Karnataka government deepens partnerships with UK universities

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September 23, 2022

The Department of Higher Education of Government of Karnataka is stepping up to deepen strategic partnerships with universities in the United Kingdom to boost higher education.

Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education; IT and BT, Science and Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and& Livelihood, Government of Karnataka met with Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government International Education Champion, to strengthen relationships between universities in the UK and in Karnataka, to extend cooperation the spaces of research cooperation, joint degrees, twinning, and exchanges.

The discussion took place at the most significant educational expo and conference, the Asian Summit on Education and Skills (ASES) and DIDAC India 2022 in Bengaluru.

DIDAC India is organised by India Didactics Association (IDA), the only industry body for education and skill sector in India, and is supported by the Union Ministry of Education, the NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Education World Forum, hosted by the Department of Higher Education of Government of Karnataka and supported by AICTE and NCERT.

UGC, AICTE to work together on higher education policies

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September 23, 2022

During the development of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), a committee has been set up to prepare a roadmap for University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) to work together as a single regulatory entity.

UGC chairperson Prof M Jagadesh Kumar set up the committee and will work with the initial vision to identify areas where the two regulators can work with a common approach towards drawing up policies and regulations. Members of the committee include vice-chairpersons of UGC and AICTE, as well as the UGC secretary and AICTE member-secretary.

The development comes at a time when the government is planning to introduce the Bill to set up HECI in the winter session of Parliament.

“The development of a joint working strategy is in many ways the harbinger of the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). After all, regulations on higher education affect students pursuing general as well as technical degrees or courses,” Prof Kumar.

The HECI is the most significant regulatory reform proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. The government had attempted to merge the two prime regulatory agencies even before NEP’s launch but the decision could not be finalised.

Prof Kumar said, “The committee has been entrusted with identifying areas where the two regulators can work together.” A separate set of sub-committees, comprising officials of the two regulators, will work on those areas. The idea is to prepare the system to adapt to a situation where HECI will be the overarching body of higher education. Incidentally, Kumar was given additional charge of AICTE after the retirement of Prof Anil Sahasrabudhe, who has been made the first chief of National Educational Technology Forum (NETF). The Centre is envisioning NETF as a one-stop platform to roll out technological interventions in school and higher education.

upGrad to invest $40mn more in Harappa Education

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September 22, 2022

Edtech unicorn upGrad has committed to investing an additional Rs 320 crore (nearly $40 million) in the platform to create Harappa Global School of Leadership. upGrad had announced the acquisition with the platform for leadership and communication skills program Harappa Education earlier this year.

Harappa Education’s shareholders, including Bodhi Tree Systems, joined upGrad’s cap table as part of the deal. The latest announcement will help upGrad strengthen its soft-skill and leadership offering for working professionals.

The capital will be utilised by Harappa Education to develop a suite of leadership programmes catering to different sectors and leadership levels, according to a statement by the company. The company also plans to hire people for designing the program, planning and developing pedagogy and content for the programme and for marketing it.

Ronnie Screwvala, Chairperson and Co-founder, upGrad said, “Initially it will be open for individuals to sign up in a business-to-consumer (B2C) model in India. We plan on launching the Leadership School globally with a focus on the mature and paying market in the US, in six months’ time. We will take a business-to-business (B2B) approach for the US market.”

Starting with the Accelerated Management Program, the Leadership School will offer live-only programmes targeted at mid-career professionals. Other courses to follow suit as part of the Leadership School include the Design Leadership program and the Women’s Leadership Program.

Pramath Raj Sinha said, “Just as HR and marketing became a part of core MBA programme over time, our course on Accelerated Management Program includes data, product marketing, and leadership as part of its core offerings.”

He added that the digital model for offering the courses also offered flexibility to cater to a particular cohort as part of its B2B offerings targeted at a company and to offer high-quality accessible modules as part of the Leadership School.

Pramath Raj Sinha founded Harappa Education with co-founder Shreyasi Singh in 2018. The platform offered self-paced courses to address problems of poor employability and inadequate leadership.

Professor Rajat Moona appointed as the new director of IIT Gandhinagar

Higher Education

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September 22, 2022

Professor Rajat Moona has been appointed as the director of IIT Gandhinagar. The President of India approves the appointment. He is likely to join IIT Gandhinagar in a couple of weeks.

Professor Moona has been heading IIT Bhilai as Director for more than five years. Earlier to joining IIT Bhilai, he served as Director General of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). He is also a faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur since 1991.

“I am excited to join IIT Gandhinagar, which has been charting new benchmarks in multiple spheres for over a decade”, Prof Rajat Moona said, sharing his thoughts.

“I am thankful to the President of India and the ministry of education for reposing faith in me. Together with the able team of my colleagues at IIT Gandhinagar, we will script a new growth journey for the institute,” he further added.

Achievements of Professor Rajat Moona

Professor Moona holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur (1981-1985) and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore (1985-1989).

