The Union Budget 2022 announcements for the education and skilling sector focuses on expanding reach, improving quality education, building capacity, and strengthening the digital education ecosystem. To brainstorm and discuss ways for effective implementation of initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2022, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) along with other ministries organized a webinar on Atmanirbharta through the Amrit Mantra of digital education and dynamic skilling. Under the webinar, a session on ‘Digital University: Making World Class Higher Education Accessible for All’ was held on February 21, 2022.

The webinar was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and attended by the academicians, government officials and industry experts. The session on ‘Digital University: Making World Class Higher Education Accessible for All’ was chaired by Shri. K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary, Higher Education with Shri. K. Rajaraman, Secretary, DoT being the co-chair.  The panelists for the session were Dr. Swati Piramal, Vice Chairperson, Piramal Group, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director IIT Madras and Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman, UGC.  The session was moderated by Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE.

Broader aspects of establishing of a digital university including creation of comprehensive EduTech ecosystem in PPP mode, digital platform, content creation, effective digital pedagogy, concurrent and robust faculty training, virtual labs and assessment of digital teaching-learning were deliberated.

The panelists emphasized on the need for Multi-lingual, accessible Learning Management System, creation of engaging, immersive learning experiences, linking peer learners to create strong learning communities and synchronised, experiential learning by blending online education with physical mode (phy-igital).

This university can fill the gaps in faculty development, enrollment in SEDGs, employability enhancing skills, quality learning material in regional languages, formal & non-formal (Recognizing Prior Learning) etc.

University Grants Commission will function as an enabler and not as a watchdog with accountability provisions in reimagining of futuristic teaching learning process w.r.t. Digital education.

Opportunities in India’s current educational landscape with EduTech boom are truly exciting with digital university ecosystem, integration of various GoI’s initiatives such as BharatNet, National Digital Library, National Academic Depository, Academic Bank of Credits, SWAYAM, NEAT & Internships, National Digital Education Architecture and National Education Technology Forum to create an all-inclusive digital teaching-learning ecosystem.

Detailed roadmap and implementation plan for the Digital University such as regulatory framework, identification of Hub and Spoke HEIs, orientation of academic leadership and training for faculty will be worked in the coming times.

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MJPS/AK