IASE (D) University and Gandhi Vidya Mandir, Sardarshahar, Rajasthan, India have decided to launch a hydra-headed Interdisciplinary Research Project of peace and harmony. It is estimated that approximately 100 interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research projects would be undertaken under the guidance of eminent professors and research scholars. This will be followed by a World Conference on Existential Harmony 2015. सुरेन्द्र पाठक Surendra Pathak
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4th International Conference on HUMAN VALUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION Educating for a GNH Society – Universal Human Values 27th to 29th March 2015 at GCBS, Gedu (Bhutan)
4th International
Conference
on
HUMAN VALUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION Educating
for a GNH Society – Universal
Human
Values 27th to 29th March 2015
at GCBS, Gedu (Bhutan)
This conference was a 3-day, residential
gathering of 120 distinguished individuals from 10 countries* working in
various fields – academia, government, civil society, foundations, and many
others. The participants include 23 Chancellors, current Vice Chancellors,
former Vice Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, and over 85 Institute Directors,
Champions and leaders of human values education, heads of government and
non-government agencies, leaders in the justice system, professors, research
scholars, thought leaders, students and many others. The purpose of the
conference was to deliberate to arrive at conclusions and develop commitment
for incorporating Human Values in Education. * Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Germany, Japan, Thailand, Norway
Her Majesty the Queen
Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck blessed the event and said that it was “significant” as coincides
with Bhutan and the Bhutanese people‟s quiet and calm observance of the 60th birth anniversary of His
Majesty the 4th King, the person who pronounced that national development must be
underpinned by the sustainable and wellbeing of the people.
Her majesty endorsed RUB‟s initiative to
promote human values. She said that we must “Do everything we can to
propagate
universal human values
education” in higher education and that the motivation should be “Service to Others”, and
“Greater Common Good”. All the people who‟ve participated in the event are
extremely fortunate indeed.
The acting Prime Minister, two ministers, the
judge of the district of Chukha and other senior functionaries of the
Government of Bhutan attended the ceremony. The conference was organised
jointly by 4 universities: 1. Royal University of Bhutan - both VC & Ex VC
were present for all 3 days along with almost all their directors 2. Punjab
Technical University - Dean Academics, Dr. AP Singh along with a team of 5
people was present. Dr. AP Singh read the messages from Hon. Minister of Technical
Education and VC PTU at the inauguration 3. IIIT, Hyderabad - Dr. Ramancharla
Pradeep Kumar was present. Director had sent a recorded video message 4. IIT
(BHU) Varanasi - Director Prof. Rajeev Sangal was present with a team of 3
faculty members 2
The discussion was around education
required for preparing people to develop a humane society, a society
composed of families living in harmony and having a common goal: resolution
(happiness) in every human being, prosperity in every family, fearlessness (trust)
in society, and co-existence in nature/existence. Day 1:
Societal Development, Current State & Role of Education Day 2: Human
Society and Human Education – Experiences of Implementing Universal Human
Values Day 3: Implementing Human Values in Higher Education Dasho Nidup Dorji,
VC, Royal University of Bhutan opened the conference with a talk on “Urgent
Need for Value Education”. Prof. Rajeev Sangal, Director IIT (BHU), Varanasi
& Ex. Director, IIIT, Hyderabad shared the purpose of this conference along
with the journey at IIIT, Hyderabad. Prof. Ramancharla Pradeep Kumar, IIIT,
Hyderabad shared how the Government of Andhra Pradesh took the bold initiative
of incorporating universal human values in 17 universities in Andhra Pradesh
(now AP & Telangana). Dr. A. P. Singh, Dean Research & Industrial
Linkages, Punjab Technical University shared the overall progress in
implementing universal human values in higher education between ICHVHE2014 and
ICHVHE2015, i.e. in the last one year. He first read the messages of the Sh.
Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister of Technical Education, Government of Punjab, as
well as that of Sh. Rakesh Verma, IAS, Secretary Technical Education,
Government of Punjab. He shared that as a direct result of ICHVHE2014 at PTU,
two universities in Pakistan and the Atmiya Group of Institutions, Rajkot have
made significant effort on universal human values. A book of experiences in
implementing universal human values at the Royal University of Bhutan entitled “Refocusing
Education for GNH: Embracing Heaven on Earth” was released by Her Majesty.
There were talks by resource persons, sharing of experiences and lively panel
discussions over 3 days. The program is attached.
