“ I’m charged with a powerful vision before me. I see nothing but the eye of the fish; the arrow of conviction, well-stretched on the string of the bow. My university is my passion. My passion is my university. I have an absolute clarity in what I must do.
1. I have a young university. I gave it a beautiful infrastructure. I am often elated with an awe at my own creation, as I enter its magestic gate every time. How interesting, how strange, how fulfilling, indeed !
2. As I enter, I see the vibrance of the campus with humming activities of students in the corridors, play fields and labs. There is never a dull moment in the campus. I long to see them furthermore deeply engaged in projects and classes. I had never thought, it could be so joyful seeing the youth making their careers and lives in the labs, workshops, skill centres, developing business models, enjoying hobby clubs. They shall bring the ‘change’ and be the ‘future’ of our loved Nation.
3. I always feel, I have to do ‘more’. In my deep sleep, often I get woken up by something, and then my night passes thinking :-
(a) My labs are not that great 🤔 The technical and scientific world is moving far faster and VUCA environment so compelling that my university labs are fast getting outdated. I must upgrade my labs on priority
(b) I’m not quite satisfied with the faculty and industry resource persons preparing students meaningfully in AI, ML, VI, Blockchain, Data Analytics, Cyber Security and such futuristic job-specific skills. I am sufficiently spending but I feel very low at the end result. I can’t totally blame my faculty because these are niche and deep technical skills that require developing of my faculty. Whatever, it might take, I’m going to walk the talk with my VC. I will develop in-house competency in the jobs of the future
(c) I haven’t done enough myself. I’m not regularly and formally meeting the top academic leadership-the Deans, HODs at least once in two months. It is my function as a part Governing Body. I must listen to their views, resolve issues and inspire them. It would provide me an opportunity to quietly assess them and conceive a succession/retention plan.
(d) We have intellectuals, successful industry leaders and researchers par excellence with proven credentials in our country. I think, I should have a selected few of ‘Who’s Who’ of India invited to the campus for one-day, once in 2 years’, for serious deliberations on how my university can build on its strength and use various emerging opportunities of growth. I will get my students to interact with them and draw inspiration from their lives.
(e) I would love to see my faculty and staff professionally ‘top class’ and ‘happy’ in their daily lives. If they are competent and committed, the outcomes in research, innovation, students’ results, placements, NIRF ranking, foreign ranking and top accreditation grades would jettison my university’s brand and public perception. I will push for far-reaching quality reforms, at all cost, leveraging full potential of the IQAC and getting the best talent in the quality team, leading the reforms from the front.
4. It is my deep conviction and firm resolve to build a strong leadership team around my VC and take big strides into the future, drawing more merited students across the globe, and highly competent faculty to the campus.
-By Prof JR Sharma
