Latest news with #Higher
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha government asks varsities, colleges to comply with IC norms within 24 hours
BHUBANESWAR: The Higher Education department on Monday directed all the universities and colleges in the state to submit compliance report on internal committees (IC) under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, within 24 hours. In a directive to registrars of all public and private universities and principals of degree colleges (both aided, unaided and government) the department sought immediate compliance in complete adherence to Section 4 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act. Under the section, every workplace employing more than 10 persons has to constitute an internal complaints committee which is responsible for addressing complaints of sexual harassment and ensuring a safe working environment. The committee should have appropriate representation of women members and external representatives. The institutions are mandated to display the names and contact numbers of all the IC members at strategic locations on the campus for convenience of the students and upload details of the committee members in the department's HIMS portal. The department has also asked the institutions to submit photographs of geo-tagged campus locations where the details of the ICs are displayed
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Hans India
Principal arrested in student suicide bid case
Bhubaneswar: In a major development regarding the heart-wrenching incident of a self-immolation attempt by a student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, the police on Monday arrested the principal, Dillip Kumar Ghose. He was earlier suspended from his post by the State Higher Education department on Saturday following the self-immolation attempt by the victim, for failing to deal with the matter properly. The action comes amid mounting outrage and growing demand for justice in the high-profile case that has rocked Odisha's education system. The victim poured petrol and set herself ablaze in front of the principal's chamber on Saturday over alleged sexual harassment by Head of Department (HoD) Samir Kumar Sahu. The student, with over 90 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to Balasore Medical College, but was later shifted to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for advanced treatment. Prior to the self-immolation bid, the victim had staged a sit-in protest near the college campus demanding action against the accused HoD of the BEd department, Samir Kumar Sahu, for alleged misbehaviour. She was very upset as no action was taken against the HoD by the college authorities despite her lodging a formal complaint against Sahu. Sahu was immediately arrested by Sahadev Khunta Police after a case was registered against him under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 108 (abetment to suicide), 75(1)(iii) (sexual harassment), etc. The State's Higher Education department, in the suspension order, said the principal had failed to handle the matter properly and perform his duties. He was accused of shielding Education Department's HoD Samir Kumar Sahu. 'My daughter set herself on fire minutes after coming out of the principal's room. The principal had put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint against the teacher who sexually and mentally harassed my daughter,' her father alleged. A two-member team of the Crime Branch is investigating the incident following outrage across the State. The Education department has also formed a three-member committee to inquire into the incident.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Newly inducted Tripura BJP Minister Kishor Barman gets Panchayat, Higher Education, and GA (Political) portfolios
More than a week after he was sworn in as a cabinet minister, Tripura BJP MLA Kishor Barman was allocated three portfolios – Panchayat, Higher Education, and General Administration (Political) – on Friday. In a notification, signed by Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, it was stated that the three departments that were earlier with Chief Minister Manik Saha have been handed over to Barman. 'I have got the scope to work for the development of people living in gram panchayats and also development of education. I love to work with people and for their development,' Barman told the media after the portfolio distribution was made official. Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu administered the oath of office to Barman at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhawan in Agartala on July 2. Barman contested and won the 2023 Assembly polls from the Nalchar Assembly constituency (SC) in Sepahijala district. He has served as the national general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad for three terms. A postgraduate in Bengali from Tripura University in 2004, Barman, 44, was engaged with the BJP's organisational work in North Bengal and served in party campaigns in Sikkim, Tripura, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He became the BJP state general secretary in Tripura in 2021. Later, he quit from the post following the party's 'one man, one post' principle after he won the Assembly polls.
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Vision 2047: HEC chief for strengthening higher education sector
ISLAMABAD: Amid serious financial constraints and governance challenges, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed has reiterated the government's commitment to strengthening Pakistan's higher education sector under Vision 2047, with a strong focus on accessibility, technology integration, and institutional development. Speaking to the media, Dr Ahmed stated that Pakistan currently spends less than 1.9 percent of GDP on overall education sector and around 0.2 percent on higher education which is the lowest in the region. However, he said the government aims at ensuring modern educational facilities for 1.5 million youth. He was optimistic that several universities would be among the top universities of the world in coming years. Under the P-10 project, the top 10 universities in the country will be selected for targeted quality enhancement. In the first phase, 100 smart classrooms have already been established, while 200 more are under construction. Highlighting the significant progress since the formation of HEC in 2001, Dr Ahmed noted that the number of universities has grown from 59 to 370 (both public and private), and the student population has increased from under 3.5 million to over 8.5 million. Yet, he stressed that this number is still insufficient given Pakistan's growing youth population. 'Our target is to expand access and capacity further, especially in underserved regions,' he said. One of the most remarkable statistics he shared was that approximately 48 per cent of university students in Pakistan are female, a figure he called 'a surprise to the world' and a testament to the country's evolving education landscape. Dr Ahmed emphasised the importance of technology in education. Under the High-Performance Computing (HPC) initiative and cloud computing, students can now attend classes remotely, and teachers can deliver lectures from home — a shift that ensures academic continuity during emergencies. He added that the reliance on expensive computing infrastructure is being reduced, making education more accessible. Despite the progress, challenges remain. Only 28 per cent of university faculty holds PhDs, up from a previous 24 per cent, and efforts are underway to increase this ratio. Over 6,000 students have been sent abroad on scholarships, reflecting the country's focus on building a skilled academic workforce. He also acknowledged resistance from some Vice Chancellors regarding the implementation of the Higher Education Data Repository (HEDR), a system meant to improve digital governance in higher education. The chairman stressed that academic-industry linkages are being promoted, with two universities recently recognised internationally for producing globally competitive graduates. Meanwhile, the $400 million World Bank-funded Higher Education Development Project (HEDP) is supporting faculty development, research, innovation, infrastructure upgrades, and strengthening the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE). Dr Ahmed concluded by stating that the HEC is not only enhancing higher education in urban centres but is also extending resources to backward regions to ensure equal opportunities for all. He emphasised that instead of merely increasing the number of institutions, the focus will remain on improving the quality and governance of existing universities. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Al Etihad
30-06-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Zayed University joins Digital Education Council
30 June 2025 13:51 ABU DHABI (WAM)Zayed University (ZU) has joined more than 90 leading institutions worldwide as a member of the Digital Education Council (DEC), a global community dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, responsible digital transformation, and innovation in is the first university from the UAE to join the DEC, marking a significant milestone in the universities strategic vision to equip students, faculty, and leadership with the tools, mindset, and capabilities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital membership builds on the broader efforts to integrate AI cross the university, including ongoing faculty development, digital pedagogy, and curriculum innovation aligned with the future of work.'Integrating artificial intelligence across our work is vital to building digital fluency at Zayed University,' said Professor Michael Allen, Acting Vice President of Zayed University. 'Joining the DEC allows us to both contribute to and benefit from a global network of education leaders. But ultimately, the real impact lies in how we bring those insights to life - in our classrooms, in our programmes, and in how we prepare students for the world ahead," he this summer, ZU will also roll out two key DEC initiatives: the Certificate in AI for Higher Education, designed for faculty and leadership, and the AI Literacy for Students the new DEC membership, ZU's College of Technological Innovation (CTI) will launch a new Bachelor of Science in Intelligent Systems Engineering this fall. The programme will prepare a new generation of engineers to design, build, and manage intelligent systems powered by AI and emerging is also introducing two new Master's programmes in Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation and Innovation, responding to growing national and global demand for advanced digital skills and specialised expertise.