Participation
was very strong from 10 countries
1. Bhutan - The president of the newly
founded University of Health Sciences was present for all 3 days. This is in
addition to the Royal University of Bhutan participants (about 20)
2. India - 18 vice chancellors and
about 30 professor level participants in addition to the participants from the
collaborating Indian Universities
3. Pakistan - 1 university
4. Bangladesh - 1 VC & 1 Dean of
DIU + others
5. Sri Lanka - 2 VCs + others
6. Nepal - Registrar of 1 university
7. Germany - Professor
8. Japan - Professors
9. Thailand - Professor
10. Norway - Professor 3
Several new commitments
were made for curricular reform, and incorporating a Foundation Course in
Universal Human Values in various universities and organisations. These will be
reviewed during the next conference By the 3rd day, the following commitments were recorded:
1. Gesar Gyelpo University of Medical
Sciences, Thimphu, Bhutan by the President, Dr. K. P. Tshering
2. Adesh University, Bhatinda, Punjab, India
(Medical University) by the VC, Dr. IGI Singh
3. Daffodil International University, Dhaka,
Bangladesh by the VC, Dr. Luftar Rehman
4. Koyoto University, Japan by the Head of
Department, Dr. Craig Smith
5. Makanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita
& Sanchar University, Bhopal, India by the VC, Prof. Brij Kishore Kuthiala
6. Uva Wellassa University, Sri Lanka by VC,
Prof. Ranjith Premalal De Sliva
7. University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri
Lanka by the VC, Prof. Sampath Priyantha Perera Amaratunge
4
4th International
Conference on HUMAN VALUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION Educating for a GNH Society –
Universal Human Values 27th to 29th March 2015 at GCBS, Gedu (Bhutan) Recommendations
1. It was unanimously and strongly felt that
UHV education should be introduced as an essential part of the curriculum in
the form a foundation course, particularly in the domain of higher technical
education, at the national level. Extensive experiments which have been carried
out so far have adequately established the viability and effectiveness of such
a strategy. Necessary resource material, resource persons and teacher
orientation programmes have also become available to enable its initiation in
any university or institution of higher learning.
2. Even though different formats may be
adapted for introducing such a foundational input, the content and process need
to be compatible with the following guiding principles to achieve the desired
goals:
a. Universal – for all human beings in all
space in all time
b. Logical – students should be able to
rationally discuss various issues
c. Verifiable – students should be able to
verify on one‟s own (on the basis of one‟s own Natural Acceptance and
Validation experientially in living)
d. Humanistic – conducive to the good of humanity
e. All encompassing – touching all aspects of
human life
3. The foundation course should be targeted
to provide a holistic perception based on right understanding which is to be
successively supplemented with appropriate extra-curricular activities and
projects, higher elective courses, social internships etc. to consolidate right
understanding and facilitate living in accordance with it.
4. Continuous efforts need to be made through
the value education cell at the institutional level to create a conducive
environment for „living the values‟.
5. To provide requisite thrust to this
activity, it is essential to promote R&D work for overall curricular
modifications, development of resource material, teacher training etc. to
finally evolve more appropriate models of education in the light of right
understanding.
6. Efforts should also be made to develop
P.G. diploma/degree courses to provide a comprehensive understanding of this
theme particularly for prospective teachers and researches.
7. For this, centers of excellence need to be
created at various nodal institutions/universities where already sufficient
work has been accomplished.
8. MHRD, UGC, AICTE and other monitoring and
accreditation bodies in respective countries should be approached to obtain
policy as well as other umbrella support to proliferate this activity at a
wider level and to duly recognize and reward the value competence of teachers
and students along with their other academic skills.
9. The interest and commitment shown by the
representatives from SAARC countries and the progress already made by Bhutan in
this direction is really very encouraging. A coordination committee may be set
up for close follow-up and initiation of new experiments in these neighbouring
countries paving way towards building an International network.
5
10. Efforts should be made on priority, to
introduce UHVE in teacher training programmes such as Lecturer training (B.Ed.,
M.Ed. etc. to prepare ground for introducing UHVE in school education as well.
11. Need for orienting bureaucracy on UHV
through refresher training programmes in centre/state administration academies
or mid-career training programs was also highlighted. In this context,
introduction of a compulsory paper from this year on „Ethics, Values and
Aptitudes‟ in the civil services examination by UPSC (India) was hailed as a
welcome step. This would really fructify if supported by appropriate training
in this area, particularly by the administrative academies.
12. Orienting politicians and future
politicians was also suggested
13. The 5th ICHVHE 2016 to be held at Atmiya Group of
Institutions, Rajkot, India in the month of February 2016
Recommendations Specific
to Royal University of Bhutan:
1) The importance of introducing Human Values
in Higher Education cannot be ignored. It must cover all the students as a
foundational course.
