UGC: Universities Can Hire Industry Experts as "Professors of Practice"

In a bid to reform India’s Education System, the University Grants Commission (UGC) took a massive decision that allows Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to be able to hire distinguished industry experts as faculty members under a new category, “Professors of Practice.”

The decision comes in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 implementation, which focuses on skill-based education to meet the needs and standards of the industry.?

“The idea is to formally enable all Higher Education Institutions across the country to collaborate with the current industries and encourage the experts to participate in experiential learning, research, training, skilling, and mentoring,” said UGC chief Mr. M Jagadesh Kumar.?

Guidelines for the new “Professors of Practice”

The responsibilities of the professors of practice will include introducing new courses, guidance in developing curricula, delivering lectures and practical classes, mentoring students in innovation and entrepreneurship, focusing on industry-academia collaboration, and carrying out joint research projects.?

According to UGC’s approved draft of guidelines, industry experts from fields like engineering, pure sciences, media, literature, fine arts, civil services, etc., will be eligible to be hired by universities and colleges.

The experts must have proven expertise in their specific domain or role with at least 15 years of service, preferably at a senior level.

These experts will also be exempted from the requirement of publications, citations, and other eligibility criteria currently stipulated for recruiting Professors.?

During the recruitment process, a panel of experts set up by an institution will assess the skills that will be required to impart industry-specific training to students, in addition to taking regular classes. The guidelines also say that an institution’s total number of professors of practice should not exceed 10 % of the sanctioned posts.?

Significance of this Industry-Academia Collaboration?

1. India has an extreme shortage of skilled workforce, as only 2.3% of graduates are readily employable compared to 96% of South Korea, 80% of Japan, and 75%. Industry collaboration can address this looming talent shortage and lay down concrete steps to develop our graduates’ employability. (Source)
2. With the help of industry insights, the ecosystem of any university or college can be improvised with new technologies that can improve educational access, experiences, and outcomes.?
3. Internships and Job training could be easily accessed by students which can give them exposure to industrial practices. This will be beneficial to both Academic institutions and Industry resulting in the sustenance of long-term relationships.?

Industry-Academia Collaboration made easy by upGrad Campus?

We, at upGrad Campus, have a strong mission to bridge the industry-academia gap in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country.

Our content solutions provide a host of industry-relevant Technology and Management Programs via long-term Joint Degree Programs (JD) and short-term Job Ready Certification Programs (JRCP).

Everything that goes into these programs, from the curriculum to industry projects and student assessments, is curated and delivered exclusively by top Industry Experts and people currently working in the respective domain.??

A strict recruitment process of more than three rounds of screening and interviews ensures that they bring the best of both worlds, i.e., academic finesse and industry expertise, to the table.?

(Dear readers, If you are a part of a university/college and want to start offering new-age programs to your students or digitally transform your classrooms, kindly mail us at [email protected] or drop us a message on WhatsApp.)