The National Education Policy 2020 seeks to transform higher education by focusing on skill- based education to meet needs of the industry and the economy. Further, the NEP also recommends integrating vocational education with general education and strengthening industry-academia collaboration in HEIs. For skilling of youth at the optimum level, learners are required to think like employers and employers are to think like learners. Towards this, the UGC has taken a new initiative to bring the industry and other professional expertise into the academic institutions through a new category of positions called “Professor of Practice” (POP) with the intent of bringing the real world of experiences and practices inside the classrooms.

This initiative has been undertaken by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to revolutionise higher education through a concentrated emphasis on skill -based education, ensuring its utmost relevance to the industry and economy.

Primary Objective:

To develop courses and curriculum to meet the industry and societal needs and enable the Higher Educational Institutions (HEI)s to work with industry experts on joint research projects and consultancy services which will be mutually beneficial.
To bring in distinguished experts from various fields such as engineering, science, technology, entrepreneurship, management, chartered accountancy (CA), commerce, social sciences, media, literature, fine arts, civil services, armed forces, legal profession, and public administration into the academic institutions.
To enable the higher education institutions to formally associate with persons of eminence and encourage them to participate in experiential learning, research, training, skilling, entrepreneurship, and extension and to play mentoring roles.

Methodology Applied:

In order to establish a unified platform for experts and higher education institutions (HEIs), the UGC has created the pop.ugc.ac.in portal exclusively for the Professor of Practice programme. This portal serves as a shared space where both experts and HEIs can register and discover relevant opportunities. Experts have the option to register and upload their biodata on the portal, allowing them to explore available vacancies. Likewise, HEIs can utilize the portal to publicise their specific requirements for the Professor of Practice role and efficiently select qualified candidates from the pool of applicants.

Who is a Professor of Practice (POP)?

They can be identified as Faculty members typically from Non-academic backgrounds, highly successful and knowledgeable in their field. Their involvement in HEIs will enable them to improve knowledge regarding a particular field by providing the practical perspective along with the theoretical one provided by academic professors.

These non-academicians entrusted as professors in HEIs are expected to teach in different programs as per the norms of the institution, to take part in academic administration and promoting industry – institute linkages through a wide range of activities.

A formal academic qualification is not considered essential for this position if they have exemplary professional practice in lieu. These experts will also be exempted from the requirement of publications and other eligibility criteria stipulated for the recruitment of faculty members at the Professor level.

The engagement of Professor of Practice will be for a fixed term, maximum tenure of 3 (three) years with a conditional 1(one) year extension, based on a consolidated amount, mutually agreed between the institution and expert.

Vande Mataram. Happy Independence Day!