ASSOCHAM and ICRIER jointly organized a conference on
“Globalization and Higher Education in India”

November 1-2, 2006

The salient points that emerged from the discussions were:

• To increase the EER (eligible enrolment ratio) from prevailing 55% to ideal 100%, budgetary allocation to the sector must rise from 0.37% to at least 0.75% along with vigorous private sector participation, comprehensive fiscal management; and an enabling regulatory mechanism.
• Given the large unmet demand for quality education, private universities should be encouraged to grow, in line with the Mukesh Ambani Committee Recommendations.
• Financial outlay of Rs 12000 crore in the next ten years would be critical for the sector to increase access, training and skill enhancement of teachers as well as revision of remuneration to market determined levels. Funds may be generated by increasing user fees for those who can afford to pay while using the collections from the 2% education cess for quality provisioning to a wider user group.
• Multi-pronged approach to borderless learning:
  • attracting world class institutions to India
  • diversifying the range and modalities of PPP
  • making India an educational destination
  • devising an India window programme for internship and
  • promoting distance education through a hybrid model such as IT&ITES undertaking a “Brand India Education Mission” abroad
• SEZs for Universities for capitalization of knowledge along with mobilizing international access through a World Knowledge Bank recognizing credit transfers, favourable Foreign Education Providers Regime, and institutions of collaboration.
• National qualification framework to remove intra-control barriers, overlaps, and gaps to bring India in line with International Agreements on Accreditation in Distance Learning.
• Dovetailing vocational education and diversifying it at secondary school level.
• Leveraging synergistic postgraduate research across universities.