A Global Authority for creating Educational
Environment and for sanity in the Higher
Education Global Markets –Need of the hour:
Prof. Arun Nigavekar
Prof. Arun Nigavekar, Chairman, UGC emphasized the need for a global authority consisting of UNESCO, World Bank and International Standards Organizations to play pro-active
role in the global markets of higher education. Addressing the UNESCO/GATS/World Bank Meeting on “Globalization and Higher Education: Implications for North – South Dialogue” at Oslo
on 26th and 27th May, 2003, Prof. Nigavekar pointed also to the necessity for evolving a healthy 		self controlling mechanism in the higher education trade so that it does not get drifted into a sheer commercialization with profit motives. Over 200 delegates from about 60 countries participated in the two-days Conference. The important recommendation emerged out of the conference was that the UNESCO, GATS/WTO and World Bank should develop an open trading and financial system for higher education which should be rule-based, creditable and non-discriminatory.
Accreditation outcomes to be used
as necessary criteria for funding Universities
In National Convention of Vice- Chancellors of NAAC- Accredited Universities held in New Delhi on 21st -22nd May, 2003, it was resolved that MHRD and UGC should include accreditation as one of the pre-requisites for funding under various schemes. Other resolutions include – „ NAAC be legislated as an autonomous statutory council. „ Reduce multiplicity of agencies visiting Universities. „ About one third of developmental
 assistance by UGC be linked to accreditation. „ Foreign Universities in India be accredited and NAAC should publicize their credibility. „ Provision for financial resources for Quality Sustenance activities in Universities and Colleges to be made by Planning Commission. „ Continuous relationship between University/College and NAAC to monitor post-accreditation developments and continuous quality enhancement.

Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria, Minister of State,
MHRD and Prof. K. Venkatasubramaniam,
Member Planning Commission,
at National Convention of Vice-Chancellors
of Accredited Universities organised by
NACC on May 21-22, 2003 at New Delhi


UNESCO Meeting on Higher
Education Paris, 2003

UNESCO recently organized a meeting of its member nations to work out approaches and strategies as a follow-up of the World Conference on Higher Education which was held in 1998. This meeting of Higher Education Partners was held at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris during June 23-25, 2003. The follow-up involved review of the reports done in last five years. In all the six regions, viz., Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Arab, Europe and Latin American and Carribean countries, there were four commissions’ meetings. Professor Arun Nigavekar, Chairman, UGC, who is also the President of Asia and Pacific Regional Committee, chaired the First Commission entitled “ New Developments in Higher Education”. The Chairman for the Commission is selected by scanning efforts of each and every nation, in its own nation, as regards the concerned topic. The selection of Prof. Nigavekar as the Chairperson of the First Commission is a recognition of the policies adopted by the MHRD and the UGC in revitalizing the role of higher education in the twenty first century for India. The Chairman of the UGC also made an independent presentation entitled: Higher Education as a Trade: Implications of GATS Agreements: Indian Perspective”.