Insights: Economic growth requires reforms in higher education

India has the world’s second largest schooling system with over 1.5 million schools and nearly 250 million enrolments. The annual higher education market is estimated to touch $50bn by 2025.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of private institutions of higher education, catering to students from urban and rural areas, and offer a wide range of courses. The online higher education is also growing and is estimated to touch $5bn by 2025.

It is found that the increase in the number of universities in a country is conducive to its stronger economic growth. The effect is two times larger if the size of the higher education system is considered. The quality of research activities is an important driver for the growth in the GDP.

While the proliferation of institutions has expanded the access to education, and contributed to economic growth, there are many challenges in the current system. First and foremost is the growing concern about the falling quality of education across the spectrum.

Second, the access to higher education remains limited for underprivileged and rural population, despite the growth in the number of institutions. The government provides limited funding to public higher education institutions, which results in poor infrastructure and below-par teachers.

With a large number of students competing for limited spaces, many universities and colleges suffer from overcrowding and a shortage of faculty and facilities.

The other challenge is that the pedagogy often relies on rote learning and memorisation, stifling creativity and critical thinking.

The skills taught in many institutions aren’t aligned with the needs of the modern workforce, which has resulted in a gap between what students learn and what employers require. And, worse, the system suffers from an under-emphasis on practical skills.

In order for India to produce a future-ready workforce, such as what the USA and China have, certainly reforms are needed for the higher education sector. China had seen the success today because of the reforms that infused into their system a quarter of a century ago.

In the age of generative AI and the likes of ChatGPT, the future of higher education needs to see significant changes in several areas. Increased use of technology will be imminent and the sector shouldn’t ban ChatGPT or openAI but develop pedagogy that is inclusive of them.

With advancements in technology, online and blended learning can become more prevalent, offering students greater flexibility and access to education. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning can lead to a more personalised learning experience, tailoring curriculum to the specific needs and abilities of each student.

Greater emphasis on employability skills will be needed for the sector to flourish. Placement track record of the institution is a key factor in attracting good students.

As the job market continues to evolve, universities will place a greater emphasis on preparing students for the workforce by imparting critical skills that are not taught today, such as critical thinking, communication that sticks, and problem-solving. In addition, the boundaries between disciplines will have to be blurred, and higher education will have to offer more interdisciplinary programmes and encourage students to take courses outside of their major.

Another change is the growing need to have alternatives to traditional degrees. The rising recognition of non-traditional forms of learning such as apprenticeships and coding boot camps will lead to the development of new models of higher education that focus on practical skills and hands-on experience. Many organisations have shown a keen interest to recruit such candidates without a formal degree because of lower training needs and cheaper benefits package.

Several reforms will be needed to meet the future requirements of the sector. First, the government should increase the funding for the sector in order to support the development of better infrastructure, faculty, facilities, and so on. Need of the hour is to attract, develop and retain the best teachers and ensure that students receive a high-quality and relevant education that drives innovation and creative thinking. The quality of current PhD topics in India will shame most serious academics.

Second, provide more comprehensive training and development for the faculty so that they can impart better quality of education. The Azim Premji University has this mission for higher education. Such initiatives ensure that the teachers are equipped to deliver high-quality, innovative and engaging lessons that support better learning. More universities must try to emulate this.

Third, encouraging innovation through experimentation with new pedagogical approaches and technologies. This will help higher education institutions to drive innovation and find new ways to improve the quality of education. The use of metaverse, online and blended learning, as well as the incorporation of hands-on, project-based learning will drive the much-needed changes. Augmented reality and virtual reality are ideal for educators to achieve better absorption of knowledge without exorbitant costs.

Fourth, emphasise practical skills and real-world experience as a way to grow. This can help to bridge the gap between what students learn and what employers require. Expand the current levels of partnerships with industry for internships and modify curriculum to suit the needs of employers. Fifth, bring focus on student-centered learning by putting them at the center of the learning process. Include active learning modules, and design the curriculum and testing process around the latest tech aides.

It need not be the onus of just the government; the private universities can play a significant role in driving the needed changes. They have the potential to provide high-quality education that is on par with international standards. They will be able to invest in the latest technology and course design, and can bring in experts from across the globe to impart courses that are job-ready. Jio and Amity universities is planning big time on this.

Private universities can help increase access to higher education by offering programmes in a variety of formats, and with satellite classrooms to reduce the gap between the haves and have-nots.

Unlike the government institutions, they have the freedom and agility to experiment with new pedagogical approaches and technologies, which can drive innovation in the education system as a whole. As a result, they can introduce specialised programmes that are not available in traditional universities, allowing students to study niche subjects in-depth.

Finally, private players can foster strong partnerships with industry just as we have seen in the USA and China. This will ensure that the education they provide is relevant to the needs of the industry.

Dr M Muneer is a Fortune-500 advisor, startup investor and co-founder of the non-profit Medici Institute. 

Also read: Why higher education should care about cybersecurity