When various entities work together, it helps foster a culture of collaboration and accelerates advancements in knowledge across disciplines, said Chairman of All India Council of Technical Education T. G. Sitharam.
Speaking in virtual mode at the inaugural session of the 6th Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Planning Board (HEPB) held at VIT-AP University on Sunday on the theme ‘Nurturing Vibrant Research and Innovation Ecosystem in Universities’, Prof. Sitharam appreciated the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh government and A.P. State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) to promote quality education, and said that by constituting HEPB, the government had facilitated collaboration of the top-end institutions to promote the cause of higher education.
“This collaborative approach is particularly crucial in the realm of academia, where diverse perspective and expertise contribute to comprehensive learning experience,” he observed.
Pointing to the fact that students benefit significantly from institutional collaboration by gaining exposure to a broader range of resources, research opportunities and educational methodologies, he said by fostering connections with neighbouring institutes, academic institutions can create a network that amplifies the educational impact.
APSCHE Chairman K. Hemachandra Reddy said as part of the educational reforms introduced by the government in Andhra Pradesh, nearly 87% of the students in the State were receiving free education. He said despite limited resources, the State government had allocated a substantial amount of ₹73,000 crore to the education sector in the last five years.
Founder and Chancellor of VIT-AP University G. Viswanathan recalled that the Radhakrishna Committee, constituted six decades ago, had recommended allocation of 6% of the GDP to the education sector. “Even after 70 years of independence, our current expenditure on education stands at less than 3%,” he said, pointing to the National Education Policy that underscores the significance of the implementation of the Radhakrishna Committee’s recommendations.
Chief Coordinating Officer of AICTE Buddha Chandrasekhar, Vice-Chancellor of VIT-AP University S.V. Kota Reddy, Vice-Chairpersons of APSCHE K. Rama Mohana Rao and P. Uma Maheswari Devi, secretary Y. Nazeer Ahammed and Vice-Chancellors of 51 Universities in the State attended the meeting.
