10^th CII Education Summit 2020 ~ Programme

Opening Session
10 December; 1000 – 1030 hrs

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This session will set the tone for the Summit and will talk about the overall challenges and achievements in Education during the year.

SESSION 1: Early Childhood Care and Education
10 December; 1030 – 1130 hrs

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National Education Policy (NEP) for the first time brings early childhood education and care under the ambit of formal education system. It continues to be an important area of focus for the ministry of women and child development which had so far nurtured children in the age group of 0-6 along with young mothers. Thus far the focus on early age children therefore had been more from nutrition and health perspective than from an education perspective. However, poor learning outcomes year after year made policy makers go back to the drawing board to redraw the education strategy for 21st century. The new policy is a much-needed step in the right direction. But how will this change be implemented on the ground? How will Anganwadis be strengthened from education perspective?

This session will discuss issues like non-standardized approach across states, anganwadis, pedagogy / curriculum and assessment, language of learning and teaching, strengthening parent engagement and lack of data and meta data analysis.

SESSION 2: Leadership in Academic Institutes
10 December; 1215 - 1300 hrs

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Succeeding in this rapidly changing world will require both a solidunderstanding of global trends influencing academia and aninspirational leadership style to be bold, take risks and lead complex change.

CII, being charting and impacting change in Indian academia for several years now, has put together a specialised program to provide academic leaders with an effective understanding of the current pressures for change in academia and provide the tools for charting a course for success in the future.

Launch of CII Igesia Programme on “Leading Academic Institutions in Turbulent Times”

SESSION 3: Industry-Academia Partnerships
10 December; 1340 – 1430 Hrs

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Industry-academia collaboration is the central theme of CII’s work in education. This aspect is very critical to bring in quality, enhance effectiveness of education programs, elevate the quality of manpower, cutting-edge research, employability and overall to ensure that the two most important components of the economy are working together for synergic outcomes.

This session will discuss the importance of both sides working in unison and the vehicles to facilitate lasting connects such as industry-relevant PG courses, research partnerships, faculty development and faculty-industry exchange.

In conversation: Are we doing enough in the name of 'Inclusive Education'
10 December; 1430-1500 Hrs

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Session 4: Vocational Skills for All
10 December; 1500-1600 Hrs

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The NEP has a section titled ‘Reimagining vocational education’, which calls for removing “hard separation” between academic and vocational streams and introducing it very early - in grade six itself. This is a welcome move towards imparting life-long skills to children and exposing them to the imperative of acquiring practical learning, but one criticism of this move is also that it will lead to students from socio-economically backward backgrounds ending up taking predominantly vocational subjects which will deprive them of basic mainstream education. But then the fact is also that most of these students anyway drop out of schools at an early stage and if they do not get any practical training in that duration then they end up being underproductive and low-paid all their lives. So, vocationalisation imparts to children the value of working with their hands and appreciating the skills needed for everyday life.

Then there are the specially abled children. It was in 1966 that the Kothari Commission had recommended education of children with disabilities in regular schools. But that still seems like a far dream still as let alone educating children with special needs in regular schools, there is very little infrastructure and provision for such children.In India, there are over 25 million people with special needs. There are gaps in curriculum, shortage of specially designed books, aides, shortage of special schools and counsellorsfor children with special needs.

This session will discuss how vocational skills can change the societal dynamics, improve employability as well as self-sufficiency, specially among differently abled and what will be the roadmap for its integration in mainstream education. A special feature of this session will be experience sharing by a young child on creating something for children with special needs.

Session MC: Ms Radhika Bharat Ram, Co-Chair, CII Education Council & Joint Vice Chairperson, The Shri Ram Schools

Leader Speak: Education in Rajasthan
10 December; 1600-1630 Hrs

In conversation: Internationalisation of Education
10 December; 1630-1700 Hrs

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In conversation: ROI - Education vs Others
10 December; 1700-1730 Hrs

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SESSION 5: New Age vs Traditional Institutions
11 December; 1000-1040 Hrs

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Twenty first century skills are very different from what we had envisaged and traditionally prepared our students for. While traditional institutes in India, especially those in the private sector, have been focussed on technical education, in the past few years in a very welcome move, several universities have been set up with new age pedagogical thinking and liberal arts as the focus. This is a departure from the overflow of traditional technical education-based institutes through the past several decades, which have not really been able to create industry-ready graduates with 21st century skills.

In contrast are new age institutions with their choice based curricula, freedom to mix and match, study at one’s pace, combine practical learning with theoretical teaching and a whole host of other options which are still missing in traditional institutions.

This session will discuss how new age institutions are a departure from the traditional ones and explore whether industry is prepared to recruit graduates from these institutions.

Leader Speak: Future Skills
11 December; 1045-1100Hrs

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SESSION 6 A (Parallel Session 2): Technology in Education
11 December; 1100-1145Hrs

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The year 2020 saw educators being forced to adopt digital medium of instruction even though they were not quite prepared for such a complete transition in all forms and levels of education, right from early childhood to research. Even though technology has its advantages, no nation in the world, however developed, had adopted a fully technological mode of teaching so far. So the rather hurried, and forced embracing of technology created new kinds of challenges for educators, students as well as parents. While the digital divide widened, some innovative and exciting options also came to light. Most importantly, the need and indispensability of technology-based education was established once and for all. So several schools have started including AI and coding in their curriculum. Online training companies are also offering such courses now for young students, which are gaining popularity.

This session will discuss adoption of technology during the pandemic, use of new-age technologies in education, access & preparedness and implementation aspects related to technology in NEP as also the need for introducing technology in education at an early age.

SESSION 6B (Parallel Session 1): Are we Doing Enough for Faculty Development?
11 December; 1100-1145 Hrs

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The gap between intended and actualised educational goals can never be diminished without proficient faculty. While most of the institutes do their best to recruit faculty with enviable academic accomplishments and in some cases even a certain degree of industry experience, such efforts are limited up till the recruitment stage. Post that, faculty expertise is taken for granted and no attention is paid to their continuous development. In a world as dynamic as today, no faculty can remain relevant without continuous development programmes and industry interactions. Faculty development is not on the radar of most institutes while planning for activities, nor is there an appraisal system linked to faculty development efforts and programmes.

It is important that faculty mandatorily undertake refresher, upskilling and industry engagement programmes and that a defined mechanism is in place for it. This session will discuss the importance of faculty development and how can it be meaningfully achieved. Also, are institutes fully autonomous to decide the shape and form of faculty development programmes and is the faculty then completely free to design the courses that they want to offer for upgradation of others?

SESSION 7: School Education in Post-Covid Era in Light of NEP
11 December; 1145-1230 Hrs

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The year 2020 will be as remembered for the new education policy as it will be for Covid. Together the two had a profound impact on education and in several ways changed it for ever. This session will look at the ways in which this came about. What are some of the post-Covid trends in school education which are better reversed and vice versa. Does NEP hold within itself answers to some post-Covid problems? What would have been the impact of NEP if there had been no Covid? Does NEP shine any light on digital divide, education of disadvantaged groups or dropping out from schools of girl children – segments most acutely impacted by Covid? Does NEP envision the kind of education which a post-Covid world necessitates?

Valedictory Session and Awards Ceremony
11 December; 1300 – 1330 Hrs