‘Globally, new-age universities and ‘educational entrepreneurs’ look to ensure a fine balance between education and entrepreneurship’ | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
New knowledge is always the result of interactions between different or competing disciplines. Whenever diverse players from different endeavors come together, institutions and organizations stand to gain as these joint ventures lead to the creation of a new body/bodies of knowledge.
University systems have always seen this. The modern university system, which is the result of great efforts to institutionalize and enhance research and study in many disciplines, continues to grow.
Over the past few years, multidisciplinary studies have seen the emergence of new disciplines such as biochemistry and computing science, which in turn have spawned dozens of new subdisciplines, including the current trend, artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI.
While the modern university system has accelerated the development and growth of new disciplines around the world, innovations that bring together academic and industrial research work are creating economic and intellectual value for universities.
a new phase
This joint venture of academia and industry is entering a new phase in building innovations that lead to new products, services, platforms and patents. This leads us to the next possible evolution of universities, namely the entrepreneurial university. Admittedly, this is a provocative thought. One school of academia believes that universities should be the source of new knowledge and research, and that any attempt to commercialize this approach should not be allowed. But, globally, the focus among new-age universities and ‘academic entrepreneurs’ is to ensure a fine balance between education and enterprise, where the learner is optimally equipped to acquire knowledge, acquire employable skills or conduct serious research. pay the price
While we need not get into a debate between these competing ideas, there is a definite need to create tools and pathways that promote research and commercialize research outputs, so that the university system can reap the benefits of the intellectual value of a new product. Can pick up or procedures.
UGC pressure
In India, the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) initiative to institutionalize the concept of ‘Professorship of Practice’ is perhaps the right signal towards an entrepreneurial university.
This move by UGC clearly shows how universities are best positioned to foster innovation, simply because every year new groups of brilliant minds are trying to push the frontiers of knowledge.
UGC has stated: “The objective behind introducing [the] Professor of Practice (POP) aims to enhance the quality of higher education by bringing in practitioners, policy makers, skilled professionals etc. [the] higher education system.”
The initiative seeks to bring industry and other professional expertise to educational institutions through a new range of positions. pop. This will help in taking real world practices and experiences into the classrooms and also increase faculty resources in higher education institutions. In turn, industry and society will benefit from trained graduates who are equipped with relevant skills.
A POP is usually a person with significant experience in their industry, who is appointed to a faculty position at the university to share their practical knowledge and skills with the students. Unlike traditional academic professors, POPs are often appointed from outside academia, and do not require a PhD or other advanced research degree. Based on their expertise and experience in a specific profession or industry, they are expected to bring real-world insight and perspective to the classroom. POPs can be found in fields that include business, engineering, law, journalism, and the arts.
For example, in the field of engineering, a POP may teach courses that focus on practical, real-world applications and share their insights into practical teaching. They may serve as consultants for student projects; develop new courses that are more in line with industry trends; Collaborate with other faculty on research projects and pinpoint ways to convert patents into commercial products (which they routinely do in industry).
innovation is the next pillar
POPs can serve as ambassadors for their universities, building relationships with industry partners and helping to connect students with internships and job opportunities. They may also participate in professional organizations and conferences to stay updated on industry trends and best practices. Thus, POPs can reshape the professional thinking of a university and activate actions that add vibrancy to the university’s culture. Teaching and research were the fundamental pillars of a university in the industrial age. In today’s post-knowledge societies, innovation in universities is the third pillar. This too should be a continuous activity.
When this innovation culture is firmly established, every academic person will be able to synthesize ideas and launch start-up enterprises. These university-based start-ups will not only develop ideas but convert ideas into patents and convert patents into commercial products. The more ideas like this pop up, the better the idea of an entrepreneurial university gets. This will result in a complete convergence of research, industry and academia. The sum of this alliance will be much more than the individual parts.
Perhaps, one day, POP will give rise to a new generation of ‘entrepreneurs in residence’, guiding the way for talented students to build the next Google on campus.
K. Ramachandran is a former journalist, and now Head of Strategy for an edtech company.