2) People in decision making positions (Heads
Of Institutes) should be trained in Human Values in Higher Education.
3) Need to focus on development of resource
persons (facilitators). RUB colleges must develop a critical mass of people who
have the courage and confidence, who can teach and live human values and take
the lead role in taking this noble initiative forward. Training of all the
staff (faculty and staff) is essential as they live their life in colleges.
Accordingly, the 8 day UHVE program should be made mandatory for all staff).
4) Establishment of Human Values cells and
resource center, and need to create central repository of materials for sharing
HV materials
5) Strategies should be developed for
sustainability of Human Value initiatives in the colleges
6) National conference/annual conference /
university conference
7) Use of IT and social media (limited to
members, restricted to own members ) to enhance interaction and trace progress
of members-people familiar with HV
8) Include Gesar Gyelpo University of Medical
Sciences of Bhutan in UHV initiatives/activities
9) Pursue social and qualitative research
focused on action, process, change and transformation, and continued
improvement and development
10) Development of Documentary on Human
values
6
4th International
Conference on HUMAN VALUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION Educating for a GNH Society –
Universal Human Values 27th to 29th March 2015 at GCBS, Gedu (Bhutan) PROGRAM
_____________________________________________________________________________________
27 March 2015 (Day 1): Societal Development, Current State & Role of
Education _____________________________________________________________________________________
9.00 – 10.00 am Registration 10.00 – 10.30 am Marchang (Welcome Ceremony) 10.30
am – 12.30 pm T1. Inauguration Chief Guest: Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo
Wangchuck
Welcome to the conference and Urgent Need for
Value Education
- Dasho Nidup Dorji, Vice Chancellor, Royal
University of Bhutan 15 min
Background of ICHVHE & Purpose of this
conference
– Prof. Rajeev Sangal, Director IIT (BHU),
Varanasi 20 min
Efforts at IIIT Hyderabad – Prof. Ramancharla Pradeep Kumar, IIIT,
Hyderabad 10 min
History & Progress from Last Conference – Dr. A. P. Singh,
Dean RIC, Punjab Technical University
Introduction to Universal Human Values – Shri Ganesh Bagaria,
Manaviya Shiksha Sansthan15 min
Release of Book – Refocusing Education for GNH 10 min
Inaugural address by Chief
Guest
– Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji
Wangmo Wangchuck 30 min
Vote of Thanks – Dr. Lhato Jamba, Director General,
GCBS 5 min
12.30 – 1.30 pm
Consecration of Stupa (Chorten) by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji
Wangmo Wangchuck Lunch (Please meet in your Special Interest Groups*) * Special
Interest Groups (SIGs):
1. Government Education Policy Makers
2. UGC
3. Universities
4. Teachers
5. Societal Organisations
6. Others
Bhutan Core Group please participate in each
SIG Guidelines for Sharing: We warmly acknowledge the
"historical" efforts in value education which have made a difference,
and allowed all of us to reach where we are today. Multiple approaches, in this
case, are complementary and allow us to reach a larger number of students and
hence must be discussed. The three basic criteria for sharing any particular
effort are: 1. The effort should satisfy the 4-point guidelines (universal,
rational, verifiable and leading to harmony) 2. The effort should have been
tried in education concretely and not just be based on theoretical arguments
alone 3. The effort should be proliferating, from one institution to another,
in a natural manner In a short conference like this one, we can focus on
approaches that have been “experimented on a large scale” 7
27 March 2015 (Day 1):
Societal Development, Current State & Role of Education (Cont) 1.30 – 3.00
pm T2.
Talks: GNH Development Model & Education for GNH Session Chair: Dr.
Samdru Chettri, Executive Director, Centre for GNH Studies Topic Areas:
What is the GNH model of development of society
What is meant by the terms: Gross, National & Happiness
How GNH includes GDP; and in more than GDP
How is GNH measured
What is the state of GNH year after year
How has education in Bhutan prepared students
for contributing to a GNH society
Speakers (60 min):
1. Dasho Pema Thinley, Ex-VC, RUB
2. Mr. Tshewang Tandin, Director General, Department of Adult
& Higher Education
3. Aum Nancy Stricland, Canadian Development Agency
4. Ex. Lyonpo TS Powdel, Ex. Minister
Education
GNH-UHV Model (30 min) Mr. Tshering, CST,
Bhutan & Sh. Umesh Jadhav, GCBS, Bhutan 3.00 – 3.30 pm Tea 3.30 –
4.30 pm T3. Panel Discussion: Society & Education – Prevalent Models
& Consequences Indicative Issues:
Prevalent models of society
Preparation of people by way of education
o
Attitude
& mindset of student (individualistic, family oriented, societal, national,
global etc)
o
The skill-set
& ability to take responsibility by the student
o Clarity & commitment to contribute to development (of family,
society, nature etc.)
