin to perhaps reverse the process of migration.
Website and YouTube video offer more information
Weekly progress is monitored and reported on this site.
http://sites.google.com/site/bccworksite/site-visits-and-project-status
The YouTube video explains how they got started in Vilathikulam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0nGHmD8yw0
Monitoring and Evaluation
A BCC committee has been formed with local people’s representatives plus experts actively involved in the development of the area. This committee plans, implements, monitors and controls the BCC’s activities. The BCC has a field staff to mobilize the rural masses for various community activities. The field staff is being expanded. The BCC committee meets every Saturday to review its activities and prepare records and documentation. Periodic monitoring and evaluation is being carried out by both Mr. Ram Krishnan and Dr. K. Jothimony.
Seeking your participation and support
In this phase of the fund raising, they hope to raise $ 100,000.
Here are a few ways your donation can make a difference:
· $8,000 will build a potable drinking water system.
· $54,000 will build the community center building that will house classrooms.
· $16,000 will provide the seed money for building solar panels that can be used for light so that children can study at night.
· $22,000 will build the health services program, education program, and testing labs.
Are your donations tax deductible?
Yes.
They will send a receipt to your address as soon as they receive the funds. For contributors from within India they will send a copy of their 80G certificate for claiming tax deductions. Contributors from the US sending contributions through Akash Ganga would be eligible for US tax deductions
What documentation is provided for this exemption?
In the US, for a 501-c-3 unit, the documentation is a Letter from IRS stating that the receiving unit has been declared as a 501-c-3 Charitable Organization.
http://sites.google.com/site/bccworksite/akash-ganga-rwh
How and where to send your tax-deductible contribution
Make your check payable to “Akash Ganga RWH” On the outside cover, left bottom, please write “Akash Ganga RWH” Mail to 1653, 20th Avenue NW, St.Paul MN 55112
Contact : ram.krishnan@yahoo.com
Summation
Imagine, every day, having to figure out how to pay Rs. 2.50 per pot each time you needed drinking water. Alternatively, if that’s not affordable, you must walk almost 2km a day to the nearby town to collect the water needed for your family. Sometimes you have to balance the water on your head while carrying your child under a blazing sun. Bringing drinking water helps the woman to attend to the family, children’s education, learning livelihood skills and enrich her family thereby enriching the community.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Cultivating the innovators in your midst
Morning Manager
Harvey Schacter
Cultivating the innovators in your midst
In Harvard Business Review, consultants Jeffrey Cohn, John Katzenbach and Gus Vlak set out a six-stage process for finding breakthrough innovators and grooming them within an organization.
Scour ranks for raw talent
In most large organizations, the future innovators are hidden from senior management and deeply embedded in line jobs. You need to seek them out and at least temporarily disengage them from their duties. The best innovators have strong cognitive abilities; they zero in on important points and don't waste time on peripheral issues. They never rest on their laurels, and are always looking for ways to improve themselves and the processes around them. They have an independent mind, but also work well with others.
Have the right folks
Once you have spotted the candidates, you need to determine which ones actually have the innovator's spark and flair. Many of the companies the consultants explored - including Thomson Reuters PLC , Pitney Bowes Inc. and Visa Inc. - put them through one-on-one interviews, often conducted by outside assessment and leadership development experts. They are presented with a series of complex real-world scenarios from which some key information is omitted to gauge how they can weed through ambiguity - and then, as additional information is added, they are assessed for how they evaluate the potential impact.
"Can she turn that critical eye inward and change positions when warranted by the evidence, or does she cling tightly to past beliefs and mental models? True innovators never let pride or former success get in the way of a better solution," the consultants note. Also important: Can the candidate clearly and convincingly defend a decision and sell a point of view?
Work with live ammo
Give innovators real projects to work on to prove they can recognize promising ideas and lead cross-functional teams of experts to develop those ideas. During this effort, assure them access to top management so their abilities and progress can be watched. One global industrial products company in Britain also insists rising innovators spend a stint in the sales department. It's viewed as a good way to help the innovators understand what makes customers tick and sharpen the sales skills they will need to spearhead large-scale innovation down the road.
Provide multiple mentors
Pair innovators with carefully selected mentors who can groom them and offer advice on how to deal with people and situations the innovators will encounter turning their ideas into reality. In traditional mentoring situations, the mentor and acolyte stay together for a long time, but successful organizations are encouraging rising innovators to seek out different mentors over time. This gives them access to more ideas, and more flexibility to find the advice to fit a particular situation.
Foster peer networks
As well as providing mentors, give the innovators a chance to meet and talk with each other about their experiences. The opportunity to discuss with peers how they handle issues and the stress of innovation will be fruitful.
Replant them in the middle
After the innovators have been identified and developed - with mentors and peer networks in place - replant them in the middle of the organizational chart with ambiguous job responsibilities so that they will be free to act as innovation hubs, running with ideas and developing them through contacts they have developed. Formulate career paths for them that are suited to their abilities.
