UGC approves draft guidelines for engaging ‘Professor of Practice’ | Education

New Delhi [India], August 23 (ANI): The University Grant Commission (UGC) has approved the draft guidelines for engaging ‘Professor of Practice’ in Universities and colleges, officials said on Tuesday.

The decision came after the 560th meeting of the UGC and will be soon made public for feedback by stakeholders.

The decision was taken as a measure to promote the National Education Policy 2020, which seeks to transform higher education by focusing on skill-based education to meet the needs of the industry and the economy.

“For skilling of youth at the optimum level, learners are required to think like employers and employers are to think like learners. Towards this, the UGC has taken a new initiative to bring the industry and other professional expertise into the academic institutions through a new category of positions called ‘Professor of Practice,’ UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar told ANI.

He added that the move will augment the faculty resources in higher education institutions (HEIs).

“This will help to take real-world practices and experiences into the classrooms. In turn, the industry and society will benefit from trained graduates equipped with the relevant skills,” the UGC Chairman said.

The objectives of the draft guidelines include developing courses and curricula to meet the industry and societal needs and enable the HEIs to work with industry experts on joint research projects and consultancy services which will be mutually beneficial.

Another important objective is to bring in distinguished experts from various fields such as engineering, science, technology, entrepreneurship, commerce, social sciences, media, literature, fine arts, civil services, armed forces, the legal profession and public administration into the academic institutions.

Those eligible to be engaged as Professor of Practice in universities and colleges include distinguished experts who have made remarkable contributions in their professions from various fields such as engineering, science, technology, entrepreneurship, commerce, social sciences, media, literature, fine arts, civil services, armed forces, legal profession and public administration among others.

“The maximum duration of service of ‘Professor of Practice’ at a given institution should not exceed three years and is extendable by one year in exceptional cases and the total service should not exceed four years under any circumstances,” read the draft guidelines.

As per guidelines, these experts will be hired for a fixed term with a maximum of three years tenure which is extendable by one year. Also at any point, the number of these experts in an institute should not exceed 10 per cent of the sanctioned posts.