Consequences of choice of societal model and
the model of education
o
Are educated
people happy? Is there justice in their families? Are their families
prosperous?
o How these educated people contribute to development of society
Moderator: Lopen Lungtaen Gyatso,
Director, Institute of Language & Culture Studies Panellists:
1. Mr. Chewang Rinzin, Programme Coordinator, Royal Institute for
Governance and Strategic Studies, Phuntsholing, Bhutan
2. Dr. Dorjee Thinley, Director Research & Industrial
Linkages, RUB, Bhutan
3. Prof. G Bhagyanarayana, Vice Chancellor, Palamuru University,
Mahabubnagar, India
4. Prof. M. Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor, Daffodil International
University, Bangladesh
5. Prof. Ranjith Premalal De Sliva, Vice Chancellor, Uva Wellassa
University, Sri Lanka
6. Sadhu Tyagpriyadas, Atmiya Group of Institutions, Rajkot, India
7. Dr. Kavita Sharma, President, South Asian University, New
Delhi, India
8. Ms. Naina Kala Gurung, Royal Academy,
Paro, Bhutan
Common Q&A 8
27 March 2015 (Day 1):
Societal Development, Current State & Role of Education (Cont) 4.30 – 5.00
pm Tea 5.00
– 6.00 pm T4. Talk: Human Society & Role of Education – Sh.
Ganesh Bagaria, MSSS, Kanpur 6.30 – 8.00 pm Tea & Cultural Program –
Celebrating Co-existence 8.00 – 9.30 pm Dinner 8.30 – 9.30 pm Meeting
of Special Interest Groups ---End of Day 1--- PANEL DISCUSSIONS Purpose:
To deliberate on specific topics so as to arrive at clarity about these topics,
to arrive at conclusions and to develop commitment for action. Format:
1. Moderator opening remarks (10 mins)
2. Each panelist opening remarks (5 mins each)
3. Questions from the house & response by panelists /
moderator (remaining time)
4. Moderator sum-up and closing remarks (10 mins)
5. PPT/audio-visuals may be difficult for short presentations, so
we request panelists for sharing their key points without PPT/audio-visuals
6. To accommodate sufficient number of
panelists, we request panelists to be precise and to-the-point
Request to Moderator
1. Please share your ideas about the indicative issues, particularly
in the light of universal human values
2. Please introduce each panelist as you invite them to share key
points succinctly, in the time allocated
3. Please guide the discussion to the point
4. Please encourage adequate participation of the house
5. Please manage time, particularly ensuring fair share of time
for all
6. Please summarise the discussion and
highlight the conclusions to sum up the panel discussion
9
_____________________________________________________________________________________28
March 2015 (Day 2): Human Society and Human Education Experiences of
Implementing Universal Human Values
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9.30 – 9.40 am Sum up of Day 1 – Sangay Rinzin, Dean Research, GCBS 9.40 –
11.00 am T5. Talks: Implementing Universal Human Values at Indian
Universities – 1 (PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF IMPLEMENTING UHV) Session
Chair: Sh. Rajul Asthana, Director, International Resource Centre for
Universal Human Values & Ethics, Punjab technical University, Kapurthala,
Punjab, India
IIIT, Hyderabad – Prof. PJ Narayanan, Director (by video)
UPTU – Prof. Prem Vrat, Ex. VC UPTU & VC Institute of
Technology and Management University, Gurgaon, Sh. Jatin Ahlawat, MD, RVIT,
Bijnor
PTU - Dr. H. S. Bedi, Chairman BoS-HV, Dr. M. S. Grewal, Director,
SUSCET, Tangori, Dr. Jagmeet Bawa, Joint Director IRC, PTU, Dr. Raminder Singh
Uppal, HoD, BBSBEC, Sh. Jitender Narula, Asst. Registrar, PTU
Galgotia‟s University – Dr. Kumar Sambhav, AP
HPTU – Prof. Shashi Dhiman, Ex VC, HPTU
11.00 – 11.30 am Tea 11.30 – 1.00 pm T6.