He is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including Indo-US Science and Technology Fellowship, Poonam and Prabhu Goel Chair Professorship, VASVIK Award 2010, IESA Techno-visionary Award 2014, National Award of Election Commission of India 2016 for best electoral practices, and most recently, a Special Award for IT Initiatives by the Election Commission of India in 2022.

Besides being an exceptional academician and administrator, Professor Moona has played an instrumental role in defining some of the key applications for the country, such as smart card driving license, vehicle registration, e-passport, electronic toll collection, EVMs, and VVPAT, among others.

Edtech Startup Bhanzu Raises $15 Mn in Series A funding

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September 22, 2022

Edtech platform Bhanzu has raised $15 Mn in a Series A funding round led by global investment firm Eight Roads Ventures on 21 September. B Capital also invested in the round from its Ascent Fund.

The global math learning startup plans to utilise the fresh funds to expand its business globally across multiple geographies, enhance its tech infrastructure, increase its workforce, and strengthen its curriculum with more interesting and outcome-focused content.

With its expansion plans across geographies, Bhanzu aims to eradicate global “math phobia” among students, helping them learn and love mathematics.

Founded in 2020 by Bhanu, Bhanzu claims to have a meticulously designed curriculum that helps students become 4X quicker and better at math. The curriculum is personally curated by Bhanu with over four years of data collection and research.

Bhanzu, CEO, Neelakantha Bhanu, who is also known as the world’s fastest human calculator, said, “With this new development, we envision becoming the world’s largest and most impactful math education entity in the next few years.”

“We are big believers in the potential of Indian education companies to solve global learning challenges over the next decade. Low math proficiency is a deep problem driven by lack of skilled teachers, poor engagement and math anxiety in students,” said Aditya Systla, partner at Eight Roads Ventures.

MPOWER Financing and ApplyBoard Inc. join hands to enhance students’ access to higher education abroad

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September 21, 2022

MPOWER Financing and ApplyBoard Inc. (“ApplyBoard”) announced a strategic partnership to provide financing for students pursuing higher education abroad. MPOWER Financing is a mission-driven fintech firm and the leading provider of scholarships and education loans to promising international students. ApplyBoard is an online platform that empowers students around the world to access top-quality education.

The partnership between the two organizations will ensure that prospective students planning their journey through ApplyBoard can have the opportunity to benefit from MPOWER’s available funding options.

Ashwini Kumar, Vice President and General Manager (India) of MPOWER Financing said, “The journey for international students can be complex and time-consuming, especially when it comes to seeking loans to finance their studies.”

“Our seamless service and loan solution, now available for ApplyBoard and its partners, will help to make that journey a little easier with faster decision speeds, and no requirements for co-signers or collateral. Together with ApplyBoard, we are building trust and value for students and recruitment partners”, he added further.

The co-founders of MPOWER Financing and ApplyBoard were international students prior to starting their respective companies; given their first-hand experience, they are familiar with and have faced their own struggles throughout their international education. They have made it their mission to improve and simplify the path for future international students.

“Financial access continues to be the biggest hurdle for students looking to start their international education journey,” said Karunn Kandoi, Head of Business Operations, India at ApplyBoard India Private Limited. “ApplyBoard is excited to partner with MPOWER Financing to help empower students to access the financial resources they need to continue their education, build prosperity, and make our society a better place.”

Both firms leverage technology to break down barriers around access to education. MPOWER Financing offers scholarships and no-cosigner loans to students from 200+ countries pursuing an education at 400+ universities across Canada and the United States. ApplyBoard simplifies the study abroad process by connecting students, recruitment partners, and partner schools on a single platform.

Sunstone announces Ankur Jain as its Co-founder

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September 21, 2022

One of India’s leading higher education start-up, Sunstone has announced the elevation of Ankur Jain as its new Co-Founder. In Feb 2021, he was appointed as the Chief Business Officer (CBO) at Sunstone.

The company with a presence across 35+ cities Sunstone announces Ankur Jain as its Co-founderin 50+ institutions now and is headed by three founders: Ashish Munjal (Co-founder and CEO), Piyush Nangru (Co-founder and COO) and Ankur Jain (Co-founder and CBO).

With a vision to tap into 100 cities pan-India, Jain would be spearheading further growth for the company and would be focusing on expanding Sunstone’s offering in tech programs at an undergraduate level. An alumnus of NIT Surat and IMT Ghaziabad, Jain has been a believer of holistic education and has been instrumental in driving the vision of Sunstone ahead.

Ankur has always had an inclination toward startups and has previously worked with Your Story and is the founder of Hostel Fund. His expertise in business planning, strategy, sales and marketing over a lucrative career span of 15 years makes him an ideal fit for taking charge of Sunstone’s growth and expansion.

“We congratulate Ankur for this well-deserved role and extend our support and faith. At Sunstone, we believe in promoting a culture where people are at the center of the organization and acknowledge those who bring value. Ankur has been at the forefront of 10x growth for the company and his unique vision has always brought something new to the table. We at Sunstone are a group of focused and passionate individuals and each one of us is driven by making Sunstone the most credible and preferred higher education brand in the country. We are certain that with Ankur as the third Co-founder, Sunstone will be able to attain new heights”, Speaking on this elevation,said Ashish Munjal, Co-Founder and CEO, Sunstone.

