The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) recently introduced two new educational initiatives, the Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) and the Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT). These programmes are targeted at improving the skills and knowledge base of higher education faculty.
Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP)
The first of the new initiatives introduced by the ministry is the Leadership for Academicians Programme. This flagship program lasts three weeks and includes two weeks of domestic training and one week of foreign training. It is designed to benefit second tier academic functionaries in publicly funded higher education institutions. The ultimate aim is to prepare these academics to take on leadership roles in the future.
The programme offers senior faculty members, chosen for their high academic credentials, comprehensive training in leadership and managerial skills. This includes training in problem-solving, stress management, conflict resolution, team building, communication and understanding the complexities of governance in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), financial and general administration.
This program will be implemented through 15 top ranked Indian Institutions according to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and foreign universities in the top 100 of global rankings.
Annual Refresher Programme in Teaching (ARPIT)
The second initiative launched by the MHRD is ARPIT, designed to provide online professional development to 1.5 million higher education faculty using the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform SWAYAM.
SWAYAM and MOOC
A MOOC is a free Web-based distance learning platform that enables large numbers of distant students to participate. SWAYAM, developed by the MHRD and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with assistance from Microsoft, is an Indian version of this platform.
SWAYAM aims to adhere to the three cardinal principles of India’s Education Policy, namely access, equity, and quality. This effort is directed towards bringing the best teaching and learning resources to all, even the most disadvantaged learners. The objective is bridging the digital divide and helping students who have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy.
National Resource Centres (NRCs) and ARPIT Implementation
For implementing ARPIT, 75 discipline-specific institutions have been identified and notified as National Resource Centres (NRCs). These centres will prepare online training material focusing on latest developments, new trends, pedagogical improvements, and methodologies for transacting a revised curriculum.
The NRCs are located in a wide range of institutions, including Central Universities, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and State Universities.
This will be an annual undertaking, with NRCs continuously developing new refresher modules in their respective disciplines. Training materials developed for ARPIT will be uploaded on SWAYAM for easy access by faculty across the country. The list of certified faculty will also be published by the NRC.