Experiences: Implementing GNH Value Education (Universal Human Values) at
Royal University of Bhutan Session Chair: Dasho Pema Thinley, Ex. VC RUB Indicative
Issues:
Need, Guidelines, Content & Process of Value Education
Experiments with Education for GNH model with UHV in various
colleges
Experiences of Students, Teachers and people
from society
o
Regarding
identification of the requirement of physical facility, production of required
physical facility & mutual prosperity
o
Regarding the
feelings in relationship & mutual happiness
o Regarding a sense of responsibility towards family, institution
and society
Speakers:
1. Dr. Sangay Rinzin, Dean Research & Industrial Linkages,
GCBS
2. Mr. Kala Tshering, Faculty, JNP
3. Mr. RB Chettri, Faculty, CNR
4. Dr. Thubten Gyatso, Director General, PCE
5. Lopen Lungtaen Gyatso, Director, ILCS, Bhutan
6. Dr. Cheki Dorji, Director, CST, Bhutan
7. Mrs. Neyzang Wangmo, Dean Research & Industrial Linkages,
Nursing and Public Health
8. Ram Chandra Bajgai, Sherubtse College
9. Ugyen Dorji, SCE
1.00 – 2.00 pm Lunch 10
28 March 2015 (Day 2):
Human Society and Human Education & Experiences (cont) 2.00 – 4.00 pm T7. Panel Discussion: Orienting
Higher Education for balanced Societal Development with Personal & Family
Development Indicative Issues:
How do we orient higher education with balanced & holistic
development?
How do we implement value education keeping
it universal? Should value education be logical, verifiable and address all
aspects of living?
Moderators: Dasho Nidup Dorji, VC RUB Panellists:
1. Dr. K.P Tshering, President, Gesar Gyalpo University of Medical
Sciences of Bhutan
2. Dr. Bishal Situala, University of Life Sciences, Netherlands
3. Prof. Craig Smith, Professor, Kyoto University of Foreign
Studies, Japan
4. Prof. Gita Dharampal, Professor, Heidelberg University, Germany
5. Prof. Sampath Priyantha Perera Amaratunge, Vice Chancellor,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
6. Prof. M. Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor, Daffodil International
University, Bangladesh
7. S.M. Mahbub-Ul-Haque Majumder, Dean,
Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
Common Q&A 4.00 – 4.30 pm Tea 4.30
– 6.00 pm T8. Talk: Human Education for Human Society – Prof. Kumar
Sambhav, Galgotia‟s University
6.30 pm Dinner 7.30 – 9.30 pm Meeting
of Special Interest Groups
---End of Day 2---11
_____________________________________________________________________________________
29 March 2015 (Day 3): Implementing Human Values in Higher Education
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9.30 – 9.40 am Sum up of Day 1 & 2 – Sangay Rinzin, Dean Research, GCBS 9.40
– 11.00 am T9. Talks: Implementing Universal Human Values at Indian
Universities – 2 Session Chair: Prof. R. R. Gaur, NRCVEE, IIT Delhi
Dr. Rajneesh Arora, Ex. VC PTU
Atmiya Group of Institutions – Prof. J. N. Shah, Director, Atmiya
Group of Institutions, Rajkot
AP & Telengana – Dr. Kalyan Mohan Goli
IIT (BHU), Varanasi – Prof. R. K. Mishra
IASE – Dr. Surendra Pathak
11.00 – 11.30 am Tea 11.30 – 1.00 pm T10.
Talks: Process & Steps for Implementing Human Values in Higher Education
(FROM PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF IMPLEMENTING UHV)
1. Prof. R. R. Gaur, NRCVEE, IIT Delhi
Comprehensive UHV Package
2. Sh. Rajul Asthana, Director, IRC-UHVE, PTU
Steps for Implementing Human Values in Higher
Education
1.00 – 2.00 pm Lunch 2.00 - 4.00 pm T11.
