Socially Responsible Higher Education

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Author: search.filters.author.Tandon, RajeshSubject: search.filters.subject.India

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    Fostering social responsibility in higher education in India
    (Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), 2014) Tandon, Rajesh
    This paper explores the importance of integrating social responsibility into higher education in India, emphasising community engagement as a vital function alongside teaching and research. This paper draws on national and international practices, along with recommendations from the Planning Commission's Sub-committee on Strengthening Community Engagement in Higher Education. It looks at where Indian institutions currently stand on this front, what other countries are doing differently, and why engagement tends to stay on the margins instead of becoming central to how institutions function. The paper calls for engagement to be backed institutionally rather than left to individual faculty, for curricula to make room for community-based learning instead of treating it as an afterthought, and for students doing this work to receive academic credit, not just appreciation. The paper's larger point is for universities and colleges to move beyond producing knowledge in isolation and toward actively driving social change and sustainable development in India.
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    Learning to Do, Learning to Be, Learning to Learn: Education for tomorrow
    (2020) Tandon, Rajesh
    The text discusses the need for sustainable development in modern civilization, education's role in society's economic, social, and environmental challenges, and education's capacity to foster learning to do, learn to be, and learn to know. It highlights HEIs' importance in co-creating and sharing knowledge and expertise to benefit society. In particular, the article describes the relationship between higher education institutions (universities) and the community as two-way communication where the community is considered a partner in education. Furthermore, the text emphasizes the importance of adopting an approach that promotes quality education (SDG 4), as well as education for sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, global citizenship, culture, and active societies (community engagement). In addition, the text promotes universities that are committed to contributing to society that values individuals and encourages them to lead fulfilling lives and become responsible and ethical agents.
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    Unity in diversity: The future of adult education in asia and the south-pacific region
    (1991-12) Tandon, Rajesh
    This text by Dr. Rajesh Tandon examines the challenges affecting our world and the role of adult education in response to these challenges, mainly in the Asia and South-Pacific region. Dr. Tandon identifies four major challenges, rapid internationalisation, Global capitalism and modernization on local cultures and knowledge systems, poverty, dislocation, and deprivation in many countries, the concept of common good disappearing from debates on social transformation and being replaced by individualistic well being, and the growing restlessness and associated violence with question of ethnic identities. The text concludes by arguing that adult education serves several roles amidst such challenges such as addressing the concerns, problems, and struggles of the poor, promoting tolerance and mutual appreciation where people learn to respect others' points of view, strengthening the possibility of a sustainable lifestyle, addressing environmental degradation and resource depletion, and finally, helping in gaining indigenous cultural identity.
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    Role of NGOs in education for all
    (Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), 1989-11) Tandon, Rajesh
    This article by Dr. Rajesh Tandon examines the different types of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in South Asian context and their potential roles in achieving “Education for All”. It categorizes NGOs into broad types based on their activities. These NGOs operate at different levels like local, regional, national, and international and understanding this diversity is essential for conceptualizing NGO roles in education. The article further examines the implications of these NGOs and notes five roles NGOs play in Education for All. First, service provision involving filling gaps in educational services in remote and poverty-stricken areas. Second, innovation and experimentation in curriculum development, non-formal education structures, participatory training methodologies, and community-based monitoring system. Third, community participation and social accountability, mobilizing communities to examine the value of education and developing mechanisms for making teachers accountable to communities. Fourth, intervening in current delivery systems of the government to revitalize and improve their capacities through training, curriculum design, and capacity building. Fifth, advocacy on questioning the education, monitoring government performance, gaps between policy and practice, and lobbying for equitable educational provision. The article concludes by identifying a few implications of these roles played by the NGOs.
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    Participatory evaluation in adult education
    (Society for Participatory Research In Asia, 1994-11) Tandon, Rajesh
    This text by Dr. Rajesh Tandon examines the challenges and issues of promoting participatory evaluation in adult education programmes. It critiques the limited concern with evaluation, which has historically been driven primarily by programme managers seeking to define programmes, assess impact, and justify resource use, and by donors facing increasing pressure to demonstrate effective utilization of aid. The text argues that this narrow focus has failed to translate into genuine concern among field educators or learners, who participate in evaluation exercises largely because they are obligated to do so rather than viewing evaluation as an integral part of their work. It identifies some threats to participatory evaluation like devaluing indigenous capacity, imposing narrow timeframes, discouraging openness, questioning, and reflection, particularly at field levels, and not promoting critical reflection and analysis. The paper concludes by stating how promoting participatory evaluation requires a major effort to demystify the concept of evaluation and create favourable conditions to make evaluation an integral part of adult education programme design and implementation.
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    Network as an instrument for strengthening adult education movement
    (Society for Participatory Research in Asia, 1987-07) Tandon, Rajesh
    Dr. Rajesh Tandon examines the concept of ‘network’ in this text as a form of free-flow of information, ideas, and resources to strengthen social transformation movements and analyse its effectiveness in addressing the problems of our times. The report talks about two distinct responses to pressing socio-economic and political problems that have emerged in the last decade: a resource-packed response from governments and inter-governmental institutions, and second, more humble and innovative response from the non-governmental sector, which has been more effective due to its faith in ordinary people, and ‘network’ being part of this response. The report discusses the relevance of networks across six key points. These are providing alternative spaces for identifying issues that dominant institutional frameworks fail to do, elaborating newer ideas and concepts, functioning as a political strategy for dealing with retaliation against grassroots efforts, resisting attempts to narrow democratic spaces, identifying and supporting individuals working for the cause of social transformation, and enabling a rapid, exchange of information, experiences, and visions across cultures. Major characteristics of a network are also discussed in the report along with two possible pitfalls, which are creating networks across donor agencies instead of the issues, and abusing the spontaneity as a license for anarchy. The report ends by presenting a three-phase appraisal of the Participatory Research Network's history starting with the inception phase (1977-1980), the consolidation phase (1980-1985) and finally the diffusion phase (1985 onwards).