The 282
nd Top Managemet Club Meeting was held at the Convention Centre of IMM on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The meeting was addressed by H.E. Mr. Dominique Dreyer, Ambassador of Switzerland to India on "The Role of Small States in Europe- The Case of Switzerland". The meeting was chaired by Dr. B.C. Malik, Managing Director, Pantech International (P) Ltd.
During his presentation H.E. Mr. Dreyer said that the world of today has made definite progress in striving for more peace, for more cooperation, for more harmony and also for more justice and democracy. There has been big stride in the development of democracy and self determination. The small countries have a role to play.
It can be claimed that many of the smaller countries, being run on a more efficient manner, have developed more efficient economics and enjoy taday a higher socio-economic well being. Switzerland's prosperity is basically the result of more than a century of political stability, liberal economic policies, stress on education, and also some hard work. This has enabled Switzerland to have developed so many famous international brand marks and to become an important tourism country despite its small size.
Switzerland can claim to have brought quite a contribution to Europe. One well-known contribution is the Swiss policy of neutrality. It was, thanks to this policy of neutrality, that Geneva became the headquarters of the League of Nation in 1919 and hosted after the Second World War the headquarters of a great number of international organizations. Switzerland has also put, as its priority, the promotion of democracy, good governance and human rights. When the East-West divide disappeared, the entry of Switzerland in the European Union would have been possible despite her status as a neutral states, as was witnessed by three other neutral states (Finland, Sweden and Austria) entering the EU. It is precisely within the EU that smaller states can play a better role.
The meeting was attended by large number of corporate executives, Govt. Officials and Media Personality.
Hon'ble Prof. V.N. Rajashekhran Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University addressed the 283rd Top Management Club Meeting on the topic "IGNOU in the 21st Century" on Manday February 25, 2008 at convention centre ,IMM. The Meeting was presided over by Hon'ble Harcharan Singh Josh, Member, National Commsion for Minorities.
Prof. Pillai stated that current 11 plan seeks to achieve the ambitious target of higher education. The current plan seeks to achieve the ambitious target of increasing the higher education access rate to 15% by 2012 from the current 10%. In addition to enhanced access, the plan also lays much emphasis on skill, capacity building, training, employability, life long education and continuing education. Open and Distance learning (ODL) is recognized and accepted as an important mode for achieving many of these targets. In addition to contributing to social and economic development, ODL plays a decisive role in the creation of a knowledge-based society. Conventional teaching-learningmethods are being effectively supplemented with information and Communication Technolgy and Satellite-based teaching-learning systems all over the world.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), during its 22years of existence, has played major role in this qualitative and quantitative expansion of the higher education system. Our educational programmes are reaching over 5 million homes through the Gyan Darshan Channels, via the DTH (Direct- to- Home) Platform. A glance at the offerings of IGNOU will indicate the uniqe mix of academic, professional, continuing education, extension and training programmes with an appropriate use of technology for deliver.
Commemorating the 150 year of the first war of the Indian Independence, the University has started a new centre, Indira Gandhi Centre for Freedom Struggle studies, with the objective of documentation and research in the historical and political developments which led to the independence of the country. Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Chair for social change were also indicated last year.
The university has to respond to the need of continuity, consolidation, and expansion in the light of the ever-increasing demands of education, skill enhancement and training. We need to strengthen quality assurance at the systemic lavels of teaching, learning and governance. Autonomy with accountability at individual and functional unit levels, decentralization, distributed creation of infrastructure across the country, strengthening and capacity building of administrative staff, increased use of technological tools to serve the pedagogical requirements, and above all a very sensitive and responsible student support service system, need to be implemented for us to continue as an effective partner in achieving inclusive growth of the country through inclusive education.
Hon'ble Harcharan Singh Josh, during his presidential address stated that today IGNOU is a vital instrument of inclusive growth and National integration. He has no doubt that 21st century which has only just begun will see IGNOU achieve great milestones on the path of distance education system by adding new and modern courses to strengthen natural and human resource of the country and bring other countries closer to us.
The meeting was attended by Diplomats, Govt. Officials and large number of Corporate Executives.