Panel Discussion: Future Plans for Implementing Universal Human Values In
Higher Education (Specific Commitments) Indicative Issues:
My plan to introduce or reinforce human values in my university /
organization
How I have been creating conducive environment in my university /
organization for living with human values
Strategies and mechanisms for scaling up, policy for large scale
proliferation
Providing thrust to applied research in human
values
Moderator: Dr. Rajneesh Arora, Ex. VC
PTU Panellists (in 2 parts):
1. Dr. Dorji Tshering, Director General, Department of Traditional
Medicines, Ministry of Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan
2. Dr. Tshewang Tandin, Director General, Department of Adult
& Higher Education, Bhutan
3. Dr. K.P Tshering, President, Gesar Gyalpo University of Medical
Sciences of Bhutan
4. Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Khozo, Area Study Centre, Far East and
Southeast Asia, University of Sindh, Pakistan
5. Prof. Ranjith Premalal De Sliva, Vice Chancellor, Uva Wellassa
University, Sri Lanka
6. Prof. Sampath Priyantha Perera Amaratunge, Vice Chancellor,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
7. Dr. Hem Raj Pant, Registrar, Far West University, Nepal
8. Prof. M. Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor, Daffodil International
University, Bangladesh
9. Prof. Craig Smith, Professor, Kyoto University of Foreign
Studies, Japan
10. Dr. Bishal Situala, University of Life Sciences, Netherlands
11. Prof. Brij Kishore Kuthiala, Vice Chancellor, Makanlal
Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita & Sanchar University, Bhopal, India
12. Prof. Gur Prit Inder Singh, VC, Adesh
University, Bathinda, India
12
13. Prof. Yoginder Verma, VC, Central University of Himachal
Pradesh, Dharamsala, India
14. Dr. R K Mishra, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, India
15. Prof. S S Murthy, Ex-VC, Central University of Karnataka,
Gulbarga, India
16. Dr. A. Victor Devadoss, AP, Loyola College, Madras University,
India
17. Dr. Vinay Sharma, Department of Mgmt. Studies, IIT Roorkee,
India
18. Ms. Soma Bhowmik, AP, William Carey
University, Shillong, India
Common Q&A 4.00 – 4.30 pm Tea 4.30
– 6.00 pm T12. Valedictory – Summary and Way Forward Observations, Summary
& Recommendations – Dr. Dorji Tshering, Director Research, RUB Closing
Remarks – Dasho Nidup Dorji, VC RUB Vote of Thanks – Dr. Lhato Jamba, Director
General GCBS 6.30 pm onwards Evening Tea followed by Farewell Dinner
---End of Day 3, End of Conference--- Committees:
1. Recommendations of the Conference – Required by Day 3 at 4.30
pm to be approved & read by Dasho VC
2. Conference Documentation – Required for on-line publication
3. Media / Press Notes – Required for each
day at most by the end of that day
Bhutan
Core Group to take primary responsibility for Committees
4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON
HUMAN VALUES IN HIGHER
EDUCATION
GAEDDU COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
STUDIES,
ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF BHUTAN
27-29 MARCH 2015
Observations, Summary, and
Recommendations
Preface
“This conference is not
designed as a debate or paper presentations”.
It is not “about human values”
– ingestion of theoretical garbage, but about understanding the nature of self,
investigating into the self, becoming a better person, and living in harmony
with nature and creating a society that is harmonious and sustainable.
What I shave sensed:
1.
Motivation/Inspiration/the Wisdom behind??? – Sustainable wellbeing and
happiness
2.
What are the fundamental principles that guide/underpin UHVE experiments? - Universal,
Rational, Verifiable, Leading to harmony, Humanistic (conducive to the good of
humanity), and All encompassing (touching all aspects of human life)
3.
What is the Goal??? - Building a humane society. A society is composed
of families living in harmony and having a common goal: resolution, prosperity,
fearlessness, and co-existence
4.
What is the methodology??? -
Holistic/comprehensive, grounded, bottom-up, empowering, process-oriented and
impact-led. Self-exploratory … The lifestyle and institute culture reflects
Value Based Living – right understanding and right feeling, behavior
and work. Not about preaching
– self exploration/investigation, developing “right understanding”.
5.
What is the impact/evidence of change?? Visible on students, faculty
members and their families, Deans, Vice Chancellors, members of the government,
political leaders, and others members of the wider community……
6. Who are the change
makers? - Passionate, inspired and committed human beings who have
reflected deeply on as well as critically examined the nature of higher
education today and how we could do education differently to create a humane
society.
7. What about the
sustainability of the initiative? The 7 models: i) the commercial model;
ii) the amusement model; iii) the passive-course model; iv) the
scholar-practice disconnect model; v) the researcher-practice disconnect model;
vi) the silent-but-powerful model; vii) and the holistic/comprehensive/sustainable
model and at minimum costs!!
This
conference --
It
is a gathering of distinguished individuals from 10 countries* working in
various fields – academia, government, civil society, foundations, and many
others. The participants include Chancellors, current Vice Chancellors, former
Vice Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, Heads of University Grants Commissions,
Institute Directors, Champions and leaders of human values education, heads of
government and non-government agencies, leaders in the justice system,
professors, research scholars, thought leaders, students, and many others.
* Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Germany, Japan, Thiland, Norway
The dominant paradigm in higher
education – information and skill, intellectual training, competition, profit,
success … Current educational paradigm misses out on these:
Right
understanding in the self of every child – is missing
The
capacity to live in relationship with other human beings – is missing
The capacity to identify the
need for physical facility – is missing
Hence, Anger, depression,
despair, disillusionment, hopelessness, violence, aggression, psychological
loneliness, sense of failure and hopelessness, violence, aggression, and
suicide, are increasing.
An alternative higher
educational model
Education models in South Asia
can provide an alternative model to the world.
A society is
composed of families living in harmony and having a common goal: resolution,
prosperity, fearlessness, and co-existence – to build a humane
society.
Summary and observations Day
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Themes/Issues
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Summary
and observations
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Day 1
Friday 27 Mar
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The Inauguration
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Her Majesty blessed the event
and said that it was “significant” as coincides with Bhutan and the Bhutanese
people’s quiet and calm observance of the 60th birth anniversary of His
Majesty the 4th King, the person who pronounced that national
development must be underpinned by the sustainable and wellbeing of the
people. Her majesty endorsed GCBS’s initiative to promote human values. She
said that we must “Do everything we can to propagate universal human values
education” in higher education and that the motivation should be “Service to
Others”, and “Greater Common Good”. The event all the people who’ve
participated in the event are extremely fortunate indeed.
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Transforming the way
education is done – curricula, pedagogies, research, projects, community
service, relationships
Role of leadership in
higher education institutions:
moral leadership; influence, not authority; modeling of values by leaders and
promoting it among the staff. If it is to be sustainable and enduring, the
approach should be bottom-up, not top down.
Start from the family for great impact on others; sharing within the
family; improvement in the family spreads to the extended family and others
in the community; “Equanimity, equality, sovereignty” (mindfulness, being in
charge of the mind). Need for holistic approaches to human problems/ issues
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Day 2
Sat 28 Mar
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Implementing universal
Human Values in Indian Universities: Outcomes, experiences, and challenges
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Genesis: 2005 - 4 years of experimentation at IIIT gave other HE
institutions the confidence to try it out at a larger scale; 2006 - IIT
Kanpur; 2009 - UP Technical University (large sale experiment = + 580
Colleges); 2011 - Punjab Technical University; 2012: Himachal Pradesh
Technical University, (HP); 2013: JNKVV, Jabalpur (MP); 2013: Collegiate
Education, Andhra Pradesh; 2013: Galgotias University, Greater Noida; 2014:
IIT (BHU), Varanasi
2014: Atmiya group of
Institutions
Current status: 4000+ Colleges in 33 Universities in 6 states in
India
The seminal books:
“Human Values and
Professional Ethics”, and “Human Values and Professional Ethics” – the Teacher’s
Manual” by Professor RR Gaur, Professor Rajeev Sanghal, and Professor
GP Bagaria
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The Bhutan experience
2013: The Royal University of Bhutan experiment – all
colleges experimented within the overall framework of GNH
Inclusion of human values
will be a reality in the Indian higher education system.
Panel: Extreme forms of wealth accumulation; lack of
understanding of the need for balanced values for improving the quality of
life is a concern; Technology can be used to destroy each other (e.g.
cybercrime) ; engineering courses (compulsory or audit) should therefore be
deeply imbued with human values)
Values can be taught – but
who teaches is important as the teacher is the living embodiment of the
values being taught in a higher education institutions.
Courses, refresher
programmes, teacher development, workshops, social internships, socially
relevant projects, development of nodal centres.
PTU: Impact on students –
quit drugs, alcohol, started to read Rig Veda, Bhagavat Gita, secular values,
etc. – Two revolutions – Green revolution, and Values Education. Newspapers
wrote that the Punjab government was of the view that PTU Vice Chancellor was
cutting down government revenues!!
Change in the university –
Galgotias University.
PhD courses aimed to explore
human values education more deeply and improve the process.
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Implementing GNH value
Education at the Royal University of Bhutan
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Affirming what is valuable –
whatever brings peace and harmony in self and others is valuable. The need to
prioritize and do that which is ‘valuable’ at the right time, and postpone
the superficial.
RUB Colleges: Lots of excitement initially but slower now.
Students are able to things they hadn’t imagined previously. Students: Personal
transformation is tangible – reduction in personal expenditures and
minimizing the pressure on parents. Gaining more knowledge and greater
self-knowledge and understanding clearly the purpose of life.
