The ICAR – NAARM has organised 3rd Meeting of External Advisory Panel, constituted under NAHEP to provide the ICAR/NAHEP with agenda to appraise the progress and formulate the way forward for the achievement of the overall objective of NAHEP i.e. enhancing the quality and relevance of agricultural education. The panel comprised renowned education and agricultural experts – six from India, three from the USA and one from Australia.
The online meeting was chaired by Dr R C Agrawal, National Director and DDG (Education). This programme was coordinated by Dr D Thammi Raju, Co-PI of NAHEP, Component 2, ICAR-NAARM and he discussed the agenda of this meeting for External Advisory Panel. Dr S K Soam, CCPI, NAHEP Component 2, ICAR-NAARM welcomed all the members of the programme and briefly presented about NAARM progress.
Dr. R.C. Agrawal, National Director, NAHEP and DDG (Agril. Edu.) requested the External Advisory Panel to guide the ICAR pertaining to issues viz. how to bring transformative changes in agricultural education in tune with National Education Policy, interaction of global universities for globalization of agricultural education, collaboration with national, international and government departments, private sector, and sustainability of NAHEP efforts. During the meeting the External Advisory Panel members viz. Dr Brajesh Singh, Dr Glen C Shinn, Dr K V Raman, Dr P L Gautam, Dr J C Katyal, Dr P K Joshi, Dr B Venkateswarlu, Dr Tanuja Nesari participated and gave valuable suggestions and guidance in the improving the agricultural education in the country.
The special invitees viz. Dr Rajender Parshad, Director of IASRI and Dr G Venkateshwarlu, Joint Director of NAARM also participated and suggested various measures. Earlier the members were appraised about the progress of NAHEP by Dr Prabhat Kumar and Dr Hema Tripathi, the National Coordinators of NAHEP and Dr Sudeep Marwaha, PI of Component 2A.
The panel provided high-quality inputs and suggestions to take the NAHEP further for excellence viz. asynchronous learning, enhancing the visibility of agricultural universities, sustainability, digital platforms for education, quality of faculty competency, systemic reforms, the institutionalisation of best educational practices, cooperation and collaboration, more communication in policy, management of change etc.
