The Chairman’s message

The pandemic  touched every corner of the globe in ways that are positive, negative, and neutral. It  unraveled systems that we thought were sacred; it  exposed flaws in long-held assumptions and raised questions about the status quo.
Nevertheless, in the process, the crisis also  gave us a unique opportunity to reassess the way we do
business or any routine work and change our systems and cultures for the better. Many report suggest, we all need to develop a more humane skill set—including the ability to show compassion and a willingness to interact benevolently with each other.

The COVID-19 pandemic  also saw a fast-forwarded global education thinking on how to transform and strengthen education systems through technology that complements skilled and well-supported teachers, so that every child receives quality and inclusive learning. For educational institutions, the swift move to online education  highlighted a need to design learning experiences that rely less on traditional lecture formats. Instead, faculty will serve students better by acting as mentors and coaches who empower learners as co-creators in their own development.

I personally believe that schools invest more in experiential learning, encourage more cross-cultural interactions, and help faculty upskill in the latest digital learning technologies. For students and young professionals, especially, it will become increasingly important to take ownership of becoming their best selves.

That means taking responsibility for building their self-knowledge, prioritizing autonomy, cultivating innovation mindsets, and developing the resilience, they will need to unearth opportunities and expand their networks. However, they will achieve these outcomes only if they take time to reflect on their sense of purpose, and only if they engage in critical self-evaluations that help them identify areas where they are strongest and areas where they most need improvement.

They must learn to take risks, expand their life experiences, stay connected and seize opportunities to build their networks. The COVID 19 crisis  reminded us how crucial education is in societies, communities, and in individual lives. We were  reminded that education is a bulwark against inequality—and of the importance of schooling in enabling lives of dignity and purpose.

As we embrace this exceptional opportunity to transform the world, and as we reimagine the organization of our educational institutions and learning environments, we will need to think about what we want to become. We have arrived at a moment—however unexpectedly—where collectively revisiting the purposes of education and organization of learning has become imperative.