Emphasis on research, placements, innovative & inter-disciplinary learning
Suneel Galgotia, Chancellor, Galgotias University
These world class institutions have been steadfastly able to hold onto their prominent positions in professional education across India. They believe that change is the only constant, and it is more so in the increasingly competitive and rapidly changing landscape of professional higher education. They are strongly committed to their founding vision and core values- BEST EDUCATION for a FUTURE- READY WORKFORCE.
India is one of the fastest-growing economies globally. Rapid digitisation in a short span of time has further boosted India’s ambitions to become a knowledge economy. India’s robust education system has been strengthened further with the formulation of the National Education policy 2020. The higher education system in India has exhibited impressive growth thanks to the significant increase in the number of private universities. With the number of students enrolling in private universities growing every year, the Indian education system is challenging the global standards of excellence at a rapid pace. Private universities play a significant role in transforming the higher education landscape in India given their commitment to upholding and maintaining the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical values.
Our Vision is to empower young India and young people for a sustainable and better future of mankind. We are committed to fulfill the dream of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a ‘vishwaguru’, says Suneel Galgotia, Chancellor, Galgotias University
Some of the top private Universities topping the chart are Galgotias University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, BITS, J.S.S. Academy of Technical Education, the LNM Institute of Information Technology, Dr D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Nirma University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Symbiosis International.
All these premier institutions have one thing in common – their constant and unwavering adherence to high-quality academic freedom, research, transparency, and accountability. These universities endeavour to be recognized internationally for their contribution to the economy and society through excellence in teaching, learning, research, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
The huge response to Private Universities as top choices among students across the country in Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is a testimony of growing influence of private universities in the country. CUET which was conducted for the first time in the country for admission to undergraduate courses for the session 2022-23 in 86 universities, including central universities saw second highest number of applications received for any entrance examination in the country last year.
“The emergence of Galgotias University as well as other private universities among top preferred universities in the country in terms of number of applications received under CUET for the last two years, shows the credibility and commitment of private Universities towards higher education. Galgotias university has achieved many honours at National & International level and is standing among top institutions in NAAC, NIRF, IIRF, ARIA, INBA and 12B.” Says, Dhruv Galgotia, Chief Executive Officer – Galgotias University.
The ascent of private universities truly represents one of the most significant transformations in the Indian higher education COLLEGESsystem over the last two decades. The underneath parameters enlighten us about the rising standards of private Indian universities which are rubbing shoulders with their foreign counterparts. While the selection of the right university is a daunting task, it becomes a little easy to decide based on the key areas which define the quality of education being offered at a university as it has all the potential to set one on a path to a successful career.
BUILDING A LEGACY OF QUALITY EDUCATION
Core values define the character of not just the organization but also the principles and priorities that guide the organization’s actions. The core values set the top private universities apart from the rest. Owing to its great emphasis on excellence in teaching and research, Galgotias University is now synonymous with quality education. It further aims to create a niche for itself globally as a center of value-centric education, creativity, research, and innovation. It takes pride in its involvement in societal outreach programs that focus on identifying concerns and providing sustainable ethical solutions. Similarly, Birla Institute of Technology & Science vows to train young enthusiastic students to think, create and innovate ideas, methods, techniques, and information while JSS Academy of Technical Education aims for excellence in the teaching-learning process in the fields of engineering and management through nurturing its students’ personality development.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST EDUCATORS
An increase in the number of international students and foreign faculty joining Indian universities has enhanced the quality of education in India. With more and more foreign students flocking to India, it has resulted in the adoption of best practices and a healthy mix of elements of both the western and Indian education systems. The traditional teacher-centered learning classrooms have become a thing of the past and been replaced with learner-centric approaches. Technological advancements have made blended or hybrid learning more popular with the easy availability of a variety of tools and teaching mediums now at the easy disposal of educators. The private universities have an advantage in the quick adoption of these technologies and are leading by example. Be it learning management systems or digital resources, they keep their infrastructure up to date to provide a better learning experience. Renowned for its commitment to excellence in academics, Galgotias University prioritizes the use of combinations of teaching pedagogies in the classroom to enhance the learning experience. It lays great emphasis on providing a conducive environment both for the educators and the students by ensuring a low student-to-faculty ratio. A lower student-faculty ratio allows for a better learning environment, an increase in social engagement within the learning group, more focus on giving individualized attention, and better allocation of resources, time and facilities. This not only ensures that each student receives the attention of the faculty but is also assessed more holistically.
To match the current industry demands as well as being future-oriented, dynamic semester-based courses have been framed by integrating the traditional syllabus with the latest trends across disciplines. Small batch sizes further allow students to interact with their instructors more frequently resulting in an effective feedback-based environment. Over the years, a consistently low student-to-faculty ratio has helped increase the academic performance of students at Galgotias University.
INFRASTRUCTURE : RESEARCH LABS AND CLASSROOMS THAT ENHANCE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
An eye-catching feature of most of the popular private universities within the country is their infrastructure. Galgotias University aces with its excellent campus, buildings and facilities. The picturesque campus is set in 52 acres of rolling greens at a prime location. The state-of-the-art campus has been designed by renowned architects specializing in educational architecture. The laboratories, classrooms, library, hostels, cafeterias and other spaces are comparable with the global standards. The campus provides a suitable ambiance for teaching, learning and research. Its close proximity to the educational hub of Greater Noida makes it an excellent education destination. A fully Wi-Fi enabled campus, spacious classrooms with the audio-visual and multimedia facilities, State-of-the-art auditorium, well equipped conference hall and seminar hall, round the clock Internet connectivity, designated student activity centre for co-curricular and extracurricular activities are some of the major plus points of Galgotias University Campus.