Even the faculty members
demonstrate lots of enthusiasm initially but now the pace has slowed. Hence,
the need to sustain the interest and the initiatives. Human values
education as a course in engineering. Workshops are being run for the
students. Stakeholders have found the students strong at team work. Students
have reported that the human values course has helped them to understand
their inner self. Relationships and disciplinary culture have improved in the
colleges
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The college environment is
changing. Faculty staffs are also engaging in positive initiatives such as
organic farming, waste management, community service. There is introspection,
inner journeys and are in better control of themselves, of their own minds.
Faculty training is crucial. Once
faculty staffs have internalized the values, then it is easier to teach it to
the students.
Building a core group of
people (champions) in each college is important will move the ideas forward
as well as influence others and proliferate from institution to institution.
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Orienting Higher Education
for Balanced Societal Development with Personal and Family Development
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It is important to
resuscitate traditional and older ways of living, which are already there in
the cultures of South Asian countries, instead of creating something new.
Human values should be taught in universities since the graduates will be the
agents of societal wellbeing on an international scale.
The world is facing
hyper-complex problems because it doesn’t know what the consequences are
going to be for the future; it is hyper-complex because of cultural
complexities; it is so because of the need for transformation – personal,
societal and political. The need to reorient education and research from
science for society to science with society. In curricula, include four
elements: Cultivate courage, creativity, and passion for life.
Higher education efforts
should be to develop morally responsible human beings who are working for
human wellbeing.
Human values education can
promote professional ethics through developing knowledge, skills, attitude,
communication, the psychological environment, and human relationships.
In the human values education
programme, put students from different countries, cultures, religions,
disciplines and engage them in experiential learning.
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Human Education for a
Human Society
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Self Exploration – verify it
on your own right on the basis of one’s natural acceptance. It is a process
of dialogue.
The concept of development –
the perception of development need to be clarified. Is development about
‘competition’, is it about accumulation of physical facility? So, there is
accumulation of physical facilities in a few individuals and these few are
considered important, others are not important.
Right understanding and human
relationship are not identified as basic needs. Instead, gross
misunderstanding today:
1. Money is everything – in
every individual
2. Accumulation by any means
– in few individuals
3. Domination, exploitation,
fear – in society – terrorism, war
4. Mastery and exploitation –
over nature – resource depletion, pollution. All these are lead to a 3 forms
of madness:
Madness for consumption
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6
Madness for profit
Madness for sensual pleasure
Universal human order:
Right understanding and right
feelings - in every individual
Prosperity – in every family
Fearlessness – in society
Co-existence - in
nature/existence
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Day 3
Sunday 29 Mar
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Implementing Universal
Human Values at Indian Universities
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There should be no disconnect
between HE leadership (e.g. VCs and Deans) and people who develop curricula,
teach HVE courses, run training programmmes, promote human values education,
and do research on human values. Everybody engaged in this initiative should
affirm its values, go through its process, and work as members of a team for
a common good. Very visible impact on student – understanding of self and
anger management, academic concentration, relationship with peers, family and
community, “requirement analysis”, gratitude towards parents, personal
consumptions
Conflict-centric approach to
harmony-centric approach in higher education
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Process and steps for
Implementing Human Values in Higher Education
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Integration of science,
technology and human values is the most important challenge of our times!!
Core components of EHV:
Self-exploration as the pedagogical process for EHV.
A comprehensive human
values package:
Process of mentoring, self
study, refreshing doses (workshops, conferences) -- advanced courses (short
term strategy) -- revamp the whole education system (education is currently
influenced by superficial aspects of life such as accumulation of physical
facility, information and skill, competition).
Need for R&D in HVE
experiments and creation of centres of excellence as well as nodal training
centres for development of models, methodologies, and resources. But we need
to approach research differently so that HVE initiatives are not owned
through IP generation, copyright ownerships, commercialization. Research, if
pursued, must be done with the aim to assess the process and impact on
individuals, communities, institutions, and not for IP ownership and
self-aggrandizement of talented researchers.
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Commitments: Future plans for implementing Universal Human Values
in Higher Education
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Panelists have acknowledged
the deep impact the conference has had on their own understandings of life.
Values free of religious dogma and formulations inspired them to implement it
in their own lives and in their own institutions. Personal commitments,
institutional commitments in terms of continuing the discourse on UHVE,
training staff, introducing human values education, seminar talks… use of
social media, work at the grassroots level, introduction of UHVE into
existing courses, promoting it among conferences and seminars, influencing
university leaders, conducting research, etc
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