Emphasis needs to be placed on research, innovation and e-learning, stressed Ratan Tata in the first online meeting of the Advisory Council of the University of Mumbai (MU) conducted on Thursday. The meeting was conducted to prepare a roadmap for students and faculty for the new academic year considering the pandemic situation.
On February 25, the Advisory Council of the MU appointed industrialist Ratan Tata as its chairman. In the meeting, experts suggested, "MU university will have to use technology and group research to disseminate vocational education among students through incubation centers. Autonomy should be awarded to a large number of university departments for the academic growth of MU. Also, a group of education experts should be formed to improve the e-learning system and retired professors from reputed educational institutes should be invited as adjunct faculty."
MU will also ask the government to fill vacancies of teachers in the university as soon as possible. Tata stated, "Online teaching-learning methods should be adopted in colleges and universities in the new academic year." The council focussed on steps to enhance the national and international standard of the university.
Suhas Pednekar, Vice Chancellor (VC) of MU, said, "In order to bring about a radical change in higher education in the aftermath of COVID-19, Ratan Tata provided invaluable guidance on launching new courses in the field of need and urgency. This will help attract good quality at home and abroad by emphasising on research, innovation, cooperation at global level and creation of necessary physical facilities."
