Conference on higher education held

Jebi Mather, MP, said here on Friday (May 22) that Kerala’s higher education sector required continuous modernisation.

The newly introduced four-year undergraduate programmes have to be further strengthened to meet the changing academic and industry demands, she said in her inaugural address at the conference on ‘Higher Education Reforms’ held as part of the annual meeting of the Kerala Principals’ Council at MES College, Marampally, according to a release.

She said the education sector must focus not only on academic excellence but also on students’ emotional growth and value-based learning. Prof. Junaid Bushiri, Vice-Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology, in his keynote address, said that students should develop employability and practical skills alongside academic achievements.

Prof. Gireesh Kumar G.S., president of the Kerala Principals’ Council; Prof. Mansoor Ali P.P., general secretary; Dr. Anu Joseph, treasurer; and Dr. M.E. Kuryakose, representative of the Kerala Private College Management Association, spoke.

The conference included sessions led by writer K.P. Ramanunni, former Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit Dr. Dileep Kumar, researcher and former Kerala University professor Achyut Sankar, and former NAAC academic consultant Dr. M.P. Rajan. The conference will conclude on Saturday (May 23), according to the release.