“I am elated with this opportunity and the faith that Sunstone has put in me and excited to play a catalytic role in crafting a path-breaking story of success for the brand. I look forward to achieving new heights for Sunstone by maintaining the quality of our network campuses, the partnerships we are getting into and by ensuring that all students who have put their trust in us are provided with what we promise, and create a future-ready workforce”., Speaking on his new role, said Ankur Jain.

Founded by Ashish Munjal and Piyush Nangru in the year 2019, Sunstone has recently raised $35M in Series C led by Westbridge Capital and the fresh capital will be used to expand into new programs and new markets.

MoE: President approves appointment Of new directors at 8 IITs

Higher Education

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September 20, 2022

According to the ministry of education(MoE), President Droupadi Murmu has approved the appointment of new directors to eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Venkayappaya R Desai from IIT Kharagpur’s Department of Civil Engineering has been appointed as the Director of IIT Dhardwad, and the institute’s current director Pasumarthy Seshu has been chosen as Director of IIT Goa. While Rajiv Prakash from IIT BHU’s School of Material Science and Technology has been chosen as IIT Bhilai’s Director.

Directors of two IITs have been appointed at the top post at different IITs, including IIT Bhilai Director Rajat Moona, who has been appointed as director of IIT Gandhinagar while IIT Dharwad Director Pasumarthy Seshu has been chosen as director of IIT Goa.

The two IIT directors who have been reappointed for a second term are — K N Satyanarayana (IIT Tirupati) and Manoj Singh Gaur (IIT Jammu).

Seshadri Sekhar and Shreepad Karmalkar, both professors at IIT Madras, have been appointed as directors of IIT Palakkad and IIT Bhubaneshwar respectively.

Venkayappaya R Desai from IIT Kharagpur’s Department of Civil Engineering has been appointed as the Director of IIT Dhardwad.

IIT Bhubaneswar has been waiting for a full-time Director since April 2020 when the incumbent director R V Rajakumar’s five-year tenure had ended.

Higher education institutes’ ratings to be based on Student Innovation and Start-up Index

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September 19, 2022

To encourage universities and institutes toward start-ups, the Gujarat education department has launched an annual bench-marking system to review their progress as well as rank their performance through Student Innovation and Start-up Index (SISI).

Under the initiative, universities and institutes have to compile and submit data annually on the UDAYAM COGENT portal launched during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data would be ranked on a 1,000-point rating structure. The efforts of the best performing academic institutions will be appreciated during the annual SSIP awards — Startup Prashansa.

The macro indicators of SISI are competency, support system, and value capturing which carry 300, 300, and 400 points, respectively. Under these three macro indicators are several micro indicators, including outreach and learning, knowledge management and bench-marking, academic resources, infrastructure, awards and recognition, contextual relevance and innovation and entrepreneurship.

The policy document launched on Saturday mentions, “Under SSIP 2.0, each higher education institute (HEI) will promote and nurture innovation among the youth, it has been mandated to benchmark ‘Innovation and Startup efforts’ across universities and institutes in Gujarat. The education department has taken the decision that each HEI supporting innovation has to go through an annual bench-marking as laid out in the SISI framework to assess their progress in nurturing student innovation and start-ups.”

Also Read | Elets Exclusive: Gujarat to become next education hub of India

The education department institutionalised the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) 2.0 in January this year. So far, 6,944 student innovations were supported under SSIP, while 1,381 intellectual properties got filed, 2,132 student start-ups were nurtured through various flagship programmes and 186 HEIs, including 51 universities, were funded to extend support to innovators and start-ups.

The SSIP 2.0 has a provision of Rs 500 crore for the next five years, from 2022 to 2027. While the state has allocated Rs 300 crore, Rs 200 crore will be raised through matching contributions and external sources to support and nurture 10,000 innovations and start-ups in the state.

Education Minister Launches Ramakrishna Mission’s ‘Awakening’ Programme

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September 16, 2022

Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship launched Ramakrishna Mission’s ‘Awakening’ Programme for students of classes 1 to 5.

The minister called upon CBSE to institute an advisory framework for encouraging value-based education in all schools from Balvatika to Class 12 for creating a talent pool ready for the challenges of life and committed to national progress and global welfare.

Social transformation is one of the key goals of education. Values and wisdom are more important than material wealth, Pradhan said, speaking on the occasion. Value-based education is important for building a future-ready and socially conscious generation, he further added.

Ramakrishna Mission has a legacy of imparting applied education. At a time when we are implementing NEP 2020, it must also lay emphasis on creating such value-based educational programmes for students in classes 9th to 12th in addition to creating programmes for classes 1 to 8. He said that this unique initiative is a step toward ensuring holistic personality development of a child aligned with the philosophy of NEP 2020, he further said.

Pradhan emphasised that our education system must be aligned with national priorities. We have to create 21st-century citizens capable of taking global responsibilities. NEP 2020 with a focus on a teacher-led holistic education system for students is a step in that direction, he further added.

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