The Samikhsya Bureau
BHUBANESWAR: Continuing with its series of initiative to involve the Odia diaspora in development of Odisha, the Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA) has joined hands with the State Higher Education Department to enhance the quality of college education.
“The Department of Higher Education of Government of Odisha has invited OSA for a discussion”, informed OSA president Kuku Das.
The Global Higher Education Community (GHEC), facilitated by the Department and OSA, had a productive meeting recently with Higher Education Minister, Secretary of the Department and Vice Chancellors of various Universities of Odisha among others, she shared.
The deliberation was on enhancing the quality of higher education of the government-run Universities in Odisha.
The international community is ready to offer webinars including topics on institutional development depending on the need of various departments and universities, the representatives of the GHEC assured.
The universities will facilitate the international student and faculty exchange programs starting with US universities, the forum members suggested.
As per the Higher Education Secretary’s report, Government of Odisha is analysing the WiFi broadband availability in the University campuses which is going to be upgraded expeditiously in all campuses, the meeting revealed.
On the possibility of research collaboration, the meeting stressed that the faculty profiles and their research interests will be clearly placed in the university websites so that GHEC and OSA will facilitate the collaboration with the international faculty members and researchers.
The proposal of formation for an External Advisory Council for the universities was well received by the Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo, Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra and the VCs of various universities, starting with inclusion of eminent individuals as Syndicate members, the OSA president said.
Formation of a strong Alumni Database for each university is a requirement which was unanimously approved.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Prof. Asoka Das, Vice-Chairman of Odisha State Higher Education Council; Prof. Sabita Acharya, Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University; Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Vice-Chancellor of Fakir Mohan University; Prof. Harihar Hota and Vice-Chancellor of Shree Jagannath Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya.
Prof. Aparajita Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of Rama Devi Women’s University; Prof. N. Nagaraju, Vice Chancellor of Gangadhar Meher University; Prof. Kishore Kumar Basa, Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University; Dr. Manas Pujari, Registrar, Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur and Mr. Akash Dasnayak, Chairperson, Mo College programme also attended the meeting.
The international committee was represented by Kuku Das, President of OSA, Prof. Anil Patnaik, Vice-President of OSA, Prof. Durgamadhab Misra from New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA, Dr. Ajaya Mohanty from Deloitte & Touche, USA, Prof. Chitta Baral from Arizona State University, USA and Prof. Sanjib Kumar Panda from National University of Singapore, Singapore.