Another enviable campus is the JSS Academy of Technical Education. It is spread over more than 21 acres in Bengaluru, the IT Capital of India. Lush green trees, majestic academics, idly lake and hostel blocks and many sports facilities such as cricket ground, football ground, tennis court, basketball court, etc. are the main attractions of the campus. Labs are well-equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, tools and software.
TEACHING LEARNING PEDAGOGY THAT PROMOTES INNOVATION AND THINKING
All the leading private universities like Galgotias University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Nirma University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Azim Premji University offer undergraduate, master and doctoral level courses at par with public universities. The advantage of enrolling in a private university is the diverse and massive range of subject choices available. The planning and successful execution of the courses has been possible due to their futuristic curriculum designed to cater needs of industries not only of the present but also of emerging technologies. These schools further offer unique combinations of specializations which have been cautiously designed after feedback from industry experts. Robust courses in Arts and Humanities like Classics and Ancient History, English Language and Literature, Archaeology, Architecture, Linguistics, Modern and foreign Language, Philosophy, Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies and Anthropology are also in great demand among students.
The university offers some of the most relevant and in-demand courses too like specialisation in artificial intelligence and machine learning, e-vehicles and autonomous vehicles, cyber security, data science, cloud computing etc. Future-oriented degree courses in areas like Solar Energy, Nuclear Science & Technology, Space Science and Nanotechnology are also being offered by the university as part of its endeavour to boost sustainable development in line with the standards of global universities. Galgotias University is deeply invested in ensuring that students develop cognitive skills such as critical thinking, reasoning and innovation that will help them as individuals to go beyond their described job roles and prove themselves as a true asset in future for both their organisation as well as their country.
GLOBAL EXPOSURE
Student exchange programs are key to the holistic development of students. Such Student exchange programs expose university students to global culture allowing them to learn cultural adaptability. It further allows them to broaden their knowledge and learn foreign languages to fit into a global workplace. Top Indian universities actively collaborate with several foreign universities and institutions and have established academic tie-ups with universities and institutions in several countries. Galgotias University is actively involved in providing some of the best student exchange programs. It keeps exploring the possibilities for academic collaborations with universities of repute within as well as outside the country. Galgotias University has MOUs and tie-ups with several of the world’s top universities which offer faculty, students, and researchers several opportunities for international collaboration. The student exchange program is a key which can unlock many career avenues for the students thus these universities maintains and supports a good alumni network to enhance its students’ careers.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: A BREEDING GROUND FOR INVENTIONS
Universities are invaluable assets for the economy as they are the hotspots for research, innovation and knowledge creation. Rigorous involvement in seminars, workshops and conferences sets a university apart from the rest. Be it Symbiosis University which takes pride in its sophisticated instrumentation for various kinds of analytical techniques to undertake research in high-priority areas or BITS which prioritises research by students and staff in newly emerging frontiers in the fields of engineering, technology, science etc, every university’s quality of education is reflected through its endeavours in R&D. Galgotias University being a research and innovation-driven university prioritizes research and development programs with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and innovation. It provides well-equipped labs and promotes strong culture of inter-and intra-institution research collaborations. The dedicated R & D Cell of the university focuses on promoting and providing support to the students and faculty for sponsored projects, industrial consultancy, and continuous up-gradation in the teaching-learning process. It has been investing consistently in interdisciplinary, mission-oriented and relevant research projects at both national and industrial levels.
PLACEMENT: THE DREAM COMPANIES
A dedicated placement cell at a university is an essential requirement for having a fruitful career. The significant role that campus placement plays in the formative years of a student’s career is irreplaceable. The leading Private universities have an impeccable placement record owing to their industry needs-oriented curriculum. At Galgotias University the students are provided ample opportunities for full-time internships and on-the-Job training in reputed companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Capgemini, Forbes, Intel, Bosch, Cisco, Pega, Informatica, and Capgemini among several others. A dedicated team in the Placement Cell of the university helps the students obtain relevant work experience to complement their studies. In addition to grooming students in soft skills, the placement cell also provides third-party assessments, sessions by industry experts, and company-specific mock drives Galgotias University is a favourite landing place for ace companies like NIIT, Vodafone, Aditya Birla Group, BMW, Airtel, Citibank, HCL and others every year as they value Galgotias University Alumni for their leadership qualities and allround skills. Similarly, Azim Premji University also has a good record in campus placements with its alumni having found meaningful and impactful work in top companies. At BITS too, the Placement Cell constantly makes efforts to bring in organizations that have values, ethics and commitment that are very similar to that of the University.
Indian higher educational institutions have grown by leaps and bounds. Private sector universities have complimented the public sector in imparting quality education over the years. They have further paved the way for the rise of more Indian universities in the global rankings. Although there have been challenges to higher education in the past, the role of private universities in the new millennium is set to increase. The nature of advanced scientific research projects being undertaken by such institutions is going to prove a game changer in the times to come. This will boost the Indian education system and provide tough competition to global universities which shall further pave the way for the rise of more Indian universities in the global rankings. Highly educated, experienced and innovative people are driving our education and in turn, our economy forward. With increased focus on research, innovation and entrepreneurship, aiming for inclusivity, multiculturalism and internationalization as mentioned in NEP 2020, leading private universities are set to transform India’s future.
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