Harvey Schacter
Cultivating the innovators in your midst
In Harvard Business Review, consultants Jeffrey Cohn, John Katzenbach and Gus Vlak set out a six-stage process for finding breakthrough innovators and grooming them within an organization.
Scour ranks for raw talent
In most large organizations, the future innovators are hidden from senior management and deeply embedded in line jobs. You need to seek them out and at least temporarily disengage them from their duties. The best innovators have strong cognitive abilities; they zero in on important points and don't waste time on peripheral issues. They never rest on their laurels, and are always looking for ways to improve themselves and the processes around them. They have an independent mind, but also work well with others.
Have the right folks
Once you have spotted the candidates, you need to determine which ones actually have the innovator's spark and flair. Many of the companies the consultants explored - including Thomson Reuters PLC , Pitney Bowes Inc. and Visa Inc. - put them through one-on-one interviews, often conducted by outside assessment and leadership development experts. They are presented with a series of complex real-world scenarios from which some key information is omitted to gauge how they can weed through ambiguity - and then, as additional information is added, they are assessed for how they evaluate the potential impact.
"Can she turn that critical eye inward and change positions when warranted by the evidence, or does she cling tightly to past beliefs and mental models? True innovators never let pride or former success get in the way of a better solution," the consultants note. Also important: Can the candidate clearly and convincingly defend a decision and sell a point of view?
Work with live ammo
Give innovators real projects to work on to prove they can recognize promising ideas and lead cross-functional teams of experts to develop those ideas. During this effort, assure them access to top management so their abilities and progress can be watched. One global industrial products company in Britain also insists rising innovators spend a stint in the sales department. It's viewed as a good way to help the innovators understand what makes customers tick and sharpen the sales skills they will need to spearhead large-scale innovation down the road.
Provide multiple mentors
Pair innovators with carefully selected mentors who can groom them and offer advice on how to deal with people and situations the innovators will encounter turning their ideas into reality. In traditional mentoring situations, the mentor and acolyte stay together for a long time, but successful organizations are encouraging rising innovators to seek out different mentors over time. This gives them access to more ideas, and more flexibility to find the advice to fit a particular situation.
Foster peer networks
As well as providing mentors, give the innovators a chance to meet and talk with each other about their experiences. The opportunity to discuss with peers how they handle issues and the stress of innovation will be fruitful.
Replant them in the middle
After the innovators have been identified and developed - with mentors and peer networks in place - replant them in the middle of the organizational chart with ambiguous job responsibilities so that they will be free to act as innovation hubs, running with ideas and developing them through contacts they have developed. Formulate career paths for them that are suited to their abilities.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dr. Sheth & Ratan Tata
This is a camera phone snapshot of a billboard in Mumbai of a CNBC special event for the founder of the ICA Institute, Dr. Jagdish Sheth, and chairman of India's largest conglomerate, the Tata Group, Ratan Tata. 
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Thiagi on Increasing Interactivity in Webcasts
I just attended ISPI's Skillcast on Increasing Interactivity in Webcasts with Thiagi, mine and many others favorite educative mentor.
He went over his basics- let the inmates run the asylum, look for ways to collaborate instead of compete and avoid jumping to conclusions. And always contradict yourself, but don't ever disagree.
Some tips from the webinar:
Drawing on his improv philosophy of training, here are his points on the "Yes!" attitude:
He next asked participants to answer a question, then predict the most popular answers. What was the question?
Why do most webinars suck?
.... somewhere around this point I got called away from my desk and grabbed an apple...
Came back to discussion about giving a lesson on stereotyping through the diversion tactics of magic.
He ended with a very interesting exercise where he was showing 3 numbers on the screen then asked participants to submit a set of numbers that would be like this 3. He was using a term to say what it was, but who can understand him? "Jovel" juvel" something like that.
Examples he displayed:
5-10-11
20-40-41
So, he says- everyone submit a jovel or juvel. He probably explained more at the beginning but I had gotten distracted by texting on my I-phone.
I just submitted my husband's favorite number, my favorite number and the first one that came to mind. 11-37-42
The host read off several submissions... 1-2-3, 2-4-5, 3-6-7
Then he said, and someone submitted this one which is wrong... 11-37-42
And Thiagi said, Wait, it is right it is a "jo*uhl" Everyone thinks they have detected a pattern when they see the examples I presented n-n*2-n*2+1. So they submit what they think is a right answer.
But actually, he says, if you want to really test a theory, then you should submit something different. Because actually, a "jo*uhl" is just any 3 integers listed in ascending order.
Wish I could say I was "pushing the limits" with my submission, but I was just not paying very good attention. I would certainly have patted myself on the back for recognizing the pattern and submitted one to match had I been listening.
Take away... good results can come from barely listening to Thiagi.
He went over his basics- let the inmates run the asylum, look for ways to collaborate instead of compete and avoid jumping to conclusions. And always contradict yourself, but don't ever disagree.
