The purpose of this paper is to analyze and profile significant national developments in higher education for sustainable development in India and to compare different educational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze and profile significant national developments in higher education for sustainable development in India and to compare different educational approaches emerging in connection with education for sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an evaluative review of contrasting initiatives to provide environmental and sustainability education in different institutions, that takes into account philosophy, policy and practice in Indian higher education. Academic programmes, policy statements and education projects are analyzed, to highlight important developments, challenges and the prospects for future progress.
Findings
Several principles of sustainable development are embedded in India's education policy. It is perhaps the only country where the highest court has mandated environmental education at all levels of formal education, which includes a compulsory undergraduate course. However, the challenges of implementing this requirement effectively are hampered by lack of inter‐disciplinary competence among staff and students, and traditional methods of assessment in HE. India has examples of successful community‐based initiatives but these often have resource implications. Many efforts to develop learning opportunities in this field have emerged primarily from academic and student interests and priorities rather than from formal policy initiatives.
Originality/value
This paper provides an evaluative perspective on the diverse and innovative responses to sustainability emerging in Indian higher education, in curriculum development and to address issues of practice on campus and in local communities. The opportunity to analyse the implementation of a national initiative is unusual, particularly in the distinctive context of India, which has considerable prior engagement with sustainable development at the level of policy and practice.
Details
Keywords
Maheshchandra Babu Jampala and Tina Shivnani
The purpose of this paper is to focus on changing the dynamics of higher education in the Indian education system toward a paperless approach by implementing new media…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on changing the dynamics of higher education in the Indian education system toward a paperless approach by implementing new media technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
The review paper highlights the need for sustainable development in higher education by using new media technologies by providing them with some real-time examples used in universities. This paper also highlights a different step toward the paperless approach in various universities in India. This paper draws the analysis based on the recent review of the literature as well as experience at the professional level.
Findings
The author discusses how the implementation of different new media technologies is helping universities in shifting toward a paperless approach for sustainable development and concern toward the environmental threat. To support the evidence, the authors have given some real-time examples through data collection and observations of various uses of new media technologies among private universities.
Originality/value
This paper provides an overview of various new media technologies and blends the critical issues of how technologies are changing the educational dimension toward a paperless approach among public and private universities in India. The paper also proposes to create a sustainable model by addressing the challenges by which the universities can support themselves and others.