Efforts to establish a virtual university that offers a web platform for students and institutions to connect, share knowledge and pursue multidisciplinary academic goals began in India in 2011. Initiated by the government and supported by prominent institutions such as JNU and IIT Delhi, the meta university was received with much enthusiasm by the student community.
After the pandemic, the meta university concept of freeing education from physical boundaries has risen to greater relevance. As the reach of the Indian meta university grows, it may become the world’s first national meta university. Here’s a look at the noteworthy features of the meta university:
- Interconnected Web-based Platform – The meta university functions as an interconnected platform that enables professors, students, and researchers to share learning resources. They may upload scholarly publications and scientific work here and perform virtual experiments together.
- Collaborative & Multidisciplinary Learning – Equipped with a competent communication infrastructure, different universities can work together to offer courses in various disciplines. Students can choose from a wide range of universities and courses to pursue without the need for elaborate exchange programs.
- Interuniversity Learning – The meta university offers students the opportunity to access learning resources from any university/library they need. Students enrolled in one institution can pursue courses in other universities and colleges.
- Creative Learning Configurations – A student enrolled in an engineering program at IIT Delhi may pursue a course in Sanskrit from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi. Education experts believe that opportunities to make such creative learning configurations will lead to the development of ‘new minds’ more conducive to innovation.
- Revolutionizing Education – The meta university is set to reform the way students look at learning in the Indian education system. As a young nation, students appreciate the change and the effort to bring our education system to par with the international standards.
- Information Technology – The meta university concept leverages connectivity through information technology to improve the higher education experience in India. Students can complete courses, appear for exams and gain diplomas or degrees without registering at brick-and-mortar universities.
- National Knowledge Network – The meta university in India will be powered by the National Knowledge Network (NKN). The NKN is a high-speed fibre-based broadband network that facilitated collaboration among institutions for better learning and research. The NKN connects many national and state universities, colleges, and other higher education institutions.
- Credit & Grading System – All participating higher education institutions must follow a uniform credit and grading system. Without that, the purpose of a multidisciplinary learning system may not be solved.
- Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research – The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has established a virtual university named the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research. Through virtual education, they offer research consultancy, courses, degrees, and diplomas to graduates. The virtual learning platform has been an enormous success.
Before the meta university was initiated, a student enrolled in one university could not join a course in another university unless an exchange program was in place. But as the education system and the student community both get comfortable with virtual education – the meta university may be the next step in the future of education.
Many eminent universities and colleges in India are a part of the meta university concept. Here’s a look at some of the esteemed institutions among them:
- Delhi University – The first institution to join the meta university movement.
- Jamia Milia Islamia – Conducted a postgraduate course in mathematics education in collaboration with DU as a pilot project under the meta university concept.
- Jawaharlal Nehru University – Offers graduation and post-graduation courses online.
- Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi – IIT Delhi has collaborated with various colleges for research and academics through the meta university in the past years.
Some other institutions in this list are:
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
- Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar
- Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
- Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata
- English & Foreign Languages University
- Indian School of Business, Hyderabad
- Punjab University
- PEC University of Technology
- Indian Institute of Science, Education, and Research (IISER), Mohali
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Mohali
- Pune University
- Indian Institute of Science, Education, and Research (IISER), Pune
- University of Calcutta
- Jadavpur University
- University of Hyderabad
The idea is to create anchoring universities that will host a cluster of higher education institutions in their region. For example, in Chandigarh, fifteen higher education institutions in the region are coming together under the aegis of Punjab University to create the Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) in line with the meta university concept.
Conclusion
The meta university is an ambitious project that aims to facilitate learners in India with the power of information technology and internet connectivity. If implemented correctly, the meta university may be the answer to India’s unskilled labour problem and talent shortage.
To know more about the meta university and how your higher education institution can be a part of this movement, get in touch with the experts at CollPoll. Our consultants will help you in understanding and overcome the challenges in implementing online learning for your students and forming lucrative collaborations with other eminent institutions. We will help you get the proper partnership to enhance your institution’s online education efforts.