Some tips from the webinar:
Drawing on his improv philosophy of training, here are his points on the "Yes!" attitude:
- Trust participants
- Accept everything
- Keep eyes on the prize
- Treat useful and useless inputs the same way
- Incorporate all relevant inputs
- Modify irrelevant inputs & incorporate them
He next asked participants to answer a question, then predict the most popular answers. What was the question?
Why do most webinars suck?
.... somewhere around this point I got called away from my desk and grabbed an apple...
Came back to discussion about giving a lesson on stereotyping through the diversion tactics of magic.
He ended with a very interesting exercise where he was showing 3 numbers on the screen then asked participants to submit a set of numbers that would be like this 3. He was using a term to say what it was, but who can understand him? "Jovel" juvel" something like that.
Examples he displayed:
5-10-11
20-40-41
So, he says- everyone submit a jovel or juvel. He probably explained more at the beginning but I had gotten distracted by texting on my I-phone.
I just submitted my husband's favorite number, my favorite number and the first one that came to mind. 11-37-42
The host read off several submissions... 1-2-3, 2-4-5, 3-6-7
Then he said, and someone submitted this one which is wrong... 11-37-42
And Thiagi said, Wait, it is right it is a "jo*uhl" Everyone thinks they have detected a pattern when they see the examples I presented n-n*2-n*2+1. So they submit what they think is a right answer.
But actually, he says, if you want to really test a theory, then you should submit something different. Because actually, a "jo*uhl" is just any 3 integers listed in ascending order.
Wish I could say I was "pushing the limits" with my submission, but I was just not paying very good attention. I would certainly have patted myself on the back for recognizing the pattern and submitted one to match had I been listening.
Take away... good results can come from barely listening to Thiagi.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Useful Webinar on R&D Talent in India
On Tuesday, November 18, 2008 I attended a webinar put on by a colleague who has presented for us at the ICA Institute, Gunjan Bagla, managing director of Amritt Ventures, Inc. . This webinar was presented by The Caltech Industrial Relations Center as part of their Critical Business Discussion Series.
He presented on leveraging India's talent for R&D: - R&D opportunities and business models in India - Challenges to making Indian R&D opportunities a reality - How to leverage investment with a distributed development model - and What impact open innovation will have on future development in India.
2 quick comments:
1) I always gather useful information and insight from Bagla's presentations and appreciate his reflective approach to topics. This is a topic of particular interest for my research, and I am glad to have access to Bagla as a resource.
2) I attended this webinar because of my interest in the topic, but I was also glad to be an audience member instead of the host. It reminded me how easy it is to get distracted at your desk while the webinar is going on, and I noted that Bagla's use of polls worked very well to get my attention back. I have been encouraging presenters to use the poll feature in our Around the World in Asian Days series, but now I will emphasize it even more.
He presented on leveraging India's talent for R&D: - R&D opportunities and business models in India - Challenges to making Indian R&D opportunities a reality - How to leverage investment with a distributed development model - and What impact open innovation will have on future development in India.
2 quick comments:
1) I always gather useful information and insight from Bagla's presentations and appreciate his reflective approach to topics. This is a topic of particular interest for my research, and I am glad to have access to Bagla as a resource.
2) I attended this webinar because of my interest in the topic, but I was also glad to be an audience member instead of the host. It reminded me how easy it is to get distracted at your desk while the webinar is going on, and I noted that Bagla's use of polls worked very well to get my attention back. I have been encouraging presenters to use the poll feature in our Around the World in Asian Days series, but now I will emphasize it even more.
What's Driving India's Rise as an R&D Hub?
What's Driving India's Rise as an R&D Hub?
India has long enjoyed a reputation as a destination for IT and business process outsourcing. Now, the country is fast emerging as a major center for cutting-edge research and development (R&D) projects for global multinationals such as Microsoft and Motorola as well as Indian firms. More and more companies in industries ranging from IT and telecommunications through pharmaceuticals and biotech are setting up ambitious R&D projects, in part to serve the Indian market, but also with an eye to delivering new generations of products faster to the global market.
What forces are shaping these trends? What does the future hold? To answer these questions and more, Knowledge@Wharton collaborated with The Economic Times Intelligence Group in Mumbai, India, on this special report on R&D in India. The articles below explore the factors driving global R&D toward India, the opportunities and challenges of contract research, and the human capital challenge that India faces, among several others.
India has long enjoyed a reputation as a destination for IT and business process outsourcing. Now, the country is fast emerging as a major center for cutting-edge research and development (R&D) projects for global multinationals such as Microsoft and Motorola as well as Indian firms. More and more companies in industries ranging from IT and telecommunications through pharmaceuticals and biotech are setting up ambitious R&D projects, in part to serve the Indian market, but also with an eye to delivering new generations of products faster to the global market.
What forces are shaping these trends? What does the future hold? To answer these questions and more, Knowledge@Wharton collaborated with The Economic Times Intelligence Group in Mumbai, India, on this special report on R&D in India. The articles below explore the factors driving global R&D toward India, the opportunities and challenges of contract research, and the human capital challenge that India faces, among several others.
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