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UWI TODAY
– SUNDAY 6TH DECEMBER, 2015
TRAVELS
The foundation of the best practices
model is to
understand, adapt and integrate locally, what works globally.
With this ethos Campus Principal Professor Clement Sankat
embarked on a visit to India under the ICCR’s Distinguished
Visitor’s Programme 2015-16 and returned with new clearer
visions for best practices for The UWI.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) hosts
foreign students, scholars and university officials on a ten-
day fellowship that is intended to build relationships with
universities in India, and promote internationalization of
programmes and issues. Professor Sankat’s specific focus
was onThe UWI drawing closer to Indian universities with
regard to food and agriculture, medical sciences, educational
training and research in some specific areas.
Accompanied by his daughter Suresha, a medical
sciences student, the Campus Principal traveled in
November to Manipal University, the University of
Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru and the CFTRI-Central
Food Technological Research Institute in Mysuru. The last
stop on the visit was the Brahma Kumaris headquarters
at Mount Abu in Rajasthan, an organization that is well
known for the promotion of Raj Yoga meditation in some
115 countries throughout the world, including Trinidad
and Tobago.
Among the best operational take-aways for Principal
Sankat was seeing how the universities centralized their
systems to harmonize its outputs throughout the very large
landmass that is India. When pressed for specifics on this,
the Principal said, “I saw first hand, that if a university
focuses on needs of people it can make an impact – by
engaging with farmers in the execution of research to grow
crops using less water, further mechanization of processes,
researching and finding ways to add value to primary crop
production and the provision of high quality seeds.”
In this spirit of agricultural innovation Principal Sankat
delivered an address that described the state of agriculture
in the Caribbean. He detailed opportunities and challenges
and sought to draw parallels with that part of India’s tropical
climate that also is pressed to be more sustainable – within
the context of a changing global climate. Of course hemade a
call for greater collaboration between universities in light of
shared points of culture, food and agricultural technologies,
challenges and futuristic goals. Sankat said that the nexus for
realizing the benefits to both countries is in post-graduate
exchanges and in creating entrepreneurial partnerships.
Lessons
from
India
Renewed institutional purpose
B Y R E B E C C A R O B I N S O N
The vision for rebuilding and rekindling The UWI
output through community outreach was also fueled by
a model for using rice production in the development
of bio-diesel. At the University of Agricultural Sciences
there is an integrated research programme that is focused
on farmer engagement for the propagation, exploration
and commercialization of biofuel. Sankat said that he
was impressed by the non-compartmentalized way that
researchers and academics engaged farmers in problem-
solving and collaboration. At the CFTRI-Central Food
Technological Research Institute inMysuru, this same esprit
de corps was felt as both groups focused on the science and
technology of managing the post harvest and processing of
pigeon peas.
At the Brahma Kumaris headquarters at Mount Abu,
Sankat was touched by how that institution brought a “values
education” to the university system in India and around the
world. Seeing and understanding their work magnified the
gaps in The UWI system that should go beyond building
societies to building better citizens – that in turn will
naturally give rise to strong societies. With ethics and
values seldom being transmitted at home or at a religious
institution now, Sankat said that there are institutional
lessons to take from the Brahma Kumaris values of service
and self in preparation for good work and happier societies.
Sankat felt it was auspicious that his visit coincidentally
ended on Diwali Day there in India, where the festival of
lights seem to be directly celebrating his optimism and the
progressive models this trip provided.
Dr. Nirmala Didi, Director of the Brahma Kumaris Academy for a Better World, presents the ‘Shiksha Vibhushan’ Embellishment of Education
Award to Professor Clement Sankat as B. K. Mruthyunjay, a governing member, looks on. The award was presented by the Brahma Kumaris
Education Wing of Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation at a ceremony at the Gyan Sarovar Complex on November 11. At the Brahma
Kumaris World Spiritual University, Professor Sankat signed a MOU on behalf of The UWI and spoke on Knowledge or Education with
Character – Developing Responsible Citizenship for the Future.
Sharing Divali celebrations with the Brahma Kumaris at the Shantivan Campus, Mount Abu.
It’s about creating
entrepreneurial
